It's a Team's Life
Vicious Nasty MEN
I have heard the stories from older women who turned to trucking to make a living many years ago and how hard it was. In my way of thinking these pioneer women did not have any easier time than the pioneer women who settled this country did. I have had my Class A CDL since the early eighties and trucking has changed vastly. We see many more professional people out here who take pride in their successful businesses.
I remember the first Mack’s I learned to drive as they had no power steering and the heating and cooling worked great it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I was a fill in driver where my husband worked and drove when needed. I hauled grain and water locally in the oil fields or between elevators. The trucks were rough to drive and to stay in the seat without a seatbelt. I enjoyed these short sojourns into trucking and was glad I did not have to fight those trucks daily. Even back than I was treated with respect and consideration by what was a common term “oil field trashâ€.
In the past eleven years that I have been out here in over the road trucking I have found most of the men to be thoughtful and considerate to women. I might be out of touch but when a man breaks into a jog to open the door for me I am flattered and pleased. I have had men notice through my inexperience get myself into a bind and them back off and wait for me to get myself straightened out.
I have talked with men and women who discuss truck stops that are in a bad area and are dangerous. Men as well as women are conscious of their surroundings when walking through an unlit area. I have found my cure for this is to walk in the drive path and pay attention to my surroundings. I walk with a purpose not as a scared mouse.
I do not use the CB and I have met many men who do not use the CB as it has changed from a helpful device. The CB reminds me of the forums at times a place for men and women to hide behind and antagonize others without fear of repercussion.
I also noted in the article that we women couldn’t wear a dress or look like a women. I must have missed this memo as I have met many women out here in a dress or skirt who look pretty classy and appropriate for the surroundings. When loading or unloaded freight a dress would not be appropriate for the type of work I am doing. When driving, on a layover, or even talking to a customer there is no reason I could not be in a skirt, business suit, or in slacks. When I left my office job I signed up to drive a truck, I did not sign up to give up my femininity. If I want to wear a dress and makeup to work each day I can, if I want to look like a slob to drive a truck I can the choice is mine. I choose to look like a lady with a successful business, which is exactly what I am. It can be a little more difficult to put on makeup in a truck and a little more difficult to fix our hair out here. Once again I go back to the fact we drive a TRUCK if we wanted it to be easy we could have stayed at home. Figure out ways to say yes not ways to make it more difficult.
There are many examples in our daily lives of people being rude and it is not one gender that displays this behavior. We can concentrate on the person that just cut us off, or stepped in front of us in line, or leaves their clothes in the washer we need, or we can concentrate on the person that smiles and says good morning while opening a door. I prefer the smile and the good morning from a man or women.
I am one of the 7% of women out here who enjoys my life and this lifestyle. Overall I have found the men and women in trucking to be a very professional bunch that I am proud to be associated with. I have also found in my years that there are dangerous places all over the United States and they are not all in truck stops.
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