[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by annie7680

It's the idea of being at a truck stop for the night and having to get up and go to the bathroom but possibly being park so far away. I have traveled alone many times but it's been in my car and I wasn't required by the DOT to stop at after a certain period of time.

First of all, think about the amount of "MASS" you will be having in motion. The DOT requirements to stop after 11 hours of driving, or 14 hours of working are a valid safety issue. The potential for property damage, injury, and death are multiplied more than 25 times greater than when you were in your car. Fatigue has been at the bottom of far too many drivers getting into accidents. It's a requirement that you will have to adjust to. You'll also find that, unlike in your car, that truck will not instantly accellorate to a higher speed to get you past the rolling road-block in front of you. You get to accept the fact that so many drivers of cars are UN-INFORMED about what is safe to do around a truck, and will have to put up with them.

As to using the bathroom, I know a few women that are in this industry, that are going to Wal-Mart, getting a "Port-a-potty", and not worrying about what time of the night they have to make a trip in to the lady's room. Then, in broad daylight, they are able to dispose of the contents properly, and start refilling it all over again. They really don't worry about what area of the parking lot they have to back into. They simply lock their doors and go to sleep. No problem.

[annie7680]

Oh my word. I am so sorry I have been MIA recently. I have been so busy with school that by the time I get home at night, I have enough energy to throw supper together, watch Jeopardy and go to bed. LOL Firstly, thanks for all the great advice. I do feel much better about being a woman on the road. Secondly, school is going great. I'll be taking my state test tomorrow and I'm pretty confident that I will pass. :lol: But now I face another problem, but this on is a good a problem I have been pre-hired by two companies, Werner and Covenant. If anyone can provide some insight as to which may be the better company, that would be great. Both have a lot of the perks I'm looking for (a rider program, pet program, etc.) but I can't go on perks alone.

Thanks again

[geeshock]

I'd say covonant if for no other reason than you'll get the hang of doing logs, since werner doesn't do paper logs, they usualy go through a transition when swiching companies. Once you get the papper logs under your belt prety well, knock yourself out.

[Fancy_Maneuvers]

Annie,

It seems you are making it successfully through school, and I wish you the best of luck!

Everyone has offered you some very good advice, and there is not much I can add to it.. but these are some of the things I did safety wise:

Used a truck stop book until I could learn where the safe parking places were

Kept the curtains to the bunk closed.

When people asked if I drive solo, I would tell them "No" unless it was official business - like DOT asking if I had a codriver...

Before I parked at night, I would stop at the fuel island to use the bathroom before I purchased a portable toilet. Of course, this took up more room in the truck than I wanted it to...

I often took a shower at one truck stop and parked at another.

I would run the seat belt through the passenger door and then raise the steering wheel so any possible
intruders would struggle to get into that seat. Truck drivers cannot carry weapons like guns, but there are alternatives. Some people carry dogs, bats... I even know people who have water guns that they fill with chemical solutions.. I know people who have guns that shoot rubber bullets, small knives... One of my male friends, who is also a driver - most of my friends now are drivers, originally advised me to choose alternate weapons that I could use if a possible attacker was not close to me. As a woman, I would not want to wait until the attacker was in my personal space... With all of that said, I have only had maybe two suspicious encounters in my five and half years on the road... As the others have stated, intuition, gut feelings, and common sense go a long way.

I closed my curtains over the windshield while the lights were still off; some people do not close the curtains over the windshild in case they have to drive off in a hurry.

If I can think of anything else that might be beneficial to you, I will be back

[geargrinder]

Originally Posted by annie7680

Hello!

But I do have questions about being a female and being in this industry. By biggest concern is exactly how safe is it for a woman to drive alone? I know the cab is your home on wheels and it's not being in the cab alone that scares me. It's the idea of being at a truck stop for the night and having to get up and go to the bathroom but possibly being park so far away. I have traveled alone many times but it's been in my car and I wasn't required by the DOT to stop at after a certain period of time. I'm not sure that I want to team with someone as I like being able to do my own thing.

Like I said, words of wisdom and encouragement and advice are more than welcome.

Carry a big flashlight, and a can of mace (don't think you can bring mace into canada), and park in well lit areas. Don't be friendly or flirty. If you ask one of these knuckleheads for any kind of help they will take it as a proposition. As best you can, time your day to end early enough to get a parking spot in a well lit, high traffic area. Rest areas are well patrolled and a real safe haven.

Just keep your wits about you and you will be fine. The main personal safety obstacle is when you are moving.

Best of luck.

[Fredog]

A can of wasp spray is a great weapon, and legal everywhere, it sprays about 30 feet and leaves a thick foam on the attackers face

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Originally Posted by Flatbed

Another poster said that flatbedding isn't for women, I couldn't disagree more!

Some of the best drivers I have ever known, and flatbedders, have been women.

Yes, you will have to deal with tarps. 99% of the places you load put the tarps on top of the load for you if it needs to be covered. Then you just hop up top, spread things out, tie it down and off you go. I don't get why so many of these guys out here think tarping is such a big deal, really. Once you figure out how to do it and learn what works for you it is easy. I can have a load of lumber tarped and ready to go in less than a half hour, coils in 15 to 20 minutes... including securing everything. If the wind is blowing it can be a challenge... you'll learn how to position your truck to take advantage of the wind instead of fighting it. If there are other trucks around that are tarping, they will offer to help almost every time, provided you give them a hand also. If you need help and nobody offers, just ask, I have never once been told no in 8+ years of pulling a flatbed.

If you aren't afraid to get dirty and enjoy some physical exertion then flatbedding is a great place to be. Dealing with straps, tarps, chains, dunnage, etc... is a great way to stay in shape. The best part about pulling a flatbed... no grocery warehouses. No pulling into the lot for an 8am appointment and being one of 30 trucks waiting for a dock. No sitting there waiting, and waiting, then waiting more while your 14 hour clock ticks away to nothing. No dealing with shippers and receivers with nasty attitudes who couldn't care less if you get unloaded or sit all day. The customers who load and unload flatbeds are almost always happy to see you and get you in and out as fast as they possibly can. The only exception I've found to this is the pipe yards around Houston... be prepared to wait awhile if you end up there. The customers often help when you roll up your tarps and are pulling off straps/chains.

Yes, January in North Dakota while unloading pipe or a pumping unit, 40 below zero with a 30 mile an hour wind does suck. You learn to dress for the weather and if you need to climb in the truck to warm up for a few minutes nobody complains... more than likely they will offer you a cup of coffee and keep right on loading or unloading you.

So what if you have a coil loaded suicide on an icy road. Secure it according to the guidelines and then add an extra chain or two, you could put the trailer on a rotissere and it won't budge.

Good luck with whatever you do, so far you have shown a good attitude and a willingness to learn and that will take you far.

Amen - well said. I know women can flatbed because I've seen them do it. Hell, they can probably do some of it better than I can.

I say, go for it girl! Follow your dreams, even if they lead you to challenges.

I also say that the trucking industry can only benefit from having more women drivers. It would surely improve the level of discourse at almost any venue where drivers congregate.

I also think as a new driver you will learn which places to stop are "safe" or at least safer than others. For example, in Cali, be extra careful at either TA in Ontario, but you could probably relax at the Petro at Wheeler Ridge.

[dieselgrl]

Originally Posted by Fredog

A can of wasp spray is a great weapon, and legal everywhere, it sprays about 30 feet and leaves a thick foam on the attackers face

So is a fire extinguisher. :thumbsup:

[Shawnee]

Originally Posted by annie7680

JustTruckin...I'm gettin to the point where I don't like you. I'm making a major change in my life and I'm looking for encouragement. You have had very little encouragement. I don't if you have something against women in trucking or if you're jaded by the industry in general, but I'm going to kindly ask once to stop with the negativity or just butt out altogether.

I think he was just telling you exctly how it is, I would tell you the same thing, it sounds like you want to hear everything sugar-coated and want to hear everyone tell you "you go girl" and only want to hear the good things. I have seen my share of starry eyed newbies who think this is a dream job and they all had thoughts of making big bucks, maybe after many years you might make good money as a company driver, but not right away. And with so many people being out of work they think that getting into trucking is going to be the answer, I bet half of them don't last a year, not saying it to be mean, that is the case from what I have seen. You seem to only want to hear the good things, maybe you should consider the bad as well, encouragment is not going to prepare you for what it is really like in this industry right now

I have been in this industry my entire life, it is the only job I have ever done, I have owned trucks for a decade, the idustry is not what it used to be, the money is not like it was 10 years ago. Rates are down and all the undercutting going on is killing business for me, Not tellling you you shouldn't try it either, but right now companies are bombarded with applications from newbies from the corporate world trying to get work.

[Shawnee]

Originally Posted by Sabine

I would think long and hard before I would go pull a flatbed as a woman. I have done it with a co-driver, but in all honesty, I couldn't do it by myself. In one word.....TARPS....I am not weak, but having to carry a 100 lbs tarp up a ladder to put it on top of my load, not only no, but he!! no.

Especially at TMC where just about everything has to be tarped. It is one thing to haul things like generators, heavy equipment or the like, where all you have to do is chain it down, but having to worry about tarping every day is a big no-no for me.

Starting in winter is going to be rough anyhow, but having to worry about load securement too is a lot.

When you go down the highway next time, look at the trucks pulling the open trailers, and the freight they carry. You have to both secure and often cover it. Are you prepared for doing that?

Last but not least, personally I would not go to TMC, because how your truck looks seems to be more important to them than anything else.

I am a woman and I have done flatbed work, it is not always easy. I have done hard physical work my entire life and I am stronger than the average woman as well which helps, (I'm 5'8 and am very muscular and have no problem lifting 100 lbs) I live in Canada as well so I always had to deal with extremly cold weather, snow, wind, it is not easy to tarp a load when the tarps are frozen. Nothing like being out in Winnipeg when it is -40 and windy as hell trying to chain down a load.

I hauled steel for a while when I lived in southern Ontario, and those coils can be tricky, all it takes is to slam on the brakes for one to come loose and fall off.

I would not recomend it for most women, especially ones who are new to the industry and have only worked in an office mosto f their lives, not saying that women couldn't or shouldn't do it, but you better know what you are getting into.