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Posts Tagged ‘Women in Trucking’

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. to Host 5th Annual Queen of the Road Awards

Posted in Awards, Trucking, Women Truckers, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 1, 2021| 1 Comment »

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. to Host 5th Annual Queen of the Road Awards

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (July 1, 2021) – REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. (RWIT) is hosting its 5th annual Queen of the Road Awards on August 14 at 6:30 p.m. PT at the Brio Italian Grille, located at 6653 Las Vegas Blvd. S, Las Vegas, Nev. The awards were inspired by women who have worked as truck drivers, overcame obstacles, and are giving back to other women truck drivers who may be struggling.

The 2021 Queen of the Road award recipients are Angela Baum, Darnise Harris, and Mary Gomez. The President’s Choice Trucking Industry Trailblazer award winners are Brita Nowak and Jess Graham.

“This is unbelievable. I feel so emotional, as it’s one of the best things to ever happen to me,” said Darnise Harris. “It’s wonderful to not only receive the recognition, but for people to now know my story and believe what I’m doing is something good.”

“All of my life, I have been drawn to the unknown and have no trouble venturing into unchartered territory. I love trying something new and then letting people know whether it’s okay to follow or if a different path is advisable,” said Brita Nowak. “It brings me so much joy to be recognized with a Trailblazer award.”

Award recipients receive a Visa gift card, Queen of the Road commemorative plaque, free RWIT membership, Queen of the Road event t-shirt, and a prize pack from event sponsors.

Other award nominees include Kenyette Godhigh-Bell, Cathy Vanerveer, Rebecka Tosh, Chelsey Warren, Robin Mills, Siobhan Clark, Nancy Brown, Tamie Cole, Christal Ruth, Linda Provence, Linda Arnone, Lesa Yo-yo Worley, Veronica Twyman, Kearsey Rothlander, Amie Cochran, and Constance Moseley.

“Long before ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ were trending, REAL Women in Trucking was recognizing and supporting remarkable matriarchs of the trucking industry – women of color, lesbians, transgender individuals or those of different religions, abilities, backgrounds and identities – who were often invisible,” said Desiree Wood, president, REAL Women in Trucking.

All interested drivers, professionals within the truck driving industry, and others who encourage and support women truck drivers are invited to attend the awards ceremony. RSVP here.

The Queen of the Road Awards is sponsored by RoadPro Family of Brands. For those interested in supporting this important event through sponsorship opportunities or gift bag donations, email desiree@realwomenintrucking.org.

RWIT was initially formed in 2010 as a 501(c)(6) membership organization by female truckers to protest poor working conditions not being effectively addressed by the trucking industry. The REAL criteria – R: Reaching Out, E. Encouraging Others, A. Achieving Personal Success, L. Leadership – is a demonstration of outreach, compassion and encouragement toward others. Leadership is exhibited through the sharing of personal success strategies that illustrate the tenacity it takes to become professional commercial motor vehicle operators.

For more information, contact admin@realwomenintrucking.org or visit http://www.realwomenintrucking.org/.

– RWIT –

Featured Photos of Award Winners:

Angela Baum, Darnise Harris, Mary Gomez, Brita Nowak, and Jess Graham

About REAL Women in Trucking, Inc.:

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. promotes safety by educating the public about unsafe truck driver training and has created a network of support for women entering trucking. The mission of REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. is to deliver highway safety through leadership, mentorship, education and advocacy.

Kristine M. Gobbo | President

Spectrum Public Relations

Office | 561.463.0777     Cell | 561.716.2101

Website | Blog | Newsletter | Sign-up for Newsletter

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No Cancel Culture in Trucking , No Matter What!

Posted in CDL Training, Entry-Level Driver Training, Sexual Harassment, Trucking, Women Truckers, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 14, 2021| 1 Comment »

In 2003, Colleen Morse wrote about then Executive Director of Trucker Buddy , Ellen Voie “Why would anyone stick-up for a pedophile rather than children?” 

In 2021 , I am STILL asking when it comes to Ellen Voie , “Why do so many people in the trucking industry give this woman accolades, support and awards when she does not stick up for women who have been sexually assaulted during truck driver training?” 

The term “cancel culture” does not exist in trucking. The way it was explained to me when I was a new driver by veterans was “… trucking has a very incestuous relationship with itself …” , meaning that the dirtier you are, the more you are welcomed into the “establishment“.

The best example I can provide is how a former executive director of the trucker buddy international pen pal organization, Ellen Voie had her name and character issues written about on a website that explains how pedophiles operate but is still able to thrive in trucking. Though Ellen was forced to resign from trucker buddy, she went on to form the Women in Trucking Association where she now acts as a expert witness against women truck drivers who have experienced discrimination (EEOC v new Prime, Inc.) and sexual assault (Jane Doe v CRST Expedited, Inc.) . Ellen is lavishly supported by the vast majority of trucking industry companies though fewer than 600 individual women truck drivers believe she represents them.

In February 2010, Heather Rose asked Ellen Voie to explain the trucker buddy issue to her in writing in the published with permission post called “32 Questionable Answers from Ellen Voie“. I had also spoken personally to Ellen Voie and Marge Bailey by phone about the incident. I was concerned since it revealed a character flaw that should not be ignored. The remarks of Colleen Morse about Ellen reveal an individual missing a sensitivity chip in her DNA, a woman who blames victims , an advocate for predators. Ellen Voie has proved to be just that since the Women in Trucking Association was formed in 2007.

In question .17 Ellen’s response was defensive and blamed the Mother which is exactly how her deposition came across in Jane Doe v CRST Expedited when she appeared as an expert witness for the perpetrator rather than the victim in the case. It may have been stunning for many who took the time to read her deposition but it was not to me. I knew how little she cared about women truck drivers since 2008, especially those who have been sexually assaulted in training.  Still, she is a “team player” , and in trucking , that means you are cut from the same cloth.

Colleen Morse had identified in 2003 that it was dangerous to have a woman who makes excuses for predators leading an organization like trucker buddy and action was taken to remove Ellen Voie from her position. The pressure to remove her did not come from the trucking industry. The warm glove of what is the incestuous trucking establishment family welcomed her and “groomed” her to become what we have now.

A million dollar trade association that claims they represent women that is really a corporate apologist machine, propped up by fewer than 600 individual women truck drivers who allow themselves to be pimped out in red shirts for trucking industry events.

Cancel culture does not exist in trucking, no matter what. Enabling means nothing here. That’s all there is to say about it except … what cloth are you cut from?

 

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What Makes ME an Expert in Trucking?

Posted in @TruckerDesiree, CDL Training, Entry-Level Driver Training, Sexual Harassment, Trucking, Women Truckers, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 6, 2021| 4 Comments »

In March 2021, a landmark $5 million dollar settlement was reached in a single sexual assault case against CRST Expedited, Inc. (Natalie Weatherford and John Taylor Secure a Record Setting $5 Million Settlement in Rape Case against CRST Trucking | Taylor & Ring (taylorring.com) by the law firm Taylor & Ring .

Anyone who has not been spending their days splitting hairs on Facebook over the minutiae of trucking topics and other non-issues would know I have specifically focused on rape in truck driver training since I entered trucking nearly 15 years ago.  Why? because no one else would say anything, though it seemed to me that nearly everyone knew something about it.

Because of my writings on this subject over the years, I have been regularly contacted by law firms for insight on a variety of cases. They have involved rape, sexual harassment, lease schemes, wage theft, gender discrimination, the arbitration act that was heard by The Supreme Court, pregnancy discrimination, even the Tracy Morgan Walmart crash. Many times, I have helped willingly for free but when a case requires many hours of reading and research on policies and practices, being compensated for time spent on a case designates you as an expert. If you were not aware of this, you were not paying attention.

Law firms contact me because I am the only one who has written about certain topics extensively even though others might be better situated to write about such things but have chosen to ignore them. Over the years, I have received hundreds of distress calls from drivers because there are few others to call for help. They should be able to get a response from those who are better funded and who claim they set up shop to help women overcome obstacles, like the women in trucking association for instance. Isn’t being raped in truck driver training an obstacle? It would seem to fit the WIT mission statement wouldn’t it?

I formed REAL Women in Trucking as a working driver when I didn’t even have a place to call home. The organization was informal in 2010 because I thought if I raised this issue, people in trucking would care to help. I thought I could go on in a year and fade into the background. After all, Why should a driver need to spend over a decade holding a mirror up to the face of trucking to expose them the their own enabling of rape and exploitation of truck drivers in this industry? I found there were few who had the courage to challenge the establishment and many who would sell their soul for 15 minutes of fame wearing a red shirt. The so-called “influencers” and “leaders” have a blind spot when it comes to rape happening in truck driver training.

Jane Doe was sexually assaulted at CRST in 2017 , nearly 10 years after my first post about this troubled training fleet on this very blog ( My 1st post about CRST from 2009 ). Silence, excuses and failed leadership is why sexual assault allegations have continued at multiple training fleets with the same business model. Pretending you are not aware may help you sleep better at night, but it doesn’t make the problem go away.

Perhaps the worst of the worst enablers are the women in trucking who “KNOW” but dig their heels in to lie to themselves and to others about how much they know. Insisting instead on keeping their head in the sand, their eyes and ears covered. Spoiler Alert: You nice ladies are part of the problem, you are a rapist’s best friend because they know they can count on you to look the other way, make excuses, and give them an out.

It has been nearly 2 months since the law firm published the landmark settlement, what some in trucking might call a “nuclear verdict” in Jane Doe v CRST Expedited, Inc. , some do not think the settlement was nearly enough. While we see trucking publications write about how they support women and diversity, we have yet to see any notable trucking trade publications like FreightWaves, HD Trucking, Fleet Owner, Transport Topics, Landline or others speak a word about this significant case.

All of these publications employ women writers who form the “Women in Trucking” association, most who do not drive. It’s interesting since Ellen Voie, President of Women in Trucking testified in this rape case for the perpetrator. Yes! The President of the Women in Trucking Association testified against the woman who was raped.

This is true, despite the censorship, pearl clutching and gaslighting taking place on the WIT page damage control team claiming Ellen Voie was hired to give best practices in this case.

For anyone who takes the time to read the public document deposition of Ellen Voie, you can read in her own words that she was hired to refute the expert witness testimony for the plaintiff. The expert witness for the plaintiff was ME and the plaintiff was a female truck driver student who was sexually assaulted. Ellen was hired at the conclusion of the case to refute me and she failed miserably.

Ellen Voie was absolutely NOT hired to present best practices. For one, she has none, and any she does have, she likely lifted the content from someone else. That has been pretty much documented here on this blog since 2009. Furthermore, if Ellen was indeed supposed to do such a thing as present best practices in Jane Doe v CRST Expedited, she sunk the ship with her testimony. You can download and read her entire deposition HERE .

I would need a month off just to highlight all the misleading answers she gave in her sworn deposition. I covered some of them in the post on the REAL Women in Trucking blog, Ellen Voie Testifies Against a Woman in a Sexual Assault Case – Real Women In Trucking

It’s difficult to pick the worst of the worst statements Ellen made in her deposition but one of the most glaring of her attempts to mislead under penalty of perjury was on how long she has known about the rape problem CRST.

She certainly remembered being called a pimp on this blog so she should certainly recall that this blog also holds a key timeline that contradicts her testimony. I only wish this case could have been heard by a jury trial. By the way Ellen, ( who claims she doesn’t read this blog but her friend “Dick” apparently does it for her) I was never terminated from any trucking job.

So anyway, I received some email inquiries following the 1st publication of Ellen’s damning deposition performance from women truck drivers from two camps, the majority who are already WOKE about Ellen and glad to see her show her true colors and then there is the minority who were “concerned” but mostly because they wanted to know how I could be considered an expert. They really did not care about the woman who was raped or knowing about the other cases pending right now by other women truck drivers who have yet to get justice.

These types of women in the minority I hope reflect what will be the past of trucking very soon since we finally learned in this deposition that the Women in Trucking Association has less than 600 individual women truck drivers who are members. Ellen also confirmed that WIT corporate support is making up the $1 million in revenue being generated by the association which pays her hefty salary. As I have said before on this blog, Ellen Voie is a woman who has never been a driver but has made a living off the backs of women WHO ARE drivers and she was eager to testify in a sexual assault case against a woman who hoped to be in trucking. Did her sponsors know? She testified that they didn’t.

Isn’t ironic that the Women in Trucking Association claims they are “bringing gender diversity to transportation” while calling mutual prospective sponsors to have them ignore the most diverse trucking groups that exist, S.H.E. Trucking Sisterhood, and trying to claim WIT supports LGBTQ truckers while ignoring the actual work of the LGBT Truckers group! These are examples why the Women in Trucking Association has less than 600 actual individual members who are women truck drivers. Ellen testifying against women in a class action gender discrimination case and now a sexual assault case is just the icing on the cake. Newsflash: You aren’t BRINGING Diversity to trucking, it’s already here, you’ve just been cherry picking who you want to see.

For those who want to see my deposition so they can “compare” what I said to what Ellen said without ever asking about the rape problem that has been going on for two decades in this industry, my first response is, the case is not sealed, all you need to do is order my deposition from the court. I will make it publicly available when I receive it but you can always put forth the effort and the .50 per page to obtain it yourself. But honestly, what the hell is wrong with you that the only thing that triggers you to have the inclination to write to me after 14 years upon hearing that Ellen Voie, President of Women in Trucking testified in a rape case against a woman truck driver is to ask me what makes me an expert?

Maybe you should ask yourself how you could be a better human being by becoming an expert yourself instead of selling out and brown-nosing the devil.

These words you cannot UNSEE , you are defending less than 600 individual women truck drivers in an industry with 3.5 million truck drivers in which 6.5% are women. Most who have never heard of WIT and those who have, know Ellen is no friend to women and never has been.

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REAL Women in Trucking to Bring Advocacy, Education to the Great American Trucking Show

Posted in @TruckerDesiree, Sexual Harassment, Trucking, Women Truckers, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 26, 2017| 2 Comments »

MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine M. Gobbo

561-463-0777, Kristine@spectrum-pr.com

REAL Women in Trucking to Bring Advocacy, Education to the Great American Trucking Show                     

LAKE WORTH, Fla. (July 26, 2017) – REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. (RWIT) will participate in its first trade show, the Great American Trucking Show, held August 24 – 26 in Dallas, Texas. RWIT is a grassroots, driver-led 501 (c) 6 trade organization formed by seasoned female commercial motor vehicle drivers, providing information and resources for fellow drivers, prospective CDL students, trucking executives and the non-trucking community to increase safety on the roadways.

“We’re excited to not only participate in our first show, but also provide much-needed advocacy and education for lady truckers and all commercial drivers. We are very grateful to our sponsors, Ackermann & Tilajef, P.C. and Truckers Justice Center, who have strong ties with the trucking industry and are true partners in increasing fairness and safety,” said Desiree Wood, Founder/President of RWIT.

Sponsored by Craig Ackermann Esq., founder of the California-based law firm, Ackermann & Tilajef, P.C., RWIT will host the “Ask a Lawyer – Q & A” for drivers. The session will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 25 and will be moderated by Wood. Expert attorneys on hand will include Paul Taylor and Peter Lavoie from Minnesota-based Truckers Justice Center and Steve Arenson from the New York City-based Arenson, Dittmar & Karman firm. They will address driver inquiries on a variety of topics, including sexual harassment, employment labor, lease violations, DAC reporters, misclassified drivers, and more. Questions can be asked anonymously, and anyone who cannot attend the event is encouraged submit questions in advance toinfo@realwomenintrucking.org. Seating is limited.

RWIT’s booth number is 8052, located near OnRamp to Health and across from Operation Roger Pet Transport. The booth will provide information about the organization, significant recent legal cases that were won on behalf of truck drivers, as well as upcoming special events.

Sponsored by Truckers Justice Center, a specialization area for Taylor & Associates, Ltd., RWIT will also host the “Lady Trucker Panel Discussion” on the main exhibit floor stage at 4 p.m. on Friday, August 25. The panel will be moderated by RWIT Treasurer and longtime trucker, Idella Hansen. Panelists include Cheryl Bean, Cheryl Pollard, Christina Dills and Sonja Tucci, women truck drivers from different sectors of the industry. They will discuss pros and cons of the types of work they perform, and their concerns for the industry. Both the “Ask a Lawyer – Q & A” and “Lady Trucker Panel Discussion” sessions will be recorded for the RWIT YouTube Channel.

At the trade show booth, RWIT will raffle one VIP package per day to the Phoenix International Raceway – Camp Out in the Desert, which is held during NASCAR weekend in November, a $300.00 value, plus other giveaways, including the upcoming Lady Trucker Cruise. RWIT representative will also film two-minute lady truck driver “SPEAK YOUR MIND!” videos for the RWIT YouTube Channel.

In addition, Hansen is hosting the daily Idella’s Puppy Paradise for trucking dogs, after exhibit hours from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the TA/Petro Truck Parking Community at Fair Park.

For more information on RWIT and activities at the Great American Trucking Show, visitwww.realwomenintrucking.com or email info@realwomenintrucking.org.

– RWIT –

 

 

About REAL Women in Trucking, Inc.:

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. promotes safety by educating the public about unsafe truck driver training and has created a network of support for women entering trucking. The mission of REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. is to deliver highway safety through leadership, mentorship, education and advocacy.

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REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. to Host Inaugural Lady Truck Driver Conference Cruise

Posted in @TruckerDesiree, tagged , , , , , , , on August 16, 2016| 2 Comments »

MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine M. Gobbo

561-463-0777, Kristine@spectrum-pr.com

SpectrumPR

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. to Host

Inaugural Lady Truck Driver Conference Cruise

 

LAKE WORTH, Fla. (August 16, 2016) – REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. (RWIT) is hosting a conference aboard the Carnival Conquest to unite and honor women in the truck driving industry. The “Queen of the Road on the High Seas” conference, taking place Sunday, March 26 to Saturday, April 1, 2017, will include education sessions on a broad range of topics, including personal safety, discrimination, sexual harassment, and driver health. The agenda also includes a driver advocacy forum, a lady truck driver roundtable and an awards ceremony recognizing women who have overcome obstacles in the truck driving industry. The six-night cruise will depart from Ft. Lauderdale for the Eastern Caribbean with stops at Grand Turk, Dominican Republic and Nassau.

The conference will provide tools for truck drivers while advancing a voice for RWIT and its members. The sessions will include information on improving technical skills for drivers, promoting advocacy through social media, transitioning company drivers to owner-operator, and much more. A forum of truck driver advocates will also discuss issues that affect the industry. Notable speakers include Allen Smith, host of ‘Ask the Trucker;’ Anne Balay, published author of Steel Closets: Voices of Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Steelworkers, a former truck driver, and writer of a recent op-ed published in The New York Times “Long-Haul Sweatshops;” and Christine Gray, Becca Kennedy and Shannon Morris, truck drivers, and advocates for the safety and success of women truck drivers.

All interested drivers, professionals within the truck driving industry, and others who encourage and support women truck drivers are invited. Families or significant others are also welcome. The conference schedule has been planned to allow plenty of leisure time to enjoy cruise activities. For those interested in supporting this important event, sponsorship opportunities are available at five levels with details provided at RWIT Lady Truck Driver Conference.

Nominations for outstanding female truck drivers, the “Queen of the Road” awards, are welcome. Awards will be presented to three outstanding women who have demonstrated dedication and tenacity in their efforts to become professional commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators. Nominees must either be past or present CMV drivers that fit the R.E.A.L. criteria, which stands for Reaching Out, Encouraging Others, Achieving Personal Success and Leadership. Nominations will be accepted beginning Thursday, September 1 with a deadline of Monday, November 7, 2016.

“This conference is important to our efforts of ‘breaking the silence’ about the treatment of women in the trucking industry.” said Desiree Wood, one of RWIT’s founders. “At the conference, we hope to provide the tools women need to be more successful in their chosen field.  Along with information sessions, participants will have the opportunity to network with fellow drivers. Learning from one another and unifying on important issues is one of our primary goals.”

RWIT was initially formed in 2010 as a 501(c)(6) membership organization by female truckers to protest poor conditions that were not being effectively addressed by the trucking industry. “Queen of the Road on the High Seas” is the organization’s first fundraising event. Proceeds will help establish a 501(c)(3) foundation which will provide a headquarters and facilities with modest truck parking availability for members, scheduled learning conferences and advanced training for entry-level driver training students to develop their skills.

For more information, contact Desiree Wood at 561-232-9170 or info@realwomenintrucking.org, or visit http://www.realwomenintrucking.org/. Follow RWIT on Twitter: @womentruckers.

 

– RWIT –

About REAL Women in Trucking, Inc.:

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. promotes safety by educating the public about unsafe truck driver training and has created a network of support for women entering trucking. The mission of REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. is to deliver highway safety through leadership, mentorship, education and advocacy.

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The “Image” of Women in Trucking

Posted in @TruckerDesiree, CDL Training, Entry-Level Driver Training, Sexual Harassment, Trucking, Women Truckers, tagged , , , , , on August 3, 2015| 10 Comments »

Here is some personal insight on why there is a sudden 2015 “image” of Women in Trucking campaign targeted at women truckers. Perhaps the “image” that needs improvement the most is industry executives, including the women who colluded to cover-up sexual harassment and discrimination in entry-level driver training carriers.

2014 was a year of milestones for the REAL Women in Trucking which was founded in response to the lack of responsible representation from the trucking industry. We finally launched our membership organization and experienced a number of transitions, triumphs,and bittersweet moments. Each achievement, no matter how small has moved us a little closer to the organization we wish to become.

The big news on December 23, 2014 was that an appellate court overturned the $4 Million fee award granted to CRST Van Expedited in the Class Action Sex Harassment Case. Here is the link: “Universal Finding” that EEOC claims against CRST Trucking are without foundation fee award reversed“.

The history of the legal debacle that served injustice to so many aspiring women truckers is worthy of a suspense motion picture script. Here is the synopsis> Poorly educated , disenfranchised women struggling to make a new life for themselves, driven by faith and determination enter truck driver training. They naively believe that if they work hard and show aptitude for the work, they can live a life of freedom from office shackles, the loneliness of empty nest syndrome or escape from toxic relationships. Alas, something sinister is underfoot, a corporate system set up for failure, a training system chock full of internal support that does not work, trainers and co-drivers who are empowered by a weak misconduct reporting system and a female trucking student population that are viewed as “fresh meat” , an opportunity for predators and controls freaks. A potential victim to be isolated for selfish pleasures. Not all of the victims are women, the men rarely report the abuse and the few courageous women that make it through the trucking obstacle course to reach out for help find they are shouted down into silence by seasoned female drivers. Intimidated into silence by female executives and organizations who accept sponsor dollars from the most offensive carriers. The road to becoming a qualified lady truckers becomes an abyss for those who dare to “STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT ON INJUSTICE“. (more…)

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REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. Launches to Advocate for Urgently Needed Industry Changes while Supporting Female Truckers

Posted in CDL Training, Entry-Level Driver Training, Sexual Harassment, Trucking, Women Truckers, tagged , , , , , , , on February 11, 2015| 3 Comments »

MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine M. Gobbo

561-463-0777, Kristine@spectrum-pr.com

REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. Launches to Advocate for Urgently Needed Industry Changes while Supporting Female Truckers

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (February 11, 2015) – The promise of a fresh start and great pay draws thousands of people, including many women, to become truck drivers, but fundamental flaws in the driver recruiting and training process are putting female truckers, and all drivers on major highways, at risk. A newly launched trade association, REAL Women in Trucking, Inc. (RWIT), is working to change the industry from the inside out, and seeks the community’s help to raise awareness and support for issues that put drivers in danger.

RWIT was initially formed in 2010 by female truckers to protest poor conditions that were not being effectively addressed by the trucking industry. The women found the driver training process to be a harrowing experience, as they received little training, even driving tractor-trailers without proper instruction. Worse, training often included being paired with drivers who verbally and physically abused the women, and made aggressive sexual advances. (more…)

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How Do You Support Women of the Trucking Industry?

Posted in @TruckerDesiree, Social Media & Truckers, Trucking, tagged , , , , , , , on May 7, 2013| 7 Comments »

happy-sad-faces

The following post includes excerpts of a graded class project I wrote for a non-profit fundraising class on the questionable ethics of non-profits. I received an “A”.

The topic was an analysis of the WIT organization and I will be publishing more such graded paper excerpts in the coming weeks.

I hope you will take the time to consider my observations.

The Women in Trucking Organization (WIT), is designated as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit.

Mission: Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

The organization website states they are an active group that finds opportunities to promote the accomplishments of women in the industry. While the organization states the mission is to represent Women, membership is open to both Men and Women who currently work in the industry or those seeking to enter it.

The WIT website states that supporting the organization helps them to provide needed resources to encourage Women to become employed in the trucking industry, and that membership dues will “help motivate” the transportation industry to look at any obstacles that might prevent Women and Men from entering and remaining in trucking. Some of the items mentioned that WIT has determined to be obstacles are restroom facilities at loading docks and ergonomically designed truck cabs.
In a recent article the President of the WIT organization stated that she would not come between drivers and carriers. (Jakl, 2013) (more…)

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The Truth Behind the Image of the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel

Posted in @TruckerDesiree, tagged , , , , , , , on August 18, 2012| 9 Comments »

In June I received a call from some veteran Women Truck Drivers who had grown weary of waiting for any significant issues to be addressed by the non-profit organization called “Women in Trucking”.  They had grown increasingly upset that the credentials for some of the Women representing the organization were less than accurate.

For five years they, like myself have seen nothing but Facebook and Twitter posts thanking sponsor after sponsor for joining up and providing funds to the organization without anything solid to list as achievements for change or to foster an atmosphere of inclusion.

Yes, President Ellen Voie’s salary has more than doubled which has apparently afforded her the luxury to buy herself a plane and throw a public tattoo party for less than a dozen others but what about the female truck drivers who thought she going to lead the charge to have them recognized with respect?

While offensive WIT carrier member sponsors like CRST Van Expedited continue to have allegations about them on their unethical lease programs, the massive sex harassment case, plus a million dollar judgment against them for former female trainee, Karen Shank they still have not implemented any intelligent system for students in distress to find assistance from a qualified person.

CR England, who I wrote about abandoning a female student two years ago became a Women in Trucking member after I made public the incident on the http://www.REALWomeninTrucking.com blog and “Real Women Truckers” Facebook page with the help of other veteran drivers. Ellen Voie did not reach out to the abandoned female who was then living in her car in a Wal-Mart parking lot following her CR England training experience but she did reach out to CR England for sponsor dollars. Have they changed their ways? Not according to a recent trainee who was cornered by her phase two male trainer and stated that she never heard of Women in Trucking before I asked her how the incident was handled on a recent Women Truckers Network Weekly phone conference.

This morning I met another recent CR England female student who alleges that she was asked to run hazardous materials when she did not hold a hazardous materials endorsement, she has been driving less than 6 months. She also told me that she had been shut down for running bad equipment by the DOT but told by CR England to roll anyways. She is now at another carrier and was able to get out of her lease contract by threatening breach of contract due to the poor equipment. Still, she said she has lost her car because of the poor pay and other conditions she experienced since entering truck driver training. She told me that she picked up a recruiting magazine and saw a female trainer she recognized in a CR England advertisement that she actually had as a trainer. This female student claimed the female trainer spoke more about her boyfriend woes than providing good training to her. We talked about how important good female mentors are and why the Women Truckers Network is so important for Women entering truck driving.

No appropriate sexual misconduct training is being offered at training carriers although volumes of free material has been sent directly to these carriers and to Ellen Voie personally over the past 5 years. Much of the material from working female drivers employed at training carriers who have the most high profile issues with sexual misconduct and are sponsor/members of Women in Trucking.

So what became of all the free material? The only thing produced that we can identify has been an ultra-secret anti-harassment document that is only available to the highest paying sponsor members. Free material was offered and now it is only for sale?

Personal safety of women entering truck driver training should not be for sale to the highest bidder, it should be free to all who want the information. Ellen Voie was provided free material for the good of all drivers and to protect Women entering truck driver training so that they could be safe and successful. It was given in good faith that Ellen Voie would do the ethical thing but she has failed to deliver.

Truck carriers have a requirement for Smith System classes and recertification for hazardous materials knowledge but in the year 2012, the year of the “War on Women” political football, a sexual harassment policy and teaching session as to what that means exactly is still non-existent although different genders are supposed to live and work together in a box the size of an elevator.

Ellen Voie made in clear in her Question and Answer on the Real Women in Trucking blog that WIT is NOT a driver organization, yet she has persisted to assemble Women drivers in her annual photograph to use for promotional materials. Each year, her personal income increases even though the number of Women truck drivers has decreased at her event. Is it because some have begun to realize they are being tricked to stand for a photograph that permits Ellen to use their image to garner more income for herself without doing anything to help the female driving population?

I attended the 1st Salute to Women behind the Wheel and I brought 2 other Women with me. One who was a former CDL holder but had no valid driving credential at the time of the event. The other Woman was never a CDL holder. Both were offered the chance to attend the Salute to the Woman behind the Wheel.

One was given an award for having over a million safe miles, though no one checked her credentials to validate her claim or if she even had a valid driving credential at all. The second Woman caused a disagreement in the Women in Trucking booth because she had previously made derogatory comments about Ellen Voie’s credentials to represent Women in any capacity.  While I agreed with the observation, it was true that this Woman was not an actual truck driver. (Ellen Voie has never been a truck driver but got a CDL and wrote a book about it, she has yet to pull an actual load) I clarified that the second Woman was not ever a CDL holder at the event but the second Woman was determined to be recognized despite her cloudy credentials.

The truth though was that the credentials for many of the Women, including those in top honored spots have been in question since the first event and subsequent events. Miles have not verified, credentials were not checked, nor safety records. This information comes from my own personal experience and private conversations with the three Women in the front row of the photo widely used to promote Ellen Voie’s non-profit organization. There is no way to tell how many of the Women are actual CDL holders or if they are spouses of truck drivers because no accurate credential records were kept yet the photo was supposed to be for the Guiness world record which would invalidate it if there had been enough Women standing for the photo.

These Women stood for the photo because they thought they were making history and now many feel duped. I spoke to the people a Guinness World records recently and I am convinced no adequate procedure was followed at any Salute to the Women behind the Wheel event to appropriately validate the credentials to break a record to assemble the most female truck drivers.

The three Women in the front row of the photo from the 1st salute confirmed this to me from their experience with the event. Two are founders of the “Women Truckers Network” Weekly free phone conference events and the other is Ingrid Brown.

Women in Trucking has become a “buy a logo” non-profit organization and sadly this negates the integrity of any carrier who is associated with one of the carriers that are recently engaged in sexual harassment litigation that include rape and assault allegations in training.

Ellen Voie has persisted to seek Department of Justice Violence against Women grants for more funding to her organization when it is her sponsors that commit the most reported violence against women entering truck driver training.

Madeleine Albright Quote: “There’s a place in Hell reserved for women who don’t help other women.”

My question: What about Women who use other Women?

 

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CRST Sex Harassment Case and Truck Driver Training 2012

Posted in Trucking, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 14, 2012| 16 Comments »

Women entering trucking are at higher risk of meeting obstacles that hinder their success because this male dominated environment is lacking in accountability.

Unethical behavior and misconduct is generally targeted at those least able to fight back, this is the obstacle I have seen most frequently for truck driver students, especially Women.

Sweeping things under the rug like sexual misconduct in truck driver training carriers has created a big lump in the rug. The CRST Sex Harassment case is an example of the ignored lump that eventually created a hazard so great many were harmed. While some claims may have been frivolous, some valid claims are sadly caught in the mess.

The failure falls upon the carrier who did little to properly train their trainers and the industry who looks the other way.

Truck driver training does a poor job to prepare student candidates to become qualified drivers. For females, the highly unusual expectation of the living arrangements can be dangerous.

With the recent rash of reports on the EEOC V. CRST Sex harassment case I was at first stunned that it took until 2012 for the Associated Press to widely cover this massive case, many of the incidents occurred in 2005. It has been sparsely reported on by mainstream media and mostly ignored by trucking media, including OOIDA , trucking radio programs on SIRIUS, publications widely distributed at truck stops where truck drivers might read about this case and trade publications that might make the industry more accountable by creating pressure from other sectors for carriers like CRST to clean up their act.

The recent barrage of reports note that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had filed a “friend of the court brief”. If you are not aware, the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the former head of the American Trucking Association, if that does not SCREAM of politics I do not know what more one would need.

Perhaps, this story is all over because some other industry with as much clout as big trucking wants to rattle some cages? Maybe they could care less about Women or the EEOC case. Maybe it’s merely a power struggle between big rail and big trucking OR big labor and labor crushing, I don’t know but it is an issue that should be addressed.

Just 3 days before the AP broke this story, Ellen Voie the self-appointed corporate apologist for big trucking thanked CRST for renewing their corporate membership yet I received a letter from a CRST female student in distress just a few months back. I was also advised that remarks in court documents about an internal CRST crisis line which was somehow the remedy for their “issues” was no longer being used. (more…)

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