Second Graders and Truck Drivers

I have been doing a lot of reading.... the internet is such a wealth of information (both good and bad). There are so many stories of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the trucking industry. Horror stories of women being assaulted by their trainers (during the training period when you are a student driver just after CDL school) or having trainers fail them if they refuse to perform sexual favors.

It's horrifying. I desperately hope that I can find a company that will pair me with a female trainer. I want to be safe (doesn't everyone?) and contemplating bringing mace along when I start as a student driver.  I am almost six feet tall and I have a background in martial arts, but a girl can't be too careful.

I accidentally came across something really lovely. A story about a really cute interaction between a busload of second graders and a truck driver. Click here to read. It's heartwarming and lovely and you should check it out.

CDL school process

Stopped by the school today to drop off some pre-hire applications. Basically, as soon as you start school (or in my overacheiving case, even before then) you send what is called a "pre-hire application" to any number of trucking companies. They'll look at your background and references and if they like what they see, they'll send you a conditional job offer. Conditional on obtaining your CDL (commercial driving license) of course. That means there's a job waiting for you as soon as you finish school.

Once you obtain your CDL and go to work for a trucking company, you are a student driver.

Sometimes, you'll go through orientation at your new company and then you are paired with an experienced driver for a few weeks of additional training and mentoring.  Some companies require you to drive as a team (maybe with another student or with an experienced driver) for your first six months. Others give you your own truck as soon as you finish your orientation.  Each company is different and you need to read up on companies you're interested in so that you now what you're signing up for.

I have no interest in driving as part of a team, so I have not filled out any applications for companies with a mandatory team driving phase.  To each her own.

Introduction

Welcome to my blog. I've been reading other blogs of women truckers and thought it might be fun to post about my trucking career from the beginning. I have a college degree, but our economy is broken. I've had some entry-level jobs since college, but nothing I'd call a career. I've been unemployed now for a month and it seems like there were so many job advertisements for truck driving.

Could I really be a truck driver?

Why the hell not!?

I'm single and I don't have family, so I am not tied to one place. I like the idea of being a bit of a gypsy. I've signed up for a training course and it starts on Tuesday (because Monday is Labor Day). I'm really excited. I'm looking forward to seeing as many of the US states as possible. Stay tuned for: First Day of CDL Training