Quote:
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 retarded. 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.
If everything is as you have described it here, you need to get an attorney involved. Yes...it's going to cost you...but if you can prove that the TA manager actually said you had to leave the lot because you are a woman, then you let a lawyer handle it.
Why have you waited so long to take action??
Why you stopped at Montomery TA is a puzzle. If you were coming from the south, The Flying J 15 miles south of Montgomery at Tyson (exit 158) and the other truck stop ( I forget its name)(exit 164) both have 3 times the parking space that TA has, plus they are cleaner and safer.
If you had been coming down from Atlanta.. the Petro at exit 22 on I-85 has limited parking, but the Casino has an extra large truck parking area. You just need to ride the shuttle van to get to the building for eating and a shower. Only the bravest of heart, stop at that POC TA.