July 2009 TRUCKER TALK
WOMEN IN TRUCKING
BY WRITER & OWNER OPERATOR KIM GRIMM
Women In Trucking is not just a statement – it’s also an organization that was founded by Ellen Voie in 2007 to promote the trucking industry to women. 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. We all know that trucking has traditionally been a male dominated field, but Women In Trucking (WIT) wants to help this industry become more “female friendly” overall.
The organization’s first reception was held in 2007 at the truck show in Louisville, Kentucky. At that first event, Char Pingel suggested that they have a chocolate fountain – after all, woman love chocolate, so they thought they should have chocolate – and a tradition was born. After only six months, the organization grew to over 500 members, who included 12 board members, 44 corporate members, 16 sponsors, 98 male members, 402 female members and one staff member, Char Pingel.
By WIT’s first anniversary, the membership hit Ellen’s goal of 1,000 and it is still growing (today there are about 1,300 members). Before starting WIT, Ellen and Char worked at Trucker Buddy International (Ellen was the Executive Director). Today, both of the women still support the Trucker Buddy program, and recently joined their new Trucker Buddy Nation. Trucker Buddy Nation is a newly created grassroots initiative for individuals to show their support through renewable, tax deductible donations.
Did you happen to notice that there were several male members included in the breakdown of members? That’s right, men are welcome to join, too. I think that it takes a strong man to encourage a woman – most weak men would rather pooh-pooh their abilities. So, to all of you strong men out there, we encourage you to join and support the strong women in our industry! As a female trucker and an owner operator, I am proud to be a member of WIT and I hope that you will consider joining, too.
At that truck show in Louisville when the first reception was held, the people in the International booth were measuring drivers to help design a more driver-friendly seat. Looking to show support for this new organization, along with collecting valuable data, they paid the $25 membership dues for the first 25 women that they measured. Lenora Hardee is on the board of directors at WIT and has a Ph.D in ergonomics. She currently heads the interior design team for Navistar-International.
The WIT website features a wealth of information, stories and inspiration. On the site (www.womenintrucking.org), there are several links to helpful articles about trucking in general, downloadable copies of WIT’s informative newsletter, and a host of other useful things. WIT recently began a new effort to form a non-profit foundation to fund members who want careers in safety, technical or driving positions in the industry. This charitable foundation will allow WIT to accept donations to help members receive educational opportunities they might not have had without their help.
In an effort to raise money for the organization and show support, there is a safety product called the Sleep Safe Strap which is currently being sold with a portion of the proceeds supporting WIT. Designed to secure a truck’s cab doors, from the inside, this product provides increased security for women out on the road (and men) so they can feel secure as they sleep in their truck. Using simple physics, one door is bound to the other with special clips and a nylon reinforced strap, thus preventing either door from being opened, with or without a key. The Sleep Safe Strap is sold by Rig Secure (www.rigsecure.com), so check it out.
I truly believe that this organization is needed and will eventually help to show the “guys” what we can really do. When I got my license to drive a truck, it was still called a Chauffeur’s License, not a CDL. Back then, I started out driving a dump truck and had to prove to those guys that I could pull my own weight (most of the guys figured that they would have to do my work and theirs). But I earned their respect by proving them wrong – some days I even hauled more loads than they did. I learned early in this business that you have to earn respect, especially if you are a woman.
After driving locally for eight years, I got on the road with my then husband. Back then, I often heard comments like, “You should be at home barefoot and pregnant,” and, “You are taking a man’s job.” To the first comment, my reply was always, “You are just jealous because I back up better than you drive forward,” and to the second I would usually tell them, “Nowadays, it takes two people in one truck to make a living for one family, so I haven’t taken any man’s job!” Over time, companies started wanting more husband and wife teams, which brought a lot of women into the industry. Today, I now hear comments like, “I’d rather have a woman drive my truck than most of the guys out here.” I guess time does change things – and sometimes for the better.
I’ve seen a lot of things get better over the years. I can remember having to have someone “watch the door” so I could take a shower and being asked for identification at the TA in Ontario, CA to prove that I really was a trucker. Now, for the most part, we (ladies) have nice private showers and, in my experience, can walk across a truck stop parking lot and not be mistaken for something other than a driver. Like the old saying goes, “You’ve come a long way baby!” But, we still have a long way to go. I really believe that Ellen and WIT have so much to offer in getting us women a lot farther down the road in the trucking world.
A couple weeks ago I took a friend from high school with me on the road (this is actually the sixth time she’s went along with me) and she loved it. We call it vacationing trucker style. We went to Florida and had the opportunity to take an airboat ride in the everglades, but that will be another story for another day. While at a gift shop, the woman behind the counter asked where we were from. We told her that we were from Iowa and Wisconsin, and that the truck out in the parking lot was mine. She said that she’s been hearing for years from women, most of them older, who say they wish they could have done that (been a truck driver). Many of them have told her over the years, “If I was 20 years younger, I’d love to do that.” I am sure that many of these comments were made by women back when it wasn’t “acceptable” for them to drive a truck. Today, thankfully, it is more acceptable. Ellen and WIT have helped give women a place to go to get information and encouragement to get out there and see if this really is a career that they might want to do.
I recently visited my old friend Russ Brown and we got to talking about new drivers, and how they don’t really realize all that goes with this job. Russ said, like most of you already know, “Trucking is not really a job, it’s a lifestyle.” And he is right. Being gone from home for long periods of time, showering here and there and living in your truck might not be for everyone, but for the woman who really wants to get out and try, I say go for it! I did, and I’ve had some great experiences over the years. I have made incredible friends, but I must admit that after all these years on the road, my home time is more important now than ever.
I still sometimes hear comments like, “Do you really drive that big truck?” To that, sometimes, I will reply, “No, but I fake it really well.” But I usually save that sarcastic answer for the person who asks me that question after watching me pull into the driveway, park and get out of the truck on the driver’s side. Like the funny, blue-collar comedian Bill Engvall always says when someone asks a dumb question, “Here’s your sign!”
WIT, as an organization, not only promotes women as drivers, but in other areas of the trucking industry as well, such as dispatching, recruiting, company ownership and mechanics. I know a few drivers that depend on some talented women on the east coast who are good at getting permits and routing oversize loads around that part of the country. There are a lot of opportunities out there for women in the trucking industry that do not involve a steering wheel.
Having been a driver for so long, women like Ellen and my friend Bette Garber, who both got their CDL not to get out there and drive but to really know and understand what drivers go through, have earned a lot of respect. Bette wrote books about her experiences, and now Ellen has a book called “Crushing Cones: What You Should Know Before Attending Trucking School.” Don’t feel bad, Ellen. After 30 years of driving, I still run over a cone every once in awhile!
Trucking is still a male dominated industry, but with encouragement and support from organizations like Women In Trucking and people like Ellen Voie, the ladies that do decide to go trucking can be confident and comfortable in their decision. And with so many resources out there, no woman should feel alone or alienated, or be denied the opportunity to do what she wants to do – even if she wants to drive a big truck. Women In Trucking – it’s not just a statement or an organization, it’s also a way of life!