A Woman's Load....

Hehe, it's not what you're thinking. ;)

So I was wondering which type of load I'd like to drive, as a woman. Why do I ask? Because a lot of times, men are much physically stronger than a woman. Although I'm mentally tough, doesn't mean I'm physically that strong.

When I think of a flatbed, I wonder how heavy the tarps are. When I think about hauling heavy equipment, I wonder about how strong you have to be to hook/unhook straps and such. When I think about dry van local job, where you often have to unload the truck yourself at each receiver, I wonder how much the goods can weight, if you are equipped with some type of platform that lowers the boxes and such, down to the ground.

When I think about tankers, well...I'm not sure there is any handing at all? Maybe hook and unhook big pipes?

So in short, I'm wondering what I'd be physically capable of doing?

One of the big things behind lifting anything is technique. Once you learn that, you'd be amazed at what you CAN do vs what you can't. There are plenty of females out there doing both and are more than capable.

Hey girl, you haven't even gotten started yet! Why worry about all that heavy stuff?

Get yourself a job with no touch freight, like a reefer job or a dry van. Spend that first year learning how to handle that gentle giant of a truck, then if you want to specialize in something else you can go for it.

FYI, I met a girl a few years back who couldn't have weighed 105 pounds, she was a flat-bed driver! Have you ever seen those you tube videos from that girl "Allie Knight?" (I think that is her name) She was a flat-bed driver for a while.

I even met an eighty two year old man who was still driving a flat-bed. It's more about technique and knowing what you are doing than it is about brute strength. I remember when "Sunshine" came in here singing the blue hoos because she got sent home from her first job orientation because she couldn't lift the tarps up on to a shelf that they were requiring. We explained the technique to her, and she went right back and did it like a "boss mamma" - that was her words when she reported back to us so happily about her success.

I thought a "woman's load" referred to being pregnant! That's the most precious cargo anyway, right?

I think reefer is generally pretty hands-off, I would imagine it's just a lot of backing into loading docks and then waiting.

Dry vans might be pretty similar, depending on what you're hauling and where. A lot of companies advertise things like "90% no-touch freight" or some such number. Maybe be on the lookout for that phrase.

Tankers probably do have to run hoses and secure fittings and whatnot. I don't really know, and again, I'm sure it depends on the specific freight.

Flatbed is the only one I actually have experience with, and I'd have to say I think it's probably the most physically demanding. But that doesn't mean you couldn't do it if you wanted to. But I know you are very particular about your hygiene, and as a flatbedder, you're gonna get very dirty!

You probably don't want to get into local delivery or anything like that. Find an OTR company with mostly no-touch freight and you should be set, if that's what you really want.

OTR means I wouldn't be home much and not see my daughter enough. Not an option, at least, not for the long run. I'm willing to do it for training and maybe a few months afterwards, to give me experience, but not any longer than I have to. Regional home every few days (every other day, etc) would be ok. Local would be great. I was thinking I might be able to find a company with not much freight handling locally, since I'm in New England and there's lots of big cities.

You are in a great area for those types of jobs, but be prepared, they are tough. I know you've seen what our Mountain Girl is going through. You've got to bring your "A" game to work everyday on those jobs - there is very little "wiggle room" for mistakes. The danger is that a simple accident with very minimal damage may end up putting an end to your career. I think you've already realized this, but I just want you to be prepared to "kick some tail" on your new job, and the only way you will accomplish that is to be ultra careful and safe - take your time and always G.O.A.L. when you are backing up a truck.

Refresher please, about what GOAL means? lol

Refresher please, about what GOAL means? lol

"Get Out And Look" as in, when you're backing up, if there is even the slightest doubt just set your brakes, get out and go take a look before moving any further

Gotcha!

Sorry about that, some of this vernacular comes so natural that you forget that people think you are speaking French. Oh wait a minute, I forgot, you do speak French! Well, you know what I mean.

Thanks Persian for clearing up my blunder!