Women in Trucking at Road Legends
Start your engines ladies!
Trucking has always been considered a man’s world: a lot of traveling, long hours, and the occasional encounter with questionable characters. It's an exciting job that will take you to cool places and it pays well, but it's traditionally been a male-dominated field. The rare female truck driver could be seen cruising down the highway, but they were few and far between.
Truck cab manufacturers have been designing trucks for men for years. They didn't consider the fact that women had shorter arms and legs. If you talk to some of the ladies who have been driving for decades, they'll tell you about putting blocks on the pedals or sitting on pillows to see over the truck's dash. Fortunately, this is changing as manufacturers place a greater emphasis on ergonomic adaptability. It's not about developing trucks for women; it's about constructing an ergonomic cab that makes driving comfortable for everyone.
Even though the trucking sector has traditionally been dominated by men, the number of women employed in the industry is increasing. Trucking, like many other industries, has gradually opened its doors to female drivers in the twenty-first century. Because of the truck driver shortage, there is a greater demand for new drivers of both genders, and continuing to welcome more women into trucking is a viable method to address the demand.
Life as a female truck driver
So, how does it feel to be a female truck driver?
Nicole Holley, who has been part of Road Legends for years, says that she feels comfortable being part of the trucking world and doesn’t see herself as a female driver, but just a driver. ‘I don’t feel as though I face any challenges as a woman in this industry. I don’t see myself as a female driver, I am just a driver. I haven’t had any problems in my 14 years of driving. Treat people the way you want to be treated and trust yourself.’
Is truck driving a good career choice for women and what are the challenges women face?
Pamala Lynch Bowen
We had a chat with Pamala Lynch Bowen on this matter and asked her about her experience. She started driving professionally to make a better life for herself and her children. As a female driver, she believes that women can do anything they set their mind to, and if they want to be drivers, they can surely do it. She would love to see other women get behind the wheel, but the reality is that women find it hard to leave their children behind and go on the road.
Brionna Smith thinks that in the future there will be more women in the industry. ‘You really need to have tough skin sometimes. To be honest I haven’t had to deal with any challenges other than disrespectful men on the road getting mad about a parking spot or a fuel pump :) And in terms of more women in the industry, most definitely, we are taking over 😂.
Charla Hawkins
The number one challenge all of the female drivers agreed on was family. ‘My kids and family fully understand when I can’t make it home but when I do, I make up for the time that was lost. I have FaceTime from my iPhone so there is never a dull moment away from my family. They all know that I miss them and love them very much but it’s in the Bible: if you don’t work you don’t eat :).’ - said Charla Hawkins.
Lidija Todorova
Lidija Todorova says that everything is manageable when you have an understanding and supportive family and friends. ‘This job is like any other job and you can go home whenever you want, but it all depends on the company you work for.’ That is why she said she chose Road Legends and has been part of the company for the last 9 years.
And, talking about the company…
What is it like to work for Road Legends?
Rebecca is one of our female drivers who has been with us for years now: ‘They have been really good to me. I've always worked for very large companies and was never happy. I picked Road Legends so I could finally make my dream come true of owning my truck, and because they were a small company at the time I started.
The people I work under, like my fleet manager and dispatcher, are awesome. They treat me as a person and not like a robot. They are very family-oriented. When I had a family emergency they were right there for me and got me home as fast as they could. I even plan on staying here once my truck is paid for, they are also pet friendly and for me, that is a big thing because my dogs are part of my family and go everywhere with me.’
Rebbeca Wahington
LaToya Lones loves being part of the company. ‘I chose Road Legends because I thought: I am a road legend, period! I conquer everything I set my mind to. When I first called and spoke to Christina at Road Legends, I thought: it's a woman! They have great rates for O/O and she explained everything I read about the company through driver pulse. Sign-on bonus, I have total control and freedom from an honest company. Good vibes only and the rest was history!’
Latoya Lones
We were curious to know about their beginnings as truck drivers.
Why did you decide to start driving professionally?
‘I have always wanted to drive trucks, ever since I was a little girl.’ Rebecca said. ‘Just the freedom of not having someone always standing over me while doing my job. Plus, I get to see things that I probably would have never seen if I had a normal job. Come June I've been out 22 years now and wouldn't change a thing’.
Tania Simpson believes that trucking is an experience that offers freedom, adventure, and a thrill to chase the next new city she's never been to; to meet new people, cultures, communities, and see the country. She says that trucking found her. ‘I drove city transit and luxury motorcoach tour buses. I kept getting recruited to drive trucks for an oilfield client. So in researching the industry, I paid close attention to the CDL curriculum taught by various beginner companies. How their training schedule was, location, job availability, and pay offered. I chose FFE. They had their own school, trucking equipment and dormitory in Fort Worth, TX. They trained me in 2 weeks, and then off with an OTR trainer for 6 weeks. I then did 3 weeks of local city driving training. Because as the only female in a class with 28 guys, the company felt if they gave me extra training I could do as well as the guys. However, they weren't fully aware of my background and ability to drive trucks. As a female, that was my first obstacle or discrimination to overcome. They thought I couldn't do it and needed extra trying. And did I prove them wrong!’
Tania Simpson
Brionna shared her story too: ‘I had an uncle that used to drive trucks while I was growing up. So I told myself when I get older I would do that too, and I did.. going on 18 years in August! I started back in 2004, There weren’t that many women out here but I was leaving a bad relationship and my home and I needed to start over. I was allowed to get my CDL for free and I did it and I was very successful. I went through a company that paid for my CDL so it was very easy on my end.’
LaToya said that she read the Illinois CDL book in one day, took the test the next day, and got her CDL permit. Later, I enrolled in truck driving school. By the time I finished school, I went straight into a company. I chose a company that had a good training program that would help me feel comfortable driving a truck and my main focus was being able to come home every night.’
We also wanted to know what an average day is really like.
A day in the life of a truck driver
One of the activities they all mentioned was listening to music while driving and trying to take regular breaks to stretch their legs.
‘A day on the truck for me starts with cleaning.’ - Tania said. ‘I make sure to always make my bed. I wipe everything down, do my personal hygiene, feed and walk my dog, and I start a pre-trip. Then I begin by looking over my loads, my routes, how far I plan on driving, and where I bunk down for the night and make my phone calls before I take off. I also try to do all my cooking while getting offloaded or when I park for the day. I have a full kitchen setup. I have a Tik Tok page with cooking videos in the truck and I always have plenty to share with truckers around me.’
And, finally, any last tips for female drivers?
Tips and tricks
Rebecca says you should do your research. ‘Trucking isn't for everyone. It is a very stressful job. Yes, it can be a lot of fun, but you're gonna be driving an 80,000-pound killing machine. It can be dangerous. Know that there are struggles out here and it's a different way of living. So do your research and be sure this is what you want because it can be very challenging, but very peaceful too.’
Tania’s advice is to take it slow: ‘For females, I would say pray first, then take your time, don't be in a rush or feel pressured. Everyone has to make a start. But in trucking there's strength and independence, you have to be mentally able to work alone, and it's okay to be scared. You got this girl.’
Nicole has something similar to say: ‘Take your time, absorb everything, don’t be intimidated, if you want it only think about getting it and most of all: trust yourself!’
Final thoughts
Women are stepping into huge rigs and driving down the highway. The trucking business has never been more accessible, and many companies are working hard to make the job more enticing to women. A talented and dependable driver can command high compensation, a flexible schedule, and work stability, all of which are desirable qualities for people of both genders. If you're itching to get out of town, don't sit here and wait for us to talk you into it. Now is the time to get out there and start driving!
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