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-   -   Questions about females in trucking (https://www.classadrivers.com/forum/women-trucking/42284-questions-about-females-trucking.html)

Steph83 02-10-2012 12:45 AM

Questions about females in trucking
 
My husband and I are really excited about getting in the trucking industry as team drivers.
I just wanted to know some of the dangers of women being in trucking. Any advice or suggestions?
I'm very excited about the change but I'm also a little scared about what we may run into.
Hopefully it's not as bad as I'm thinking because I do really want to get into this profession.
Any advice from anyone? Any tips for when we are out on the road together?

repete 02-10-2012 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph83 (Post 508516)
My husband and I are really excited about getting in the trucking industry as team drivers.
I just wanted to know some of the dangers of women being in trucking. Any advice or suggestions?
I'm very excited about the change but I'm also a little scared about what we may run into.
Hopefully it's not as bad as I'm thinking because I do really want to get into this profession.
Any advice from anyone? Any tips for when we are out on the road together?

Stay together, don't park in the dark back row and walk by yourself, don't wear "suggestive" clothing, keep your head up and walk like your on a mission, don't flirt with anybody. All in all commen sense and it's really not as bad as some think (from a male point of veiw). BOL

Musicman 02-10-2012 10:23 PM

My wife teamed with me for nearly five years. When she first started riding with me occasionally as recreational passenger, she wouldn’t get out of the truck and go to the bathroom by herself even when I was parked right in front of the fuel island (this was at a TA in SC if I remember correctly, in 2004). After being on the road for a while, she’d walk from anywhere in the parking lot into just about any truck stop at any time of day or night without reservation. Most truck stops are still pretty safe. You have to use your head, though. I’m a pretty big guy, played defensive tackle and offensive guard and wrestled at the heavyweight division in the Chicago area from 4th grade through college and am a former Airborne soldier, and there’s a few places I won’t walk through at night without my guard up and preferably a weapon close at hand.

The old TA on Conley, GA was one of those (they closed it a few years ago). I used to call it the “OK Corral”. You could’ve told me you saw a six-legged, eight-eyed space alien running through the parking lot eating drivers for lunch and I would think it possible. I pulled in one night and everybody was on the CB tracking some nut running around half naked with a gun. Another time, a driver called over the radio to the guy next to me (employee of same company I was with) to tell him that some guy had just snuck up on his catwalk just after he backed in. We went out with “beaters” at the ready and found him lying in wait with a knife. He had planned on robbing the driver when he got out of his truck to go shower.

Places like the OK Corral are few and far between, however. Unless you’re totally brain-dead or oblivious, you’ll get a vibe when you pull into a place. The rule of thumb is the truck stops that are in or very near large urban areas are the ones that are more dangerous.

Good luck on your driving adventure. Like most things in life, it is what you make of it. Keep us posted on your travels.

Steph83 02-11-2012 01:03 AM

Thanks for the advice I really appreciate it. I may post more questions or concerns as I
Think of them. Lol. Thanks again

Musicman 02-11-2012 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph83 (Post 508553)
I may post more questions or concerns as I think of them.

That is one of the primary reasons for this site. If you haven’t discovered it yet, there is a search feature that, clunky as it may be, allows you to search through the thousands of previous posts and most likely get the answer to whatever questions you may have. Most common questions have been asked and answered many, many times before. Still, never be shy about asking whatever is on your mind. Folks post everything from questions about the minutiae of the law to, believe it or not, questions about odd, seemingly incurable rashes on private parts http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/...9/29d1b9d4.gif… don’t worry, I don’t think it’s catching.

briar rabbit 02-11-2012 06:40 PM

Steph83 my wife runs with me and she is a verry attractive lady. Best advice I can give is turn your radio off when you go to truckstops or will husband will prob. be in jail or worse.People in this buisness can be extremely disrespectful so save yourself the headache and turn it off.Truckers have a bad name and its sad to say but the government hands out money to retired criminals and low income for free cdl school so always assume there are lots of unsavory ppl where you park.They should do more screening who they train and less of our log books.

Musicman 02-12-2012 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briar rabbit (Post 508576)
Steph83 my wife runs with me and she is a verry attractive lady. Best advice I can give is turn your radio off when you go to truckstops or will husband will prob. be in jail or worse.People in this buisness can be extremely disrespectful so save yourself the headache and turn it off.Truckers have a bad name and its sad to say but the government hands out money to retired criminals and low income for free cdl school so always assume there are lots of unsavory ppl where you park.They should do more screening who they train and less of our log books.

I have to take issue with your assessment that the industry is full of “retired criminals and [GASP] low income” individuals that are recruited en masse and offered free CDL schooling. If this is true, just where do all these serious criminals and, God forbid, low income folks go to put their free CDLs to use? None of the big carriers (which are pretty much the trainee’s only option) will hire trainees who are recent felons. Many of the big carriers have a “no felonies in the last ten or fifteen years policy”, and some even have a “no felonies ever” policy. Also, I’m curious about this correlation you’ve invented between folks who come from modest financial means and the likelihood that after they obtain a decent paying job they are likely to rape or rob other drivers.

I’ll agree about the trash that is prevalent on the CB. Mine broke two years ago and I never bothered replacing it until just recently when I bought my step-deck. I certainly never leave my radio on when I approach a truck stop, but none of that means I have ever felt threatened by another driver. Now the hookers and drug dealers that a very few drivers patronize are another story. Those criminals long with the homeless drug addicts and alcoholics that are drawn to the truck stops by the prospect of quick cash through panhandling or thievery are a completely different story.

You say truck drivers have a bad reputation, but that reputation isn’t for raping, robbing and pillaging. It’s because this new breed of non-driving trucker lacks any self-respect. They run over and damage private property (just look at the curbs and light poles in any Wal-Mart store or truck stop), leave bottles of urine on the ground wherever they go, throw trash on the ground and in general make a nuisance of themselves. That has little to do with whether or not they are likely to accost a woman walking through a parking lot. Frankly, I think most of them would be too lazy to get out of their truck and chase after a fleeing, fighting and screaming female… that would be way too much work and exercise. Now if they could hire a lumper to go chase the woman down, subdue her and bring her back to the truck… then maybe you’d have something to worry about.

Roadhog 02-12-2012 09:00 AM

Steph83, welcome to CAD :p

The majority of truckers are decent people, and a big part of the backbone of this country. They are like first responders of the road, and I can list dozens of times I've lent a hand, or had help given to me from fellow drivers. You have lots of brothers and sisters out there, who are the silent majority. It's good to be cautious, because trucking does expose us to the underbelly, not just at truck stops, but also at some of your drops. I've had to chase off more riff-raff around my truck at some of my picks and drops, than at any truck stop. We all have to watch our backs out there, but also look out for one another, and lend a hand once in awhile too.
You can tell allot by what they drive... :lol:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...10/FebToon.jpg

MichiganDriver 02-20-2012 09:45 PM

Victims have a body language. Bad-asses have a body language. People that keep to themselves but are armed to the hilt have a body language. Etc, etc, everybody's got a body language.

I lived more years than I care to admit on the wrong side of town. Look people in the eye. Never look down. Always look confident. Keep a friendly air about you, but only because you're doing the other guy a favor. More than anything look people in the eye, give them the slightest of nods and go about your business.

ftracker 02-21-2012 04:28 AM

All above points are good but always remember one thing don't get in hurry on roads, have pateince while driving.


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