How Trucking Has Changed to Welcome Women

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My, how times have changed! When I started driving in the early 1980s, trucks were so different than they are today. I can recall taking my driving exam. The examiner checked to make sure the lights worked and the truck actually had a seatbelt (the truck was used for tests because it was the only one that had a seatbelt that worked).

When I look back at my career, I marvel at all the ways trucks and truck stops have changed, particularly as more women have entered the trucking business. Here are my 6 favorite ways the industry has changed to accept, accommodate and acknowledge women.

Truck seats

Deb, who worked for a small oil field fleet where my husband, Bob, worked, taught me to drive an old two-stick Mack pulling an unbaffled water trailer. In those days, I had to carry a pillow with me when I knew I was going to drive. I used it to prop myself up. After all, the seat did not move and I could not reach the pedals without it.

It also was an amazing feat to use the mirrors. They were stationary, so we ladies had to adjust our bodies and necks to use them. In other words, we adjusted to the truck—the truck didn’t adjust to us.

But in 2017, within seconds I can adjust our truck seats from my husband’s position (He’s 6’3”) to one that suits me (I’m 5’4”). Even the vents for heating and cooling can be repositioned so that I am comfortable.

Truck hoods

In the 1980s, opening the hood took a supreme effort. A smaller-statured woman could often be seen dangling from the hood ornament trying to leverage her body to get the hood to move. Now with one hand, today’s hoods can be easily opened and closed by men and women alike.

Truck stop showers

While I do not go way back using truck stops, I know they have improved a lot since 2000. To me, the best parts are the showers and laundry rooms. Most of the truck stop chains have upgraded their showers to include better lighting and homey touches such as flowers and nice pictures on the walls. Many of the upgraded showers include lights in the shower as well as nice benches that make it a lot easier for women to see and shave our legs.

Bob and I favor the TA/Petro truck stops because they have in all their showers two bath towels, one hand cloth and one small towel, as well as a towel for the floor. The showerheads have been updated to the bigger showerheads, too, which make showering a blissful experience at times.

Truck stop public restrooms

Most notably, restrooms now have homey touches such as pictures and flowers. They often are decorated for the holidays, too. Many restrooms also have added a soap dispenser that has an abrasive cleaner for when we ladies have had our hands in oil and grease. Men have had this additional soap dispenser for years, but it is a recent addition to ladies restrooms.

It seems to be a humorous dichotomy, having the feminine decorating touches on one hand and the abrasive soap to get our hands cleaner on the other. But both are needed improvements.

Truck stop laundry rooms

In trucking’s earlier days, many of the smaller truck stops did not have laundry rooms. If they did, they consisted of one washer and dryer crammed into a small closet. Today, however, it is pretty common to see front-load washers and dryers, a table to fold clothes on and even a bar for hanging clothes.

The best upgrade is the ability for drivers to use our debit cards and receive a text alert when the washer or dryer is done. No longer must we carry quarters around or save every quarter we get back in change in a little baggy to be taken in with the laundry soap. We are able to start our clothes, set up the text alert and enjoy a nice meal while we wait.

Truck stop lighting

The lighting is a lot better in the truck stop parking areas today. That has made it safer for all, especially for women walking alone. I see women in all areas of trucking and they are getting the job done. We might not all do the job the same way, but we all reach the same goal: We move freight. I cannot think of a better way for women to make a living than what we are doing in trucking right now.

Linda Caffee is a team driver for Caffee Enterprises and president of Trucker Buddy International. She has worked as a full-time truck driver since 2005 and is an avid blogger. Follow her at Team Run Smart, The Onspot Blog and Expediters Online.

March is Women’s History Month. Drive My Way is proud to highlight women in the trucking industry who inspire and lead by their example. Join our community here to get these and all of Drive My Way’s stories in your newsfeed.

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Do New Truck Drivers Need More Behind-the-Wheel Training?

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behind-the-wheel training

If you think that new truck drivers need more behind-the-wheel training and more hours behind the wheel, you’re not alone.

An Overdrive magazine poll shows that most of the magazine’s readers share that sentiment, believing that entry-level driver training should include a significant number of hours behind the wheel.

Overdrive Editorial Director Max Heine wrote about the poll in an opinion piece.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and industry stakeholders in a negotiated rulemaking committee originally set that at 30. But the agency has since withdrawn that requirement from the final training rule. Instead, trainers are supposed to assess the trainee’s performance to see if it’s adequate.

One of two main objections to the 30-hour minimum is that no data clearly ties accidents to lack of behind-the-wheel training. Studies are under way that might provide that data, but in the meantime, why not opt on the side of caution? If studies later prove there is no correlation, revisit the rule.

Heine compared the disparity to a student who skips many classes, then performs well on tests after cramming for them.

He asserts: But his level of mastery won’t compare to that of the student who’s attended all classes and done all the homework and reading. Mastery of driving a heavy-duty truck, like mastering most things in life, requires baptism by immersion, not sprinkling.

The article cites a report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that shows people aged 19 to 24 are more likely than other drivers to text while driving and are less likely to support restrictions on distracted driving.

Heine asserts that more hours behind the wheel could enlighten new drivers on what it takes to drive a truck safely.

What do you think, drivers? Do people new to CDL driver jobs need more hours behind the wheel before their training is through? Join our community here and share your thoughts.

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6 Reasons Drivers Leave CDL Trucking Jobs

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We don’t have to tell you that trucking is a tough job. Life on the road has its benefits, but there are drawbacks. TheJobNetwork.com published a helpful story about why drivers leave CDL trucking jobs for other careers. Here are the top 6 reasons truckers get out of the trucking business.

1. Pay and Perks

Roughly half of drivers surveyed say that making more money was their number one consideration when leaving one job for another. Also, Benefits are a huge consideration. 34% of truckers surveyed succumb to the lure of better health coverage.

2. No Time at Home

This is another big factor—roughly 41 percent of drivers say more time at home becomes a huge priority. Even if money is a major motivating factor for most people who do leave, only about 20% leave for that reason. Overall, time at home is often much more of a factor.

3. Not Jiving with a Supervisor

People leave people—not companies. Therefore, if a driver doesn’t mesh well with his supervisor, that can be a very difficult situation to sustain. Personalities are important and finicky, but the workplace is surprisingly about relationships. Make these work, and drivers often stick around.

4. Dispatch Dissatisfaction

If a driver is not getting dispatched or scheduled the way they prefer, it can be a huge annoyance. However, a lot of this can be solved with new computer technologies that streamline the process.

5. Not Getting Paid Fairly

Perhaps a driver didn’t get paid for detention time or other “duties.” If not, it can really drive an employee to frustration—even quitting—especially if it happens multiple times per month.

6. Over-regulation

Service rules for when a driver is allowed to drive, sleep, etc. can really put a cramp in a trucker’s style. Single rules don’t always universally make things better for truckers. When these get too onerous, even experienced veteran doctors can turn tail and leave—and the profession suffers.

Overall, these are just the main reasons drivers leave CDL trucking jobs. Sometimes truckers just want to retire or leave the transportation industry for something else. What would make you leave your job, drivers? Connect with us here and share your thoughts.

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The Woman Truck Driver Who’s Worth A Million

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The accomplishments of one woman who has a CDL trucking job

“I got a message from my boss that said ‘Hey, you made the billboard,” recalls J.B. Hunt driver Jodi Edwards with a laugh. “The company had put my picture on a billboard to advertise people coming to work for them. I thought that was pretty cool.”

A 20-year veteran woman truck driver and trainer with J.B. Hunt, Jodi Edwards is living her dream. And with more than a million safe miles under her belt, she’s as accomplished as she is enthusiastic about her career. After all, J.B. Hunt has even put her face on a billboard. It doesn’t get any bigger than that.

At J.B. Hunt, Edwards is a star, and she’s earned many accolades throughout her driving career. She’s on the Women in Trucking Image Team. She was part of a panel discussion at the Women in Trucking Accelerate! Conference in November. She was even a Woman in Trucking Member of the Month.

All of the awards are gratifying, Edwards says. But she’s proudest of her Million Mile Award.

“That’s a heck of an achievement,” Edwards says. Edwards attributes her stellar safety record to J.B. Hunt’s strong safety culture and the Smith safety system the company uses. J.B. Hunt drivers go through Smith System safety training every two years.

The system focuses on creating distance between yourself and other vehicles on the road.

“You want to have so many seconds of distance between you and what’s in front of you,” Edwards says. “They want you to know what’s in front of you and to keep space around you all the time. It gives you time to react and make changes, to slow down, stop or find a way around the problem. For myself, I keep as much of a space cushion around my truck as I can. I try not to travel in packs because if someone is going to screw up, it gives me time to stop.”

When she earned her Million Mile Award, J.B. Hunt awarded Edwards with a plaque, a watch, a $5,000 bonus and patches for her uniform. It made her feel special. “When you have these milestones, they really make a big deal of it,” Edwards says. “They really go above and beyond.”

Working on and off the road

Edwards runs intermodal for J.B. Hunt. She’s seen the division grow from three drivers 19 years ago to 35 drivers today. She runs from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. While her son is 23 years old now, the schedule long gave Edwards the flexibility to be a hands-on mom.

“When my son was in school I could go to all his baseball games, wrestling matches and basketball games,” she says. “For me, when I need to do something for my family, I talk to my boss and I’m good to go. At J.B. Hunt, they know you by name. That’s important to me. It’s a great company to work for. That’s why I’ve never wanted to go anywhere else.”

Advice for other female drivers

While Edwards is an unofficial ambassador for J.B. Hunt through her love of her job, she also is quick to support fellow women drivers whenever she has the opportunity. To women just starting out, she recommends finding a highly rated trucking school.

“Have them teach you something,” she says. “Always be safe but allow yourself to enjoy it, too. Don’t put yourself in a position where you’re by yourself in a dark parking lot. Take care of what you got to take care of in the light of day. If you’re going to do it, do it right. And find yourself a good company you can stay with. Because it’s not just a job, it’s a career.”

It certainly is for Edwards. She plans to stay with J.B. Hunt until she retires.

“I’m happy here,” she says.

In honor of Women’s History Month. Drive My Way is highlighting women in the trucking industry who inspire and lead by their example. Join our community here to get these and all Drive My Way’s stories in your newsfeed.

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Meet the people who clean the streets after Mardi Gras in New Orleans

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It’s Fat Tuesday. While the debauchery, bead throwing and revelry of Mardi Gras is renowned, lesser hailed are the workers who clean up New Orleans’ streets after the parties and parades have ended. One website, BestofNewOrleans.com, is giving these workers their due, however, with a great story on those who clean up after Mardi Gras has ended Here are some of the story’s highlights. We thought those of you with CDL trucking jobs might relate.

After the parades end, an army of men and women dressed in safety-orange reflective vests and clutching plastic rakes takes to the streets, neutral grounds and sidewalks to pick up the vestiges of the party.

Within three hours, nearly all of the refuse is cleared away. Except for the beads hanging from tree branches, power lines and traffic poles, the surfeit of garbage disappears — abandoned chairs, couches, food scraps, foam cups, cigarette butts, beer cans, bottles and all the odds and ends synonymous with the city’s Carnival celebration.

However, this cleanup effort isn’t limited to the parade route. Come Fat Tuesday, revelers wreak havoc on their livers as well as the streets. Before noon, the city’s historic core is filled with costumed carousers and an enormous quantity of garbage. Hand Grenades, Hurricanes, and Huge Ass Beers fuel the chaos. The melee carries on until midnight.

This year’s 10-day Carnival season cleanup force is made up of 600 men and women and 114 pieces of equipment, including seven front-end loaders and 30 garbage and dump trucks.

Overall, these often overlooked and underappreciated laborers pick up between 50 to 100 tons of trash. They work late into the evening to erase nearly all signs that a parade passed along the miles-long route.

Trailing behind the last Uptown parade of the evening is a fleet of sanitation vehicles and a large crew of workers. A mighty vehicle called a flusher leads the way, carrying around 3,000 gallons of water and spraying the streets at high pressure from jets attached to the truck’s front bumper (the water helps weigh down the garbage). Behind it is a band of rakers, dozens of men and women on foot using plastic rakes to push trash into the center of the street. Then comes a front-end loader, a tractor more commonly seen on large construction sites, that plows down the line of garbage, consolidates it, scoops it up and drops it into a dump truck that drives behind.

Jarmal Coates is in his first year on the crew and enjoys the work.

“It ain’t like it affects your Mardi Gras spirit,” he said. “I still get to see the parades. And when you’re cleaning up, you still see everybody partying. You still get that vibe, you know?”

In addition, Ronald Jackson is a veteran of Mardi Gras cleanup crews. He worked for the Department of Sanitation for 24 years and cleaned the parade routes just as long. “You see a lot of different things when you come out to the parade,” Jackson said. “Meet a lot of different people, because people come from all over the world for Mardi Gras.”

Jackson clocks in to his regular shift at 6 a.m., but the cleanup can keep him out well past midnight. In years past, the city’s Mardi Gras festivities produced more than 907 tons of trash. The enormous amount of debris produced by “the biggest free party on earth” costs $1.5 million to pick up, the story states.

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Dressed for Success

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Rick Ash is an owner operator with more than 3 million accident-free miles to his name. In the 29 years he’s had a CDL trucking job, he’s never been late picking up or delivering a load.

Being on time is part of the sharp image he strives to maintain every day on the job. It’s also why he makes a point to dress in a crisp button-down shirt, slacks and a tie every day.

“Polished shoes are part of it, too,” he says. ”I keep shoe polish and a shoe brush in the truck at all times.”

Ash made the change in wardrobe six years ago, and he hasn’t looked back.

A combination of things prompted him to dress for success initially. “People I know were already doing it and had mentioned how much better they were treated,” Ash says.

“I’ve always been someone who’s been concerned and aware of the image of the truck driver,” he continues. “We play a most vital part in the ability of the average American to be able to live their life the way they want to. All necessities come by truck, and I think we’re looked at not always positively because of the way we’re portrayed in the media.”

Ash started to see that dressing professionally could be an important yet simple way to counteract all that negativity.

He does often notice a difference in the way people treat him when he’s looking sharp.

“When I’m making a delivery, they tend to think I’m a salesperson,” he says. “Other drivers, too, I probably get more reaction from them than anything else. They ask, ‘Why are you all dressed up?’ My reply is usually ‘Why not?’ It’s good because it starts a discussion.”

Cynthia Ward, a company driver for Knight Refrigerated, knows the discussion, too. She’s been dressing up ever since she began trucking two years ago, and she loves every minute of it.

Adding something extra

“I get told all the time ‘You don’t look like a truck driver,’” she says. “I ask them what a truck driver is supposed to look like. They say, ‘They wear flip-flops and you can smell them from a mile away.’ And I say, ‘Well, my CDL says I’m a truck driver, so I guess not all truck drivers look like that.”

Ward prides herself on adding a little extra flair to her appearance every day. That includes hair, makeup, nails and wardrobe. If it seems like a lot of effort to go to when she may not see many people in a day, Ward has a strong rebuttal.

Cynthia Ward’s nails

“I’m representing the company,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if I never get out of out of the truck. Nobody wants to see a slob driving down the road. And when I take a few minutes to present myself, there’s a little pep in my step and I feel better about myself.”

Both Ash and Ward take a lot of pride in their work and their appearance.

That pride carries them through the day. Ash runs the health pavilion at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas (follow him at OnRamptoHealth.org), and he has received several awards during his career. The way he dresses makes him feel all the more positive about being a truck driver.

“There are a lot of things that go into having a positive image,” he says. “It’s the way you look, the way you conduct yourself, thanking people for their hard work. And it’s not just at the shippers and receivers. I’m somebody who wants to present a positive image wherever I am.”

Wardrobe on wheels

Cynthia Ward’s wardrobe

Ward, who has converted her top bunk into a wardrobe, notes that people she encounters through her trucking job treat her with respect when she’s dressed up. She says it’s no coincidence.

“People treat you like you present yourself,” she says. “If nobody sees me all day, I see me. I want to take pride in myself. When you dress up, you feel better all day long. You walk with a straighter step because you know you look good.”

It’s not expensive either, Ash adds. He buys all his shirts, slacks and ties at discount stores and is still able to look the part. “I go to JCPenney and get a button-down for 20 bucks,” he says. “I pay $9.99 for my ties at Walmart, so I’m not spending an arm and a leg. I would recommend dressing up. If you’re driving livestock for a living you probably wouldn’t dress up, but otherwise, why not?”

It feels great when you take pride in what you do. In what other ways does your pride in trucking shine through? Join our community here and tell us about it.

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Video Series Helps Drivers Better Prepare Their Trucks for the Road

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Safety in CDL trucking jobsAfter a long day or night on the road, maintenance might be the last thing on your mind. But as little as 20 minutes could make the difference between a safe journey and truck troubles when you get back on the road.

For new and experienced drivers alike, Accuride’s video series simplifies truck component installation and maintenance. So, you get on the road faster and make it safely to your next stop.

The videos include Wheel Service, Brake Drum Service and Automatic Slack Adjuster Service.

They run between 15 and 30 minutes and include step-by-step instructions. In addition, they include animation and technical diagrams for each component.

Accuride says one video “demonstrates how to establish a periodic brake drum maintenance program that will help users recognize common symptoms and make necessary corrections.”

Did you know that truckinginfo.net found over half of emergency road calls are related to tire problems?

A simple check will help you avoid having to be one of those calls.

Accuride’s Wheel Service video, “covers single-piece rims and wheels and includes steps for performing wheel removal by hand and machine, complete visual inspection, wheel end cleaning and preparation, tubeless tire installation and proper mounting of the tire/wheel assembly.”

The Automatic Slack Adjuster Service clarifies how to “to properly install, remove, inspect, adjust and maintain the Automatic Slack Adjusters on vehicle[s].”

These videos are your roadside assistance without any phone calls when you need a quick refresher on rig repair.

Want to get the best tips, latest news and fun stories? Join our online community here. 

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One Driver’s Special Journey with the Vince Lombardi Trophy

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Driver Clyde Bishop, left, assists with the delivery of the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Houston, Texas, with two-time Super Bowl winner Vince Wilfork.
(Michael Stravato/AP Images for FedEx)

FedEx driver Clyde Bishop has a connection to the Super Bowl that most drivers only dream of. The longtime truck driver, a 16-year veteran of FedEx, hails from Houston, Texas. This year he had the very special honor of delivering the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Houston before Super Bowl LI is played there this weekend.

For Bishop, driving the Vince Lombardi Trophy into his hometown was the experience of a lifetime.

After all, it’s not just any trophy. The iconic sterling silver award is handcrafted by artisans at Tiffany & Co. It received special treatment worthy of champions along its route from NFL headquarters in New York to the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, where it will be on display until Super Bowl Sunday.

Throughout its journey to Houston, the Lombardi Trophy remained under tight security.

A high-tech sensor tracked its journey and monitored temperature, humidity and light to show if the package opened before arriving in Houston.

Two-time Super Bowl winner Vince Wilfork delivers the Vince Lombardi Trophy via FedEx to the NFL Experience in Houston on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017.
(Michael Stravato/AP Images for FedEx)

Helping Bishop make the final delivery of the trophy into Houston was none other than two-time Super Bowl champ and current Houston Texans nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who signed for the Lombardi Trophy and held it above his head like a champ (see a great video of the delivery here).

While Wilfork won his rings with the New England Patriots, his heart lies in Houston now.

“FedEx proudly delivered the iconic Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Super Bowl for the last 17 years,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, senior vice president, Integrated Marketing and Communications for FedEx.

“There are more than 400,000 FedEx team members working to connect people and businesses around the world, and we’re excited to continue this 17-year tradition of delivering the Lombardi Trophy to football fans before the big game.”

Is there a special journey your CDL trucking job has taken you on? Connect with us here to share your experience.

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New Group Seeks to Motivate Millennials to Trucking Industry

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 Today’s Trucking offers interesting thoughts about millennials in the trucking industry. The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada relaunched its Young Leaders group to engage more people ages 25 to 45 in the industry. Director Mike Colwell and fellow PMTC panelist Elias Demangos lead the program. “Young people are not afraid to work. They just want to work for something more meaningful,” says 32-year- old Demangos.

As Today’s Trucking reports:

“Demangos said the younger smartphone generation moves at a clip. They keep things short and simple in the aim of moving forward. For example, he mentioned the use of smartphone apps like Waze. This allows drivers to navigate and adapt to congested traffic congestions. The app serves as a metaphor for the millennial worker. They navigate and adapt to the modern work environment with baby boomers at the reins.”

The Young Leaders group believes in integrating more technology into training programs and day-to-day operations.

Overall, this approach aims to make the field more accessible to a large portion of the population. In turn, it changes young people’s perspectives about the truck-driving profession.

“Making the workplace more suited to younger generations also means having it furnished with technology. For Young Leaders Group panelist Matt Richardson, this serves as the only way he can get youth through the doors to his training facility. Then, they teach the next generations of drivers and dispatchers. Whether students interact with a large screen or GoPro cameras, the purpose serves beyond appeal and more of a necessity, said Richardson.”

Richardson aims to eliminate boring jobs and brings back a sense of purpose and adventure.

“Youth may get to the finish line differently. But, I think if you provide them a chance, you experience happiness with the finished product,” he says.

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With Republican Congress, Trucking Lobbyists Target Driver Time and Pay

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Trucking Lobbyists

Citing major settlements in recent years, trucking lobbyists say they plan to capitalize on new Republican control in Congress to pass an amendment that would prevent enforcement of state laws dictating truck drivers’ time and pay and shield carriers from such court orders. So writes CCJ magazine in an informative article on the issue and how it could impact those with CDL driver jobs.

Major proponents of the Denham Amendment include the American Trucking Associations and the Western States Trucking Association.

Both stated legislation to assert federal authority over break and pay laws for truckers serves as a top-level agenda item in the coming years.

“This serves as our No. 1 priority,” says Western States’ head of government affairs Joe Rajkovacz. “Prohibiting states from involving themselves in the compensation methods in which drivers are paid. Once litigation of one of the cases succeeds, the ‘me-too’ lawsuits focus on much smaller motor carriers downstream. It becomes legal blackmail against a small business: ‘Pay us or get sued and taken into court.’”

Opponents of the provision argue that the Denham Amendment wipes out efforts to reform driver pay.

Donna Smith, co-producer of the online radio show and website Truth About Trucking, says the driver pay/break provision would slam the door on hopes for driver pay reform. State-level action on the issue of driver pay and breaks, even with creating an often-deemed “patchwork” of varying regulations, is better than no action at all.

“If there’s going to be any law for driver wages, ideally it would be at a national level,” she said. “I think it would be more confusing to have state-by-state laws. But, before you look down that road, you put to rest the Denham language. It puts to rest any of the recent efforts that the truck driving community puts forth to increase their wages.”

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