Yes, I’m a Girl and I can drive
a Semi Truck #TruckerTuesday
I love peoples reactions when I tell them I can drive a semi truck. I get everything from disbelief, to surprise, to awe. Only about 10% of the truck driving population is female. Sure, it was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done, but also one of the coolest.
I had no idea how to drive stick and I couldn’t even back my car into a parking space so I did go to truck driving school. It was similar to a drivers ed course just on a larger scale and with semi trucks. For a few weeks I never got out of first gear and I just learned how to back the semi. It was pretty difficult for me in the beginning. When backing if you want to go left you turn your steering wheel to the right. Now I can back a 72 foot rig better than a car. There were 21 of us in the class and only 2 females. 19 of us graduated and I was the only female. I spent the first 6 weeks of my driving career with a mentor. She taught me how to pick up loads, plan my drives, and basically everything I needed to be able to drive on my own.
Thankfully though I wasn’t going to be driving on my own. After driving with a mentor I was able to be reunited with my hubby. This is us in front of my Dad’s house with our first company truck. Yes, we started as company drivers. We drove OTR (over the road as opposed to a local route).
So what did a normal day look like for us? Anything between 6am and 6pm I would drive and Myles took the 6pm to 6am shift. We still spent a lot of time together as Myles would stay up for a few hours into my shift and I didn’t go to bed until a few hours into his.
Don’t worry, I only looked away briefly so Myles could take this pic. Seeing peoples reactions as they drove by me on the road was funny. Some would wave and most would do a double take.
What’s your reaction when you pass a female truck driver?
I to can drive a truck.i went through truck drivers school to.no problem Graduating at the top of the class.but I went into driving 10 wheeler for 10 years.i was the only female driver at the company as well.but I Loved it.i can drive a huge truck better than any car.Women are tuff enough for the job.just leave fear out.
I love this series and know that you are going to have a lot of great folks following this series because it is a fun part of your life. You look pretty cute in that cab and I am sure you do get double takes when you are driving. Since I knew several women truckers when we had the business I have an appreciation for them. 🙂
Very cool you can drive a big truck! My dad has a dump truck and it seems so huge!
LOVE THIS!
This is too cool!!!! You make truck drivers look GREAT, girl!
You are my favorite lady with a CDL!
I love this! 🙂 You go girl! My dad was a truck driver for years.
I have to admit it takes a lot of courage to drive one of those things!
You rock Donna! I saw this pic on FB… You’r amazing I would totally cheer for you when you pass by 🙂 so I can get a honk honk
I love that you can drive a truck. I am all about girl power! Nothing can stop a strong minded woman. If I had a daughter this post would be recommended reading for her. You go girl!
My girls love it when we pass a semi and there is a female driver! They also love it when the driver honks at them! 😉