PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The promise of a fresh start and great pay draws thousands of people, including many women, to become truck drivers, but “fundamental flaws in the driver recruiting and training process are putting female truckers, and all drivers on major highways, at risk,” according to a new group, REAL Women in Trucking Inc. (RWIT).
An RWIT news release says some prospective women drivers have found the driver training process “to be a harrowing experience, as they received little training, even driving tractor-trailers without proper instruction. Worse, training often included being paired with drivers who verbally and physically abused the women, and made aggressive sexual advances” to them.
One of RWIT’s founders, Desiree Wood, had such an experience “ … and was ultimately left stranded far from home with little support from the carrier company overseeing her education,” the news release stated.
“I learned that my experience — which was extremely traumatic — was, in fact, very common,” Wood said in the news release. “We believe we can change the industry for the better. REAL Women in Trucking raises awareness of misconduct and violence toward women, and builds a community of mentors and resources. We need everyone’s attention and support to make a difference.”
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An RWIT news release says some prospective women drivers have found the driver training process “to be a harrowing experience, as they received little training, even driving tractor-trailers without proper instruction. Worse, training often included being paired with drivers who verbally and physically abused the women, and made aggressive sexual advances” to them.
One of RWIT’s founders, Desiree Wood, had such an experience “ … and was ultimately left stranded far from home with little support from the carrier company overseeing her education,” the news release stated.
“I learned that my experience — which was extremely traumatic — was, in fact, very common,” Wood said in the news release. “We believe we can change the industry for the better. REAL Women in Trucking raises awareness of misconduct and violence toward women, and builds a community of mentors and resources. We need everyone’s attention and support to make a difference.”
full story