Why don't women become truckers???

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JenniferViolet

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I have seen a thread in this forum (What needs to be done to attract more women drivers to the industry? ). I found that you are enjoying the thread, making fun and jokes. But did you know why women hesitate to be a truck driver? It is true that most of the women don’t prefer trucker jobs. Because the driving jobs are not safe for them, even during the training. Once you read this article http://jezebel.com/unhappy-trails-female-truckers-say-they-faced-rape-and-1725590857 you will get to know what is happening to the female drivers. This is not for making the female drivers down and worried but this is a general awareness to all. While you make fun about the female drivers, understand that they have to face many difficulties to reach their goals. Even though you locked the door or used safety alarm app, you can be a victim of such assaults. It didn’t mean that every female driver has such experiences but there are some cases. Since 95% of the truck drivers are men, it is also harder for them to make complaints of those harassments and assaults.
So you should respect them rather than making fun.
 
We do make jokes about things, but I think most of us realize the seriousness. Joking is just in our nature here, pretty much about everything that gets posted.

Most of the guys here (and gals), once you get past the joking around, would probably be the first ones to step in if they seen something dangerous happening to a woman in or around a truck stop.
 
I am a female driver and have always worked in a man's industry. Coming from a small, country town, it's just the type of work I was raised doing. Anyone, regardless of gender, wanting to enter any type of profession must think long and hard about everything involved in that profession & what they're willing and not willing to tolerate. I knew coming into this profession years ago what to expect, because my dad drove a truck for over 40 years.

As a woman in the industry, yes, there are several men out here that like to get all puffy-chested and flaunt their testosterone whenever they encounter a female driver. I've been talked to like I'm an idiot, asked if I know what I'm doing when working on my truck and always get asked the million dollar question.."so how long have you been driving?" It gets old, but I blow it off because I'm used to it. I'm a different person out here than I am at home. Don't get me wrong, I am not disrespectful to anyone, I simply keep to myself. I do not make eye contact with other drivers, I never ask for help from other drivers and I no longer offer to help a driver with repairs. I made the mistake of offering to help a male driver with an air leak a few years back & he was very slighted that a female offered to help & in his anger of not being able to move his truck, he proceeded to yell at me asking me what the f&+# I knew & the only thing I could help him with was sucking his d&+#. So needless to say, one of my $3 unions never helped him fix his trailer air leak in less than a minute, so he sat there at a truck stop waiting for road service to come from another truck stop to fix his leak.

Some drivers think that you don't know crap about this profession if you're a female. You just blow it off & sadly it keeps you from ever talking to other drivers. Just because some of us care about our hygiene & don't dress like Larry the Cable Guy, or look like a female lumberjack, many drivers think it's our first day out here. Let them think that..who cares. I chose this profession, but I have very thick skin, so it takes a lot to rattle me. Words are just words & no one is going to rent space in my head because they pissed me off by something they said. Do you honestly think the driver that pissed you off is thinking hours later how good it made them feel that they pissed you off? No, they sure aren't..they're on to other things. I even had a driver pass me in Virginia, noticed I was female, got on the cb complaining about how I should be home barefoot, pregnant & cooking for my husband and not out here driving a truck. "Who does she think she is", he said. "Someone should rape her to teach her a lesson that this is a man's industry and she don't belong in it." Did hearing that scare me? Hell yes it did because I only saw the color of his truck, not the name & didn't know if he'd be parking at the same truck stop as me in a few hours. I simply drove to my next stop & slept in their lot instead.

When I first got my cdl, my trainer was a man. I cannot say enough great things about him. We was by far, one of the best people to teach anyone the ropes of this industry. He was a black man & I am a white female. We drove across the country for 6 weeks together. Oh boy, the crap we heard over the cb when people would see us driving together. There's many cb Rambo's out there..they'll key up to say anything across the radio waves, but they don't have the backbone to say it to your face. That's just a sad part of life out here.

At any rate, as a woman looking to come into this industry, you should think long and hard about everything it involves or could potentially involve. Don't enter any industry for the wrong reasons. Meaning, don't do it because you've got something to prove, or because the fairy tale of seeing the U.S. sounds exciting. Do it because you know you can handle the work, you can handle the bs, you can handle being in and out of the elements at any given time, you are willing to learn everything you can about your truck & work on it to keep you rolling if need be, you can blow off trivial bs you're going to hear from male drivers (..and yes, you will hear plenty..), do it because you know you can do it & are a good fit for this industry. Not everything is pleasant out here and I honestly feel that trucking is for a certain breed of people. I personally love this job & wouldn't trade it for anything. I have learned to fix more things on my truck/trailer than many other folks out here. Every day is a learning experience and I just about find something new to learn on a daily basis.

Patience, willingness, common sense & your inner drive are key to this profession. Don't let your mind be your worst enemy, or you'll be afraid to do anything in life. There's bad things in every profession, but if you're smart, observant & willing, it may just be for you.

Don't think you're going to scratch tons of vacation spots off your bucket list, because you'll rarely get to visit places you've always wanted to see. Big trucks aren't allowed in most places. I've been 3 miles from Niagara Falls, but couldn't see it cuz of being in a big truck, been 5 miles from Mount Rushmore, but couldn't go see it, cuz I'm in a big truck. This land is beautiful, but don't expect to see much in regards to attractions like those.

Like I said, there's downfalls in every profession, but many are easily avoidable if you're smart about things.

Best of luck to you in whatever you decide
 
I even had a driver pass me in Virginia, noticed I was female, got on the cb complaining about how I should be home barefoot, pregnant & cooking for my husband and not out here driving a truck. "Who does she think she is", he said. "Someone should rape her to teach her a lesson that this is a man's industry and she don't belong in it." Did hearing that scare me? Hell yes it did because I only saw the color of his truck, not the name & didn't know if he'd be parking at the same truck stop as me in a few hours. I simply drove to my next stop & slept in their lot instead.
I, also, have experienced this. My response has been to just go on about my business. The guy saying this kind of nonsense is almost always put in his place by other men and I don't have to say anything. If nobody speaks up, I will answer him myself and tell him what a coward he is for feeling intimidated by a little woman, then I'll ask where the real men are, since obviously none are within range or somebody would have said something. At least, I did while I had my CB on, which I don't anymore. In fact, I don't even have a CB in my current truck. The truck doesn't have antennae and I won't pony up for them to put on a company truck.

I do look other drivers square in the eye, usually with a bit of a smile and a nod. Three things are accomplished with this: I'm letting them know I'm not an unapproachable ****, I'm acknowledging them as human beings and I'm letting them know I can take care of business if I need to. I have met some really great people with this approach and have acquired some allies that came in handy a few times.

Most men in this field are accepting of us being out here and will defend our right to do this job, as long as we do our own work and don't play the woman card. I will not judge the vast majority of men on the merits of a few asshats and criminals. I will not do my job or live my life in fear that some animal will do something to me. Ten years I've been doing this and only a handful of times, I felt in danger of personal harm at the hands of a potential predator. I recognized the situations and mitigated my risk.. twice by simply leaving the area, once by upsetting the plan (went around the other way and skirted the trap) and twice, faced him down square. Facing them down confuses them. They don't know what to do with someone who refuses to be a victim.

But I will not restrict myself from doing my job or taking care of my needs out of fear of what might happen.
 
I trained with two women in school, Very capable. I will lend a hand to a female driver just the same as I would a man and then I walk away, the same I would do with a man.
I was not out there looking for a hook-up. I have heard the shit talk on the radio. I will speak up. If you don't feel safe walking to the store in the truck stop and I am in the seat, Bang on my door I will walk with you. no strings attached.

To the contrast we have one female driver ( we have many i am talking about this one.) and she is strange. Not very sociable at all. barely waves to company, Forget about a conversation. That's fine.
Be a dick most drivers out here anymore are.:)
 
I was loading at this one lumber place, there was a female driver (flatbed) next to me, strapping. I said 'hi', she just ignored and acted like she was talking to a partner or a teammate. She was talking out loud like she was strapping with someone, but it's pretty clear she was alone. I can only guess that she felt she had to 'act' in certain way to avoid any contact. Perhaps it's like in the article for many female drivers, but to me I have no interest on doing anything to any driver male or female. I still think most female drivers over act (or over re-act).

I always feel like:
NEWS FLASH- not everyone is interested in you! (female drivers). Even if you're young-er and half- slinder / (some what thin or think yourself as half attractive).

But at the same time, I recognize the real threats for females in general. There's just too many a-holes and moron truckers to begin with.
 
Bored Insane - I completely understand your outlook on situations like that, and I'm sure it made you roll your eyes about it when it happened, but to play devil's advocate for a moment here, I can also understand her reasoning for faking a conversation with someone else as another driver is approaching her.. I have faked being on a phone call before. Many of us (I am only referring to myself in my point here) do not know who the decent, respectable male drivers are out here, so we as females may just choose to simply stay away from everyone. You guys don't wear signs saying "I'm not creepy, I'm not going to talk down to you, I'm legit!!"...know what I mean? I can honestly say that I avoid other drivers because I get so tired of being talked to like I don't have a brain in my head because I'm female. No one likes to be talked to like they're stupid. It just gets old.

I'm the type of person that'll talk to people in the grocery line, but I'm a very keep to myself person out here in this profession. A few years ago, a driver walked up to me as I was looking for something in my side box & kept saying "excuse me, sir" the entire time he was walking up to my truck. I look nowhere near a "sir". He laughed cuz he could see the pissed look on my face as he approached. Just being a douchebag cuz he hated seeing women truckers...yeah, one of those type of guys. It's crap like that, that just makes me keep to myself out here. It just gets old.

I am lucky to have a few male trucker friends that I'd trust with my life. I used to work worth them at a previous carrier. I can call them if I have any questions on anything I may encounter, or to just chat, or crack each other up over something. So knowing who you can trust out here tends to be difficult when about 80% of the time you're dealing with some knucklehead, do you just end up retracting back into your own little world & keeping to yourself.

Please know, I am not dogging your comment, I'm just trying to give you a bit of how things can be for us women out here. If I didn't deal with so many knuckleheads, maybe I'd have a different outlook..:O_o:
 
Hell I talk to myself all the time. About the only decent conversations one can have in my opinion.
 
I get so tired of being talked to like I don't have a brain in my head because I'm female.

I consider this to be a challenge and will generally find a way to get them to publicly step on their dicks.

Soooo....think ya know it all, huh? Think I don't know anything, huh. Welllll... Let's just see how smart you really are, Sparky..

Funny when they can't say I'm wrong (because I'm not) when there are a dozen other men standing around..

...or when it's a "mechanic" (read: hack) who vehemently argues with me over whether trailer brake lights can be tested by simply turning on the flashers (they can't in most cases) and has to eat crow in front of his lesser-educated side-kick when I find one not working and he has to fix it in front of said lesser-educated side-kick...then, goes on to say the only reason I know what I do is because my guy is a mechanic (a real one, not a hack) and I have acquired my knowledge through repeated injections. Oh, it kind'a sounds like that really happened, huh? Well, that really happened. Funny thing about that.. next encounter I had with that "mechanic" (read: hack), he really didn't have much to say except "Turn the lights on, please" and "Okay, you're done" to which I simply responded "Thank you" and went on about my business. He knows what the score is. More importantly, his lesser-educated side-kick knows what the score is. And my (real mechanic) guy knows what the score is.
 
I consider this to be a challenge and will generally find a way to get them to publicly step on their dicks.

Soooo....think ya know it all, huh? Think I don't know anything, huh. Welllll... Let's just see how smart you really are, Sparky..

Funny when they can't say I'm wrong (because I'm not) when there are a dozen other men standing around..

...or when it's a "mechanic" (read: hack) who vehemently argues with me over whether trailer brake lights can be tested by simply turning on the flashers (they can't in most cases) and has to eat crow in front of his lesser-educated side-kick when I find one not working and he has to fix it in front of said lesser-educated side-kick...then, goes on to say the only reason I know what I do is because my guy is a mechanic (a real one, not a hack) and I have acquired my knowledge through repeated injections. Oh, it kind'a sounds like that really happened, huh? Well, that really happened. Funny thing about that.. next encounter I had with that "mechanic" (read: hack), he really didn't have much to say except "Turn the lights on, please" and "Okay, you're done" to which I simply responded "Thank you" and went on about my business. He knows what the score is. More importantly, his lesser-educated side-kick knows what the score is. And my (real mechanic) guy knows what the score is.
You're SO awesome girl!! :)
 
No matter where you are....Teach yourself to always take a clean sweep with your eyes of your surroundings. This habit can save your life! Never allow yourself to be distracted.
Always watch the body language of any body you come into contact with.....measure the words if you should have a verbal exchange especially with someone you do not know.
Remember not everyone is a friend or interested in assistant someone who is in need of it. Humans have two built in features called flight or fight.
Above all else listen to that small inner voice when it whispers to your brain.....This is not a safe place...by listening to it....and acting on it could well save your life.
 
That's true (((ME))). It becomes difficult to trust someone. But "This is not a safe place" thought can affect your confidence and attitude.
 
That's true (((ME))). It becomes difficult to trust someone. But "This is not a safe place" thought can affect your confidence and attitude.

Trust with another human has to be earned.....If you can't trust yourself then who can you trust.
In this day and age there is no safe place....IMO.
confidence...If you got the know how and the knowledge along with mind set....You can apply yourself to any thing you set your mind and body to do.
attitude....Is only a state of the mind....rarely do I let some one attitude rub off on me.
 
If 80% are morons and 20% are not, you'd be pushing out 100% that includes 20% who may be able to help you in many situations. I can understand it's almost impossible to find good help when needed, and you'd have extra burden of what if situations. It's much easier just to close out the 20% and try to handle all situation on your own. But sometimes doing things on your own makes the situation much, much harder.
 
Chiming in late but I prefer socializing with lady truckers much more than men. Much more interesting to talk with and their ego isn't wrapped up their truck.
 
Chiming in late but I prefer socializing with lady truckers much more than men. Much more interesting to talk with and their ego isn't wrapped up their truck.

:biglaugh:....You just wait until you run across a gal that lost her social skills. You be saying... Devil made me stir the pot...:stirpot:.....just playin with ya:nails:
 
:biglaugh:....You just wait until you run across a gal that lost her social skills. You be saying... Devil made me stir the pot...:stirpot:.....just playin with ya:nails:

I think most truckers (including female drivers) don't have much social skills. It's this absence of socialism is what draws people to truck driving IMO.
 
I think most truckers (including female drivers) don't have much social skills. It's this absence of socialism is what draws people to truck driving IMO.


It often been said, Different strokes for different folks.....I am of the opinion in every profession there are some messed up individuals. The world of people of today have got some messed up thinking. However, if humans could read each other minds in the five w's it really be a messed up place to try to survive. So with this written I would not have no sound answers as to why truck drivers might not have social skills.
As for trucking I sure there are many reasons why a individual would choose it to work in.
 
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