Originally Posted by solofemtrucker

Originally Posted by solofemtrucker

I am a 53 year old female solo long haul trucker who was finally getting a decent income. I worked for Werner Enterprises as a company driver- all 48 and I was enjoying my life for the first time in years. I was under a Just-in-Time load heading for Texas and my driving hours were nearly gone. I stopped at the TA in Montgomery, AL for safe haven and rest as I have done a million times all across the country. I drove through the lot and found no regular parking so I improvised once again as I have done a million times all across our great country. I pulled in behind another truck alongside the scale and went right to sleep. A couple of hours later I was awakened by a security guard who told me that I had to leave. I explained that I had no legal hours to drive. He asked me if I was ******ed. He told me to drive down the road. I attempted to call my fleet manager and to raise someone on the qual com to no avail. I knew that if I left and had an accident that resulted in a fatality that I would go to prison and my company would face a lawsuit. I chose to do the right thing and not drive tired. The night manager of the TA came out and said that because I drove for Werner and because I was female that I was not welcome there and I had to leave. At that time a regular parking spot opened up behind me and I put the truck into it and went back to sleep. A while later I was again awakened this time by the police and I was arrested and taken to the city jail. Even though the prosecutor, the judge, and every police officer that I had contact with said that it was ridiculous and that I should not have been arrested, I now have a misdemeanor (criminal trespass 3), I was suspended for 5 weeks with no pay, and fired on Christmas Eve by Werner. I have been rehired by my former employer of 8 years but that is not what I want to be doing. I have a spotless motor vehicle record and had a spotless criminal record. I feel so wronged because I used to stand up for Werner against the complainers. I gave Werner a second chance when they left me stranded 200 miles from my home after a bad experience with a trainer. I have no safety or customer issues. I am clean, don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs, or engage in any other risky behavior. I am discouraged and am looking for advice and legal help to get this off my record.

Originally Posted by solofemtrucker

I am a compliant driver and I was told to leave a truck stop because I was a Werner driver and female. I had no hours to drive and when I explained that to the short, white security guard, he asked me if I was ******ed and told me to drive down the road. When I explained that I would park anywhere else he wanted me to on the truck stop, he said he did not care and that because of trouble with Werner and female drivers before that I was not welcome there. I found a normal parking place but was arrested anyway for criminal trespass 3. The company put me on unpaid suspension for 5 weeks and fired me on Christmas eve. So my Thanksgiving and Christmas were both unbearable. Look around on the internet to read the whole story.

Originally Posted by solofemtrucker

Thank you for your opinions. I guess hindsight being 20-20, I should have done anything but stay there. I did not know the area, the reputation of that place, or the close proximity of the other truck stops. Being a rookie is the first problem, being bound by the federal law is the other. I stand by my decision not to drive out on the road. I was exhausted. I am glad Werner displayed their true colors because I give 110% and I would have hated to waste it on that company. I am standing on better ground now than when I first posted. I don't hold this against the TA corporation because they have provided hundreds of positive experiences during the time I was OTR. The police were doing their jobs and were extremely kind to me. The only person who could have changed this was the security guard and if he felt stupid, that was his problem, not mine. Had I the experience, I would have recorded him telling me to leave, and then explained that if anything were to happen, it would be on him. But I had no way of doing that at that time nor the knowledge of how to handle this.

Again thank you for the feedback.

Solofemtrucker, the New England Nightmare

BE SAFE