Psst! I wanna tell you something
Hi I’m Desiree;
Most of you know me from “Ask the Trucker” where I wrote my student trucker horror story called, “A Day in the Life of a Lady Trucker”
The popularity of my story led me to my introduction on Twitter as @TruckerDesiree.
I started this blog as a way to consolidate my ideas from other projects.
I entered trucking in 2007 and began writing about my struggles to get safe training.
My Mission is to help others by sharing information that I had to learn the hard way.
My initial concern was student truckers, primarily women who have had violence acted upon them during their student phase and simply quit because they are made to feel ashamed or responsible.
Over the course of my writing, many people have contacted me on multiple topics that spurred my interest to become more involved.
Trucking Safety, Truckers Rights, Green Trucking, Animal Welfare, Homelessness, Human Trafficking are just some of the serious topics I intend to discuss
I am a lover of history, travel, animals and learning, learning, learning. I was also a teenage runaway at 14 and Mother by the time I was 15 and again at 19. I spent time in foster homes and on the street. I have incredible ups and downs in my life trying to survive in this crazy world. At the time I entered trucking I had recently been staying in a homeless shelter, was depressed and on medication. My chance to go to truck driving school was a matter of life and death for me and that is why it is so important that I share my journey because I met so many others entering the industry in the same dire straits that I was desperate to emerge from.
Due to my driving schedule I am not always able to write or moderate this blog. I have also founded another project called “REAL Women in Trucking”
Much of my original student trucker horror story was written on my PDA, one letter at a time.
Generally I do not have my laptop accessible so I have learned to accept the imperfections writing in this manner and I embrace my typos and my new no-frills lifestyle as an “Over the Road” Truck Driver.
Some call me a street genius; some think I’m an idiot. I think I’m happy to be both and so from those two misconceptions I developed a character @TruckerDesiree
For my stalkers, I will just say that writing about @TruckerDesiree as if she was a real person is about as ignorant as writing Homer Simpson about leaving his donuts on the control panel of the nuclear facility where he works. I am a complex person with a desire to help others who has flaws.
My Twitter bio is a metaphor, some people “get it” and some do not. Do the math >> ((Pretty+Smart)/Entertaining)=Lethal
I’m clearly reaching the people who I intended to from my social media experiment.
I have made extraordinary new friends on Twitter which has enabled me to connect others to help by using my ability to communicate.
I am confident MY mission truly will be accomplished.
I post pictures regularly of my travels with my dog @TruckingDogKarma who seems to have more fans than I do now.
Just click “Karma” to read about how I met this little career stray and her battle with heart worms.
Twonk! Twonk!
(That’s Twitter Lingo for See Ya down the Road)
See all my Photographs on TwitPic rss
You are just to cool!
Here, Here! I am 57 and in a Tech School for my CDL training and believe Des is “Way Cool” and spot on. I have delighted to watch her YouTube offerings, finding them quite instructive and helpful. Rock on Des!
Karma is such a beautiful animal … keep us updated on her progress…stay safe
Uh huh… I gotcha… and your little dog too! lol
Thank you Desiree for becoming a spokesperson for women OTR drivers. I support your efforts in promoting, practicing and endorsing a safe environment for women to train in as a truck driver and also to work in an environmnent that is harrassment free.
Deb K. Purdy
Say hi to Karma for me.
Hey Des…Dropped by to catch up on your Blog.
You’ve come a long way in a short while. 🙂
As you know, I’m not directly involved in the trucking industry other than driving lot in my line of road-warrior work.
I want to reiterate to you the sentiment that many of your commenter’s have made about your writing style(You have talent)… and I applaud your efforts in seeking to enlighten via your own experiences while making a positive change in people’s lives as you travel through life’s journeys.
Meanwhile,However large or small the contributions to your mission may be…Let me reaffirm that some of us “Old School” pals have “Got your back” against those that…pursuant of their own shortcomings and lack of intellectual capacity…attempt to corrupt your message and/or treat you with disdain.
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
– Zig Ziglar ☮ ☯
Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Just goes to prove that even a punk from the beach can help others. and piss off a few also … YEE HAW!!!!
It was nice meeting you on twitter (yes, I do like to know who I’m tweeting with, and it’s been an education for me. Not being in the trucking industry, I’m very impressed with what I’ve read so far.
All I gotta say is, “You go, girl.” My three daughters would be impressed!
Keep safe leave plenty of room behind
other vehicles, and keep up the good work.
I hope you can spread the word about a few things…
Impatiant truck drivers, tailgating, and imaturity among
Drivers is a big problem. Tailgating is unsafe and become a major problem in our industry. It’s at times hard enough to deal with what’s in front and to the sides but now over the last few years we have to now worry about the truck 10 feet behind us.
Stay calm and be safe. Remember the old phrase the load is right behind me, it’ll get there when I do.
Yes we have time restraints but in our world safety is key. I’m sorry but I had to tell someone who can get this out. I was a trainer and had a female trainee at one time. I tried my best to be professional as I could
And I just wish other trainers were more like that.
I’ve heard other trainers we crapy but rape!
That’s not right. If I were a female trainee I would call
The police asap. Thank you and be safe.
Thanks Christian,
As a student who was recruited into a company who has a 6 months “Team phase” to training which means 2 undertrained people are expected to run a team truck to move “Cheap Freight”, my first questions were “Do you tailgate? , Do you get road rage?, Do you have any accidents?”
That is what I thought would be the appropriate line of questioning should be to chose a potential co-driver because you assume the company has properly screened these drivers to find out if they are potential predators before they expect you to live with them and operate their expensive machinery.
Sadly, that is not the case. It appears they are willing to gamble your life, their truck and the general motoring public in order to save a few pennies.
There are women who have called and made police reports but here is the difficulty, when your company has put you into a living situation wth someone they implied that they have done a proper background check on you tend to let your guard down a bit.
For law enforcement in different states this is a difficult situation to define, it’s not a “domestic abuse” because you aren’t dating, but why are you living on a truck together?
This is a very intimiate setting so the legal ramifications are not clear cut state to state.
These might be something like a “date rape” mentality where the person knows the other person and mis interpets what the relationship is.
The trucking industry on one hand says they are “Cleaning up their image” with penpal programs for children when in fact they should start educating the adults and companies on what sort of conduct is not permissible in a civilized world.
We are a very long way from expecting people to live in these conditions and not try to take advantage of the unsuspecting.
Anyone who has ridden in an elevator with a stranger knows the uncomfortable feeling you get from being in that unusual confined space.
Now imagine living in there, operating the elevator with that stranger, sleeping in there and very little outside communication with a qualified person. That is the fertile ground that the trucking industry has cultivated.
For the men, yes they are sometimes abused, there are sexual attacks as well. theft of their belongings and humiliation tactics.
Many of the offenders have had multiple complaints against them and the companies do nothing, that is the problem.
These companies are protecting persons who have had multiple complaints for misconduct and letting them go on to harm someone else instead of eliminating the the person doing the harm.
This makes a bad image for all Truckers who from what I have seen for the majority are hard working, conscientious people. You have to be to do this job correctly.
The company makes you feel like you are a “team player” if you keep quiet and “let them handle it internally”. But, they don’t and they know you will get a nice load and go away and be quiet.
Wireless Communications will now change that.
The first company that I went to drive for set me up with a trainer that would get furious over grinding the gears or floating them. His boss encouraged floating the gears during the road test! The trainer then would drive, grinding away on the gears too. He cursed at me and himself. He was very toxic and I quit that company after the first week.
I can’t imagine what you had to endure as a lady driver. I truly feel for you having to put up with that human garbage. I find it utterly stupid that the trucking company couldn’t set you up with a lady trainer.
Where do these incompetent trainers come from? The first trainer was teaching me how to cheat right out of the box. He completed his logs the following day and they were totally fictional. The second trainer that I had was a Christian man who taught me legal logging and safety behind the wheel. My third and fourth trainers with two other companies were log cheaters. To this day, I insist on logging legally. I have told the trainers that is how I would do it after my training.
My third trainer once commented, “Russ, there are people that make money and there are people that log legally.” By now I know that fudging logs are a very common thing in this industry. I ran into a driver in Findlay, Ohio once and he told me that he was back in Erie, Pennsyvania!
It’s amazing to think that I have been driving over the road for a little under two years total and I could write a book on my experiences and testimonials. This can be an exciting job at times as you well know. However, I can see why people become disappointed at choosing this as a career. God bless you for hanging in there because you bring a refreshing change to this industry.
Thank you for all of the good work that you do here.
Dear Russell:
Thanks for posting.
The best trainer I met was someone who was only driving three months before he became a trainer. He was concientious and cared about his students.
He was not my trainer but he helped me with my problems backing and later trained a friend of mine.
There are to many students recruited with not enough suitable trainers, that is the problem and the myth that there is a driver shortage perpetuated this but as the ATA says there is NO DRIVER SHORTAGE so now these companies that are hiring all these students when experienced drivers are sitting around have some “Splainin” to do.
It’s just a cheap labor machine and to survive it you have to learn the games to overcome the obstacles and make it to a better situation.
Thanks,
Desiree
Just wanted to stop by & say Hi!,and to congratulate you for your & Karma’s part in helping save the puppies in GA this past weekend. Good job! I always RT tweets like those,but am usually left with only the hope that someone is able to help.Nice to hear that this time had a happy ending!
I will be looking forward to seeing your & Karma’s tweets!
flicka47 aka Ruth
I totally agree with you. And as for me I don’t tailgate
I try everyday to be safe. I won’t say I never tailgated before it has happened. But on very very rare times
And I try my best not to. And road rage is something I take pride in having to control it. If, when it accurs I think what an idiot and forget it. You have to supress it
Fast. Don’t worry about that guy or girl just stay positive and go on. And for accidents I’ve had one and it was a non preventable accident. I was passing a car in Baton Rouge, La and the car turned into me got t
boned. But I know now if I were patient and stayed back for a few secounds it wouldn’t of happened. In the last 13 years of driving that was yearly in my career and I have since learned to take it easy and take my time. Truck drivers always want to gage other drivers on how many years they’ve driven, but what I’ve learned is that it’s not how many years you’ve driven but how you drive today and in the future.
Keep doing your homework and you can go far.
I believe you have the right attitude to make and change the laws of rape and herrasment. Thank you and be safe.
We agree with you about female student truck drivers being abused. This is a problem that the companies need to address. You have a person in an authority position of the opposite gender with no direct supervision, miles from home, you are looking for trouble. The other side of the equation is also know to us. My wife took time from our business to train female drivers for a couple of large carriers. What she found in 2 years of training was that most women had no idea what truck driving was all about. One woman wanted to know why she couldn’t go where she wanted when she wanted. Another expected 3 showers a day! Out of 2 years training, for 2 companies there was only 1 that truly understood what she was getting into.
Your comments are truly appreciated. Its true that people both Men & Women are being delibrately misled who have entered the Trucking Industry.
These are people who qualify the companies for tax incentives but are unsuitable to be behind the wheel of a truck.
These people are being used & they are jeopardizing the life of their trainers/co-drivers & anyone driving next to them on the highway.
This is corporate greed.
There is a Pollyannaish campaign to recruit Women into Trucking right now when a total disregard for actual skill at driving.
I know many good trainers have quit because of it, which leaves the ones who have other “Agendas” besides teaching.
Unfortunately, many Women trainers want the student to submit to them & try to over dominate which is also why Females are hesitant to work together.
I just learned of a good Woman Trainer who quit because they kept putting young men on her truck who kept stopping the truck & entering sleeper to try to catch her undressing or disturb her rest.
These are the companies failures. Mis-management, setting you up for failure delibrately
Nice to hear from you before I get out there. I’m a student, a woman 46, lost my husband and don’t wont to lose my house. I;m not that close yet ,haven’t even talked to a company, but what you talk about, I;m glad there is a woman out there, named TruckerDesiree, who cares and knows. Already there for us girl grads trying to get into the business.
Dear Michele:
You are one of the very people I took so much time to write my Student Trucker Story for on “Ask the Trucker – A Day in the Life of a Lady Trucker” , I met people who might be close to losing their homes and thought about Trucking as a last bastion of hope.
Unfortunately, many of them were not able to salvage it. There are times when your paycheck is barely anymore than $250.00 a week , many times it is even less.
Students will get priority miles at first, but then it will drop off so it is very difficult to plan financial obligations effectively.
I have one girlfriend who, like me, put her things into storage and now lives in her truck because we love our job and we want to be successful our first 2 full years to get to the next level.
That requires many sacrifices, like not going home for sometimes months at a time and being able to live on next to nothing.
There were periods in my training I had to ask for money from others to have food to eat, that is the truth about the student phase in trucking.
I know people who borrowed against their 401K to make it through their first 6 months or just don’t go home because they cannot afford it.
For Women who have no husband, boyfriend, brother, or Father to ask for Trucking Survival advice you ask whoever seems nice, right?
Of course that draws out a certain type and generally you give them a “Thanks but no Thanks” reply to their “offers”.
This leads you to other Women in the field with the perception that they might “clue you in” but unfortunately what I found right away is that many Women don’t really care for your success and may delibrately try to misinform you or try to dominate you to the point that they really are not effective leaders.
Then there are the ones who sugar-coat what the realities are of trucking and make it seem like “come one, come all” attitude is what you will find once you sign on the dotted line.
If you re having financial difficulties already, this could become a very stressful undertaking unless you can afford to make realistically 30K-35K your first year in inconsistent increments and have to fight for every penny of it.
Many bonuses are simply lures and I see people cheated out of them all the time so you cant”t count on them even if you are a model driver. There will be a tactic to take it away from you when it comes time to collect it.
I personally think the “team” is a very useful tool to training if these companies who use it for cheap labor put a little more HUMANE effort into doing it correctly.
Until that happens I would reccommend you steer clear of them.
Teaming with your best-friend is going to become stressfull at some point but doing it with a stranger who is looking in your personal items, harrassing you, cannot drive, drinks, and manipulates you during your student phase is too crazy.
Having no qualified assistance from your own company and other organizations is the even greater violation to your human dignity
I am so proud of you,my sister. Keep up the fight & be safe.
xoxo
Thank You for stopping by. It’s Women like you who inspire me to keep talking despite the petty name calling I’ve had to listen to from people who simply get so lost “labeling” someone they just can’t figure out.
I just don’t like people getting pushed around, Man or Woman and I don’t mind getting in someone’s face about it.
If that “labels” me as a Radical , I think that is a shame.
For other Women who profess to be advocates of Women as call me a “Feminist” because I don’t want to see anyone thrown out in the desert with bleach on them and no money… well, that’s not any “leader” I want to follow.
I’m glad I met you on Twitter and all the other “Loose Cannon’s”
Twonk! Twonk!
Desiree; you have and will continue to make a positive difference in the world for one simple reason, you are brave enough to take a stand for what is right. People that attack you are either jealous or motivated by unresolved darkness they may not even be aware of, that resides within their bitter soul.
Some day I will share my first introduction into trucking in 1979 as a “bedbug” hauler.” I tried to break into trucking and if you think it is bad now, omg is was brutal then. I know the feeling of being a lone woman in a male dominated industry. People like you continue to be a voice for reform.
Love,
LupieAyah AKA Kathleen
PS hope to meet you at the show!
Desiree,
I enjoyed listening to your comments on the Hostility Topic blog radio show. I have however; been trying to find your story to begin reading it. Forgive me, I am not computer savey and that’s probably why I can’t find the story. Where can I find it?
Thank You
Terry Kozak
P.S. I just joined twitter thiking I could find the story there. twitter=Trucker 2010
Desiree,
Your site looks great! Lots of info. Will visit more often. Thank you for all you do, and the GREAT HELP you gave me in the co. ;0)
Hi Desiree,
Just happened upon your story. Found your pictures very entertaining. I’ve been in this business for almost 10 years and honestly have gotten quite tired and fed up with it. It seems that I have forgotten why I got in the business to start with. It had become “just a job”. I remember how much fun I had when I first started and the amazing sights that I have seen. Now I guess I have come to take it all for granted.
I met and am engaged to a wonderful man (met at the Pilot in Sulphur Springs, TX, Hmm wedding ceremony on the fuel island hehe). I left a company that I had been with for 4 years to go to his company and team (not sure that was the right move) I love him to death but working together may not be right for us. We are now on a self imposed sabbatical and currently looking for other positions. I am curious about who you are working for at the moment as we also a acquired our “baby” Ozzy (a miniature Dachsund) while on the road and are finding it a bit difficult to find companies that will accept this member of our family.
I appreciate being able to view this job through the eyes of a “newbie” and am hoping this time off will help me get back the views I had when I started this. I was an owner op for a time and that really took it’s toll. The treatment that sometimes have to endure at the hands of our male counterparts is magnified when they find out you’re actually the owner of the truck i.e. “what’s a nice girl like you doing owning a truck”? And of course the looks I would get in the mechanics shops when they thought they would be able to take advantage of me until they found out that I had bought my truck totaled and my cousin and I put it back together in his driveway, which meant that I knew my truck inside and out. Sorry guys.
Yes it’s a hard life for anyone that does this type of work. I was very lucky and had an excellent male trainer who had been in the business 32 years. He taught me a lot and was never condescending. One thing he told me that I will always remember is “there are truck drivers and there are people who drive trucks, which one do want to be”? Well needless to say I became a truck driver. It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle.
Thanks for your time and if you can let me know the company you are with it would be greatly appreciated. Be safe out there and maybe we’ll run into one another sometime. Good luck, they call me Nightdreamer!
Hi Tracey:
I got your email but I am glad you posted here. I am a big fan of tranparency and sharing information.
I think the fact that I am new to trucking helps me becuase I have not become desensitized to the neglect and oversight that truck drivers experience.
While many longtime Industry “professionals” accept what has been long overdue for 20 + years yet it remains unchanged while organizations readily accept memberships fees it makes one wonder.
Those are some real words of wisdom you got from your trainer, I like that and glad you shared it here for others who stop by for pieces to the puzzle as they embark on their journey into trucking.
I work for one of the largest Truck Training Schools that is a Christian Company and seems to use religion to sell it’s product. They run primarily teams. It takes very little research on the internet to find that what happened to me as a female student in my story on “Ask the Trucker – A Day in the Life of a Lady Trucker” is not uncommon in my company. It is not uncommon to other Student Trucker Companies either, esspecially thos who are trying to squeeze every penny out of the cheap labor force that is the student trucker industry.
I do not use their name outright because litigation has been threatened against me. I was routed into my terminal a few months back after a heated exchange on a Women’s Trucking Forum, I was advised of a few things at that time that I cannot fully disclose but clearly my first ammendment rights are what protect me. Not any sense of integrity from organizations who say their mission is to help.
I have actually seen many Women who love this job find that it is not condusive to work and live together. I have dated , or tried to since I became a Trucker and it’s sorta difficult when you feel very independent and then are expected to go into dependent mode suddenly?
I haven’t quite figured that one out.
I don’t think it’s intentional but sometimes they want to undermine what you already know how to do and have been doing for a good deal of time and this cause power struggles.
I like living alone and having my space so seperate trucks is a must for me.
With regards to the dog, many companies are changing their Pet policies right now, I had to pay a $500.00 Non-Refunadable Deposit and another $250
each year to have “Karma” on the truck.
This last week my A/C died and My Company refused to have it repaired even though I was 2 miles from Freightliner and had to go into the shop anyways to repair a broken blinker.
Later that day I was caught in traffic and after 2 days of no A/C in blistering heat driving through Florida, Georgia , South Carolina and into North Carolina, I became so sick that I almost had to have an ambulance come for me in the truck.
Luckily I had bought ice that melted and I used washclothes to keep my head cool and my dogs.
MY A/C at the time of this writing is still not fixed.
This in addition to new Idle restrictions in California, Dallas and other metropolitin cities have made some drivers experience much difficulty keep their trusted companions and themselves comfortable while they rest.
I often speak to Women when I am on the road and the companies I hear good things about are Averitt, Crete and Celedon.
That is only what those Women told me, I do not know personally.
On my “Ask the Trucker” story, a Woman posted that she liked Watkins and Shepard.
My Friend I went to CDL School with , a young guy said Stevens Transport has a strict Sexual Harrassment Policy and he was shocked at what goes on at my Christian Company.
Not all companies conduct themselves in this manner, the questions is why are some doing it and some taking the initiative to correct it?
Why do people need to get harmed and litigation ensued to do the right thing by your fellow man? or Women?
Just wanted you to know I stopped by your site and read the comments. Keep up the good work…you are a stand up gal and you have a big heart.
And yes that is me that said:
You are too COOL!!!
Not too long ago I developed an interest in becoming a truck driver. I have been researching the industry online for several months in order to get an idea of what I would be getting into. I’m an Army vet and I’m quite confident that I can handle long hours of driving, being away weeks at a time, dangers of the road, low starting pay, etc.
But it seems that every time I look into any given company I’m reading about one horrible experience or another at the hands of a driver trainer, manager, fellow driver etc. It seems 90+% of what I read about this industry is negative.
Initially I was very excited about starting a career in trucking but now I’m even hearing stories of rapes and beatings at the hands of co-workers. This is just beyond repulsive.
Thank God I was able to uncover enough information before I made the mistake of joining this pathetic industry.
Hi Mike:
Thanks for stopping by. The job itself is all that I hoped it would be, the freedom and solitary living, being somewhere new everyday and personally challenging myself.
The sad part is that the same industry leaders who say they have a shortage of drivers are the same people making it impossible for people who desire this job to have it.
There are good companies, but they require you to have at least 2 years experience, the training companies that you have to navigate through to get that experience need a full investigation.
At this time, I do see a tightening on hiring requirements.
One couple I know has taken every precaution and passed CDL training in an 8 week course at the top of their class only to find they cannot get hired anywhere while people who did not drive as well got hired right away.
People with less english skills and communication skills in many cases are being hired before candidates from our country with good work histories and good references.
This is unacceptable.
I forsee the Trucking Industry capitalizing on the incoming veterans we will soon have returning home because of the favorable tax incentives, esspecially Women.
It is my intention to publicize the ugliness so that public opinion will better scrutinize what has been left unchecked in this industry and permitted it to run rampant over American Workers.
In recent days I have been forwarded further evidence that Women in the Industry have sought to “Cover-Up” credible evidence that was presented to them by MEN regarding the abuse that has begun appearing in the media. I was truly disapointed that these alleged “Leaders” for prospective female truckers sought to “cover-up” with willful intent. This places both male and female students at risk.
You have to wonder how much money is being changed hands in the form of advertising dollars, recruitments fees and perks to sell out another human being?
Driving the Truck is the best part of this job.
I do not want to see our returning Veterans be taken advantage of after the service they have done for our country by these scandalous training companies.
It’s time we demand accountability from this industry before the peddle their next “Bill of Goods” in Washington D.C. for their next money saving, cost cutting schemes.
We have no more jobs in America except Trucking, so why is Trucking trying to sell those jobs out also?
Selling out America and Americans is biting all of us in the ass.
kudos for the website and letting all of us know whats up. I am a new trucker myself or should I say a trailer puller… I look forward to hearing what you have to say next and I am a new fan. Keep it safe on the road out there, you and truckerdogkarma.
buzzman (Korey)
Hi Korey:
I’m glad you stopped by. Is your Twitter Tag @Buzzman?
Hi Desiree. I’m Cheemom on Twitter. I love reading about your and Karma’s adventures. Just wanted to let you know I admire your work. Reading through your blog I can see many people are grateful for your courage. I’m not involved in trucking, but I’ve learned so many interesting things here. Thanks and God Bless!
I am just thinking about making a TOTAL job change and start driving. Where is the best advice I can get to see if I might be a good fit for this? I know that I love driving across the country more than anything, I love being on the road a few days a week…. just wondering if you have any advice for woman going from a career and degree in arts who is contimplating a radical change to truck driving?
Hi Buffie:
One thing I said in my Student Trucker Story is “KnowThyself” Are you Organized? A Self-Starter? Do you have Common Sense? Are you a GOOD Traveler, meaning do you handle delays well, have a problem using public restrooms the majority or your life including brushing your teeth in the morning? Are you a GOOD Driver?
Problems from road rage, impatience, rushing or permitting others to provoke you are what you need to consider.
If you have the ability to Listen & Learn and you can drive then you need determination of jump the crazy hoops this industry makes to prevent you getting the golden ring.
Read my Student Trucker Story entirely and ask yourself what you would do if you were in those situations with no support from your company, family, just you… would you crack? quit?
I wrote it in a manner to make you exhausted with the neverending drama, can you stay with it even though it seems endless? like it will never end?
I love this job but I had to be very determined to navigate the obstacles that this Industry has strategically set up to make students fail.
I reccommend Allen Smith’s Book http://www.truthabouttrucking.com to get a feel for the way these big companies operate and it will better prepare you to challenge them.
There is so much advice I would give someone in their first year, I wish I had the time right now to give it all to you but the first steps I’ve noted above.
I’m hoping to have the time to elaborate to help more Women have the TRUE and Accurate version of what they will encounter so they can be succesful and not end up with a useless CDL.
Good Luck & Keep in Touch
dont bother reading her student trucker story. Its nothing but lies
Ok first off you are making false accusations about people who have done nothing but try to help you. I know who your trainer was and she is nothing like you say she is. She was considered a very good trainer that has never got a bad report on her. Which resulted her quitting training because of a couple of bad apples. If I know her well enough she is going to cover her butt by putting everything in the qualcom that happens. That is what she did with me. So do not surprised if legal action isnt taken for slander plus to my understanding you where one of the bad apples that resulted in her resigning from training
Dear Tamara:
I know other people who were trained my this young Woman & apparently she had deteriorated from her multiple health issues both mentally and physically from my understanding. I was her first student after returning from a medial leave that sounded rather serious. She was on a bagful of pills and we stopped for more in 3 different pharmacies.
She was so in so much pain we sat in an emergency room all day in California so she could get a spinal to kill her back pain because the pills were no longer working. In the final days she slept for such long periods that were so different than usual I feared she was dead in the back when she would not move.
Another team observed her stumbling at a fuel stop and called our safety department.
I had to call all over to get her to bring me back to the terminal because she wanted to get home for her medications for pain so bad she did not want to drive me into the terminal, just leave me down the road with all my stuff so she could get home. Ultimately she did bring me in after several phone calls.
All of this is documented and I went straight to “Sam” in my story to be assigned to a second trainer right away so I could finish my training. She refused to do my check list or look at it and was totally disinterested in me completeing my training.
She had asked me at one point to stayed teamed with her because I was a good driver right off the bat.
I already had an obligation at that point but still I would not because her pill use and she stopped frequently at serveral truck stops in search of…. who knows what, then she would rent a motel room and dissappear for 24 hours, even buying me a room and saying “see you tomorrow”, it was these frequent motel stays that made me come into testing short driving segments. All of this is in a written evaluation I was given at the time. I still have a copy. I hand delivered 2 copies of that evaluation. I also provided it to the “Dan Rather Report”.
I later teamed with her best friend who she left stranded after meeting a guy on a one night stand.
This young lady spoke on the phone almost all the time and clearly did not like to train anymore, she convinced her best friend mention above to return to the company specifically to team with her so she could quit training.
Last time I saw her she was at a fuel stop with her new boyfriend and her bag of pills on the dashboard.
That was over a year ago.
You know what Desiree keep telling the lies. The paper you gave Dan was something in your handwriting. It was nothing from the company its self. She would have documents from the company on what when on between you all. After you went and started all the lies the company started drug testing her frequently. And guess what? She was clean everytime. I guess thats why no one at this company is taking you seriously. And as far as the stagering. Dont you think it would be hard to get out of the trk and start walking right away when you rupture a disc in your back.
The 2 handwritten Trainer Evaluations I gave Dan Rather Producers are on the Company Paper. It is the form I was required to fill out when I tested out. I made copies before I turned them in for myself and I wrote additional pages for my female trainer who I spent the majority of my training period with. I hand delivered one copy to the safety department and the other copy I turned in on the training course.
You need to stop slandering good trainers. I know who your female trainer was and shes nothing like you say she is
Dear Tamara:
A Good Trainer teaches their Student to back up the truck properly, teaches them about tail swing, S moves to correct alignment of the truck when parking and much more. A Good Trainer does not berate their student who is learning, they do not humilate them because they are on a power trip and feel the need to control someone for their own inferiority complex, they don’t not make racial slurs. A good trainer also does not train someone with no experience while they are in such poor physical condition that cannot even do their own job making the student worry that the trainer could have a heart attack and die at any moment. A Good Trainer, even is ther health was failing would take the student into a terminal, not try to leave them off at a truck stop and take off. A Good Trainer would not have a student go over Donner Pass in Winter with no chains when she knew the student could be cited for it. Even legal pharmacuticals given with a perscription are often not intended to be taken while operating machinery, it says that on the labels of the pills my trainer took. These pill also impair judgement so what she thought was okay, may not have been, like staggering, hitting poles and taking the side view mirrors off and Owner-Operators Truck in the Texas Panhandle. My Trainer was not a good trainer, but she might think she was.
I am a 56 year old lady beginning next month with Swift. I just graduated 2and half months training, class a cdl and tanker endorsements. Any rookie advice for me. Its most needed.
My advice is what I have already written above. Listen to your Trainer, Be Flexible and Adaptable…Even if you get a domineering power trip trainer, just listen to what they have to teach.
Most truckers have VERY STRONG personalites, thus the reason they need to work alone, like me.
To learn you must get thru this time so suck it up and accept these diverse personalities in a way you normally would not tolerate. Just smile and nod your head. UNLESS they are badgering you for Sex, Trying to intimidate or delibrately Humilate you and you feel YOU cannot learn because of it.
I’m used to being called names, I’ve been called names my whole life so I have a very thick skin. Some people do not and cannot concentrate on learning when they have been called names,
Your goal is to learn to be a SAFE Truck Driver. Do not get involved in the petty gossip that is frequent, take everyhing your hear with a grain of salt. The rumor mill is incredible and MEANT to instill FEAR in you. DON”T let it Pollute your Determination!!!
I began reading three books at my lowest point that helped me stay positive and get a mental break for the constant negativity I was subjected to “Eat. Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, “The Secret” and a Book of Inspirational Affirmations by Joel Osteen … I took passages from these three books and highlighted them and made affirmations of my own from them.
I put them into the calendar of my PDA to go of every hour or so and this helped me stay positive and not get discouraged because everyone around me was such a downer.
Get a good Smartphone, PDA like iPhone /Treo/ or Blackberry
It will save you an enormous amount of time for its Navigational capabilites, finding weather reposrts , video and pictures to PROVE everything from accidents to haggling with your company over a needed tire repair, you can snap a pic and attach it to an email in a jiffy.
I hope to write more about this “ins and outs” of using Smartphones for Truckers Logistics soon… Make Sure you Check Out http://www.askthetrucker.com
Lakota,
On the tanker, never make a turn at an interection or out of a parking lot loaded doing more than 10 mph.Once you get straight go for it. Do at least 10 or even more less than the speed limit on curves and exit/entrance ramps.
Even though it is permitted by law,and even though it may not be company policy,as a tanker driver I personally do not make a right turn at red lights. Thats my personal opinion though.
Desiree,
I have been trying to get in touch with you for some time now and have not been able to do so. For some reason, you seem to have no email address at all which is your personal business and I respect that. However, I would like you to get in touch with me so I can discuss our project with you. I’m 63 and retired from trucking after 45 plus years. I would like to talk to you about your project and ours and how we may be able to help each other. You have my email addy, please contact me.
Thanks, Have An Awesome Day
BANDIT
Hey Des, this is warhoop63 from Twitter. I have had a wordpress account under that name for about 3 months. I used it for a catch all place for posting site, mainly about my motorcycle rides. I decided to dedicate it to that full time, and have started another blog under my real name Laydon Cooper. It’s all one word laydoncooper. wordpress.com Here I intend to blog my own thoughts about trucking, and the culture around it, and against it. After 20 years of this life in most every incarnation it has from OTR, to local shuttle, to local delivery I feel I have a broad perspctive to draw from. I really enjoy your Twitterings, and I think I have a crush on Karma LOL, I love her Tweets. You give a voice to her that I give to my home front doggie Star. Thank you for your efforts and I hope in the future we can link our blogs as I get my legs under me and dig into the meat and potatoes of the issues we face.
Take Care
Laydon
Thanks for stopping by. Karma and I are on our was to the Mid-America Truck Show right now in Louisville Kentucky. Thanks for your support.
When I get more settled I would like to add your link.
Thanks,
Desiree
Hi. Just read some of your articles on your site. As an ex trucker and currently a Director of Logistics, I appauld your efforts! I’m a new fan and will be following your site from now on. If you get to the east Coast, drop in.
Sincerely
Kevin Burke
Hello Kevin:
Very nice to meet you. I appreciate you stopping by. If you are on twitter check out @WomenTruckers the facebook fan page Real Women Truckers . I am currently not driving due to my fall but hope to be back on the road before winter sets in.
Very nice to meet you.
Cheers,
Desiree
maam keep doing what you are doing.i have read some of your stories,and understand some the bullshit that new drivers especially females go through. we need alot more women in this busisness. take from an old school driver of 35 years.
tom register
Thanks You Tom,
Somedays I feel like…”Well I told my story, I can walk away from this now..” but then someone calls or emails and I hear another story which is almost verbatim to mine.
Today for instance I was called by a female student who was thrown off her truck by CR England and had it not been for a male veteran trucker who posted what he saw happen to her on facebook and an email her wrote to this comapny, who knows what would have happened.
I have been on the phone with this lady all day and her story is so much like mine it makes me sick. The fighting to get the qualcomm to send an SOS message out only to have your own company try to blame you for the tantrum of some trainer or co-driver who cannot control their emotions or temper.
It will take more than me though and the men stepping up and speaking up on behalf of these hard working gals really helps us so much!
A jerk is a jerk… whether it’s the guy ranting on the CB who won’t shut up, some woman who works in-house or in the industry who feels that being acceptable in a mans world means being an accomplice in the harm of others or a trainer /co-driver who uses the truck to isolate and provoke people on some weird power trip.
We can all help clean up this abusive mess.
Real Men do not need to berate women, and I am not sure what to say about the Women who cover up and apoligize for such behavior.
Cheers,
Desiree
Hey Desiree..
Heres wishing you speedy recovery and getting back on the road soon. I am a student…although Im 46 ..single woman, just investigating training options and etc to figure out which school to attend..and which companies they place with. There sure is a lot of variation between schools as far as policies, training etc. I have called several companies to ask who they hire through and if there are certain schools they would recommend or discourage. Nobody seems to want to say much. It has been extremely helpful to read about your experiences and efforts to make this industry safer and more humane for all truckers, especially women coming in. I agree that there will be an influx of female truck drivers and really young drivers..the training programs are certainly doing everything they can to get new blood in there. I have driven for fruit warehouses and local delivery, but am craving the freedom and autonomy I believe OTR will deliver….the challenge is a bit frightening, but absolutely seems worth the effort despite the pitfalls. More for the learning experience than for the big pay these companies promise. My gratitude and admiration for your stand up ballsy approach and willingness to be a voice of caution and encouragement for those of who choose this journey…god bless..give em hell…hang in there.
Hi Jane:
Yes the recruiters are esspecially vague and that is a huge part of the probelm. Most of them are salesmen not drivers so they could care less about getting you accurate information. The make money from closing the deal.
I don’t know much about your area where you live or your personal situation to give you an idea of who you can call but you can email me directly at TruckerDesiree@gmail.com
There is no silver bullet in this industry. You have to find what is best for you. I would definately say as a guideline, stay away from any company trying to encourage you to get into a lease program such as CR England, Prime, CRST… there are other smaller carriers who also try to get you to become an Owner-Operator right away and this shows they do not care about you or your long term success.
I have heard good things about Schneider’s school but had a very disturbing report from a lady in their tanker training division.
I have had few complaints about Swift with regards to the way women are treated but there are very few trainers who want to train women because of the problems.
I have heard good things about Stevens Transport, KLLM, Roehl but getting a good trainer is always a crapshoot for any trainee. Make sure you understand your personal safety is important and you have to keep your notes and documentation. Never believe your company is investigating anything and they will always try to turn the situation around to make it seem like you don’t know what you are talking about. If you have your documentation and you keep your nose clean you will be fine.
Please join us on facebook if you have not already to meet other friends and be involved in groups to get more information from real drivers.
“Real Women Truckers” on Facebook
Email if you would like to talk more.
Good Luck!
Desiree
Hi Desiree-
I really like what you are doing on several levels… using social media, engaging readers, and being an activist for some very important things.
Best of luck to you,
Kenneth Kowal
[…] Hi,This is me […]
Hey Desiree I am 44 (m) and want to get into trucking bad. I plan on taking my CDL class in January. What is it really like being a trucker? I mean truthfully the good and bad. I have worked in a car factory for last 16 yrs and almost an empty nester, just feel there has to be more to life than stuck inside a car plant. I want to live the adventure and life of trucking. I waited until my kids were almost grown. I really believe the lifestyle would suit me perfect, I’m kind of a loner and just want to see this country. Please email me if you would some of the good and BAD things about trucking. Looking forward to hearing from you, be safe! email me if you would.
Hi Frank: Sorry for the delay in my reply. Well if you have no ties to home and you have been working in a factory for 16 years, I would definately say GO FOR IT! But be prepared for the downtimes. irregular pay and do lots of research on training carriers. I would suggest Stevens Transport or Schneider/ Read up on Allen Smith’s http://www.askthetrucker.com site and archived radio programs located at http://www.blogtalkradio.co/truthabouttrucking anf check out my you tube channel and those of others who are trying to TEACH YOU SERIOUS LESSONS not only to keep you safe but to be sucessful.
Understand that you life is lived around the load so while you see beautiful rivers and bridges and countryside… you do not have the luxury to stop and enjoy the sites because you are on a schedule.
On your downtime you must rest but I suggest talking walks and having a smartphone to locate walmarts where you can park to shop and maybe find a nice place to eat or see a movie once in awhile.
You can get netflix on your lap top and get a good smartphone and be connected all the time to friends back home. Once you get through training and about a year out you will start learning places you prefer to park. I liked rest areas and some older Mom & Pop truck Stops that have better quality food. Good Luck!!
Can you contact me when you have a moment.
Sorry for the delay TruckerDesiree@gmail.com
Hello Desiree! My name is Stefan and I`m from Finland/Europe. Thank you for letting us now what you are doing out there on the roads. I have some questions to make and I hope that you are the one that can give me the right answers! I`ve had the CDL valid in Europe since 1977 (still have it), am a trucker, double-trippel + semitrailer- tractor and also a busdriver. I`ve been trying to contact a friend I have in Canada ( he`s a trucker too, or was) but without answer, so now I come to you! 🙂 I have no, what you call HAZMAT, cause I don`t need it here in Finland at the moment and it is expensive to take it here. The reason why I am asking is that I`d like to try the american way of trucking before I start my “rocking-chairtrucking” as a very old man. 🙂
Be blessed and drive carefully! Stefan Söderlund from Finland
Hello Stefan:
The Hazmat costs about $100 USD and it consists of taking a 50 question test. You can actually buy the answers off the internet for about $10 USD and the eligibility requirements (background check) are … well … not as secure as I would prefer but …. that is another tireade I do not have time for today. here is a link for TSA disqualifier waivers. http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/hazmat/disqualifiers.shtm If you take that into context to someone coming from another country who has no records in our FBI system and you have some common sense you can figure out that this homeland security system for the Hazmat Endorsement is lacking. The endorsement test itself would be taken at the state where the CDL is issued and your are finger prinited and that is sent off to TSA. It takes about a month to get an answer.
Thanks for all you do Desiree. I’m in the last phase of my CDL tech school. I have not complaints about the school. We’ve been practicing backing this week. (offset backing is a nightmare). I’m glad I didn’t go to a company sponsored school.. The thought of people learning how to drive a truck in 2-3 weeks is scary. I get the impression that the company sponsored schools just teach you how to pass and get your CDL. NOT how to drive a truck safely and how to be competent and good at driving. Your videos, writing (very good, you write very well) have opened my eyes and given me hints on how to handle challenging situations I’ll encounter being a newbie. I got turned on to you on youtube and googled your name and found your website and twitter account. You rock Desiree! Keep up the good work, This industry needs people like you for the ones who give a damn. Thanks again.
Hey , Thanks for the comment. We have started the Women Truckers Network Free Phone conferences to give live feedback from real drivers as oart of the http://www.REALWomeninTrucking.com website. The archived replay sessions are also on this blog. I hope you find the information useful. Good Luck! Desiree
Hi Desiree,
I enjoyed your blog…and just wanted to say that it’s not just females. I too didn’t get the training I felt was necessary…so when I became a trainer (which I’m not anymore)…I made sure to give my students all the time…answers…and experienced advice they needed. I just wanted to say…(in the words if REO Speedwagon
Hi Desiree,
I found your website during research for a feature film I am developing. The main character of the film is a female truck driver in her fifties. I have been listening to hours of replay of the conference calls on the real female truckers website and done other research online. Even so, I feel like I owe it to the authenticity of the character to get to know the everyday of the female trucker better. Would you have any advice or know who might be open to let me ring along for some hours with them? I live in New York, but I could come wherever to ride along. Any advice you have is highly appreciated!
All the best,
Anna Gutto
Hi Anna,
I think you wrote me over on http://www.realwomenintrucking.org and I have been unable to get caught up with my email. I am working your way. My direct email is truckerdesiree@gmail.com we will chat very soon. I am so happy someone is interested in telling the story of an authentic 50 something female driver. I get contacted frequently for film and tv projects but it is for an image that really is more of a fantasy than a reality.
Looking forward to talking to you. Thanks for reaching out!
DW
I am studying all of your posts. I am one of the newbies your speaking of and I am taking your advice as gospel. If I make it into training and hopefully get in a truck I would be honored to meet you and shake your hand for the time and effort you put into helping women enter this industry with eyes wide open. I might also keep a video journal of my journey. This is exciting and terrifying at the same time. But Life is a journey not a destination. Thank you Desiree!
Hi Carolyn,
Yes, life is indeed a journey. If you love trucking like I do though you will want to be able to do it longer than 6 months. I hope you will visit http://www.realwomenintrucking.org and read the content in the CDL training section. Especially the Female CDL student FAQ and attached content.
Good Luck!
Desiree
Desiree,
Thank you for all of the information about trucking and most importantly for sharing your story with US! This may sound stupid or naive but what happened to the Teamsters Union? Unions don’t always work but couldn’t they help?
Thanks for the comment. The current student trucker industry as I see it is a union busting mechinism & it has been effective. Unions simply do not carry the clout they once did and have sullied their own reputation so the suggestion of receiving support from them does create tension. I personally think they could help in the way they have helped press forward with the “Change Walmart” campaigns. They could certainly help shine a light on this indentured servitude system and empower the workers by giving them a face in a public spotlight.
Hi Desiree!
Happy international woman’s day! 😃 Just found & watched 2 of your videos for the 1st time: “Student Truck Driver Pay, Bonuses & Tuition Reimbursement” & “Predators in Trucking” on the “TruckerDesiree” U-Tube
Channel.
Nice to hear someone encouraging positivism and positive change. Thank you for being gracious enough to give newbies the straight scoop. I am really glad I was able to find and receive words of wisdom from someone like you who seems patient, generous, and conscientious enough to stay on point and on message which hopefully raises awareness, affects positive change & ultimately helps us all! Keep up the good work!
Hey Hi There, As a 64 year old Trucker I know well of what you speak. And you do speak well. A light in the world for shure. I tip my hat to you Lady and hope to see your glow grow. To that you have my support.
There are some good companies to work with. I am fortunate to be associated with one of them. But I am reminded of my bad, brief, and sometimes wondrous experience at C R S T. Back then we had all the B. S. in the confines of a rattle trap cab over. An extremely dangerous pressure cooker. Thank you for your voice. Shine on you Crazy Diamond
Hi Desiree,
My name is Alexandria and I recently obtained my CDL through cr england. I started my 180 hours this past Tuesday and got off the truck by Friday of the same week due to sexually harassment and overall unethical behavior on behalf of my so called trainer. I reported it right away and zero response. I reached out to a former female instructor who responded asap. The mystifying part is they have an 1-800 number for just about EVERYTHING except sexual misconduct. Even the after hours hotline tells you to send a macro.
Now I’m stranded and broke and potientially blocked by cr england from leaving.
Please any help, advise, direction would be appreciated. My contact email is lexilaponte@gmail.com
Peace & Love,
Lexi
fyi
I was told by the dm that I told to get me off the truck that if I claim to take legal action they can no longer work with me….what does that mean? Am I fired? He didn’t answer…
Hi Lexi, I just got this message. I apologize, I don’t maintain this blog as much as I used to because I am working on http://www.realwomenintrucking.org more now. Please call me on my cell 561-232-9170 or my direct email desiree@realwomenintrucking.org and let me know how you are doing now and what all has gone on and I will help the best way that I can. Desiree
We offer mobile truck repair service to truckers in Sacramento. We meet all kinds of truckers, but I wish we would meet more women truckers like you.
Hope this message finds you well.