Female friendly truck stops

Molly Ward

New Member
Hello to you, hope all is well. I am just starting out as a young female truck driver. Am wanting advice on staying safe for the nights. I will be solo running the western 11.
 
Hello to you, hope all is well. I am just starting out as a young female truck driver. Am wanting advice on staying safe for the nights. I will be solo running the western 11.
There's no such thing as a female friendly truck stop far as I know.Try and stay away from busy truck stops in major cities.In this profession you can't be scared and wonder and worry.I'm a female did the OTR thing solo for nine yrs and never got attacked.
 
Keep your doors locked, be aware of who is around. Try to park close to the building, and don't walk between parked trucks.
 
they are as safe for women as they are for men.

It's about your attitude towards safety as much as anything else.

a shady truck stop is no safer for a male driver.

Show fear, you will make yourself a target.

I'd suggest taking a personal defense class. I didn't say permit to carry a gun, I said a personal defense class. There are differences. It will teach you awareness of your surroundings as well as how to protect yourself with simple things you have on you. Like your keys.

Don't carry a handful of keys either. Just a simple key ring with one or two keys. That way you can put the tag in your palm and the key stick out between your fingers. Makes a solid weapon to punch, scratch or claw with if needed.
Self defense with keys
 
Wear a Hillary mask;)



No really just be aware of the area. I would suggest if your working for a mega fleet that keys so many trucks alike a strap between the door handles while your sleeping at night, and a good pocket knife in case you have to get the hell out in a hurry.
 
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Hello to you, hope all is well. I am just starting out as a young female truck driver. Am wanting advice on staying safe for the nights. I will be solo running the western 11.
it has been known, that some people buy a ratcheting strap with hooks at both ends. then they string it across the front from one door to the other and wrap it around the arm rest/door pull handle. no one will be able to open the doors. some also (if this can be done in all trucks), simply use the seat bealts on each side, to secure the doors from opening.

as said, try your best not to walk in between trucks, you never know when one is going to pull out and crush you. and you never know when some jack-wagon is standing on the cat walk, peeing....

we all try to park in well lit areas of a truck stop. many are indeed as lit up as well as can be, but there can always be a light that burns out, during the night.

as said, do not walk like a victim. look around, walk tall, walk with meaning.

you will do fine, at first you will be a bit apprehensive, just ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings. a man can be accosted just as easily as a woman.
 
Stay away from the notoriously bad places, like the Pilot south side of Atlanta, anywhere in West Memphiis, the T/A with the motel in Ontario, CA, the no-name in Commerce City, CO the Liberty in Phoenix, the one in Lafayette, LA and the one in Gary, IN. I had no problem fueling and leaving, but they're not places I'd want to spend the night.

Keep your eyes open and walk in like you own the place.
 
Stay away from the notoriously bad places, like the Pilot south side of Atlanta, anywhere in West Memphiis, the T/A with the motel in Ontario, CA, the no-name in Commerce City, CO the Liberty in Phoenix, the one in Lafayette, LA and the one in Gary, IN. I had no problem fueling and leaving, but they're not places I'd want to spend the night.

Keep your eyes open and walk in like you own the place.
many years ago, when i was in Gary, IN and in the men's room, a co-driver came in all bloody. his co-driver stabbed him. i think that WAS the last time i ever stopped there as well.
 
many years ago, when i was in Gary, IN and in the men's room, a co-driver came in all bloody. his co-driver stabbed him. i think that WAS the last time i ever stopped there as well.
So one azzhat from who knows where stabs another azzhat from who knows where, and you blame it on the locale where it happened?

:stare1:

The TA in Gary and the Petrol in West Memphis both have on site security... out in the parking lot, not some donut guzzling fat body asleep in the C-store. Both have their reserved parking upfront close to the building, the lot has a security fence, and its well lit. Certainly a different environment from years ago.
 
So one azzhat from who knows where stabs another azzhat from who knows where, and you blame it on the locale where it happened?

:stare1:

The TA in Gary and the Petrol in West Memphis both have on site security... out in the parking lot, not some donut guzzling fat body asleep in the C-store. Both have their reserved parking upfront close to the building, the lot has a security fence, and its well lit. Certainly a different environment from years ago.
that was back then, i do not know about times now. but if i had to go OTR again, (VERY unlikely), i still will not stop there.
 
Dog yourself up. Get some fake facial hair, fake snaggletooth, put a pillow under your shirt, draw a few warts on your face. They won't come near you.
 
Found myself in Gary, IN last year and didn't feel unsafe at all.... maybe things have changed.

You can always carry a small can of pepper spray. Also, don't underestimate the self-defense power of a really, REALLY bright flashlight, i.e. the tactical ones. One shine in an attacker's eyes and they will be disoriented for long enough to get away (or attack back!)
 
So one azzhat from who knows where stabs another azzhat from who knows where, and you blame it on the locale where it happened?

:stare1:

The TA in Gary and the Petrol in West Memphis both have on site security... out in the parking lot, not some donut guzzling fat body asleep in the C-store. Both have their reserved parking upfront close to the building, the lot has a security fence, and its well lit. Certainly a different environment from years ago.

Still why stop at either of them ratholes....

Gary....well plenty of other options almost every other exit on the Borman Epwy has Truckstops must be a dozen or so in a five mile stretch.....or if ya take 94 split towards Michigan there's another big TA and a Pilot in Burns Harbor....

West Memphis.....Ta Earle is just 20/30 miles down the road or just push for North Little Rock ....
 
Still why stop at either of them ratholes....

Gary....well plenty of other options almost every other exit on the Borman Epwy has Truckstops must be a dozen or so in a five mile stretch.....or if ya take 94 split towards Michigan there's another big TA and a Pilot in Burns Harbor....

West Memphis.....Ta Earle is just 20/30 miles down the road or just push for North Little Rock ....
The corporate management of the truck stop chains involved have taken the initiative to improve security through fencing, restricted access and roving security patrols at these and other locations. If you haven't stopped for the night in the last few years, then you are sadly misinformed.
 

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