Safety (really, How Dangerous Is This?)

Yep that first line. I don't know where you were employed but I love my company so much so that it nauseates G town at times hahaha

As far as safety...as a woman I feel perfectly safe. If I don't then i tell dispatch I'm shutting down due to weather. If I'm told to go to an unsafe city to fuel I tell them it is unsafe and request fuel elsewhere. No big deal. I choose the stops I want for the night and if I don't like the place when I pull in then I pull back out.

My truck and trailers are sooooo well cared for that if I have even a hint that something is wrong I'm able to get them into a shop without an argument. Last night a mechanic was bored and thoroughly went over my truck looking for issues.

Most companies have a sort of camaraderie and with such a big company I am bound to see other drivers from my company who will help or offer advice if needed. One guy at our terminal retires and opened his truck up telling the new drivers to take anything they wanted...appliances, TV, GPS etc. His only demand was to be as good to other new company drivers and pay it forward.

And...I have found as a woman...men are more eager to help and even protective on the road. Guys will jump out of their trucks at 2am to help a woman back up. They will yell at other guys who are being pushy or impatient when im backing.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies and useful information. It doesn't sound like it's any more dangerous than a lot of other jobs.

When I used to teach special ed. way back in the day, I had to worry about infectious bodily fluids and children attacking me. It's always going to be something. Some of the kids were delightful. I have good memories. But I'm not sure trucking is any more risky than crazy kids trying to bite my ankles.

Well, actually, we do have to watch out for body fluids . . . Ewwww.

I wouldn't lay on the pavement at a truckstop anywhere. Hard telling what fluids are there. Bodily or POL. POL = Petroleum, Oils, & Lubricants.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies and useful information. It doesn't sound like it's any more dangerous than a lot of other jobs.

When I used to teach special ed. way back in the day, I had to worry about infectious bodily fluids and children attacking me. It's always going to be something. Some of the kids were delightful. I have good memories. But I'm not sure trucking is any more risky than crazy kids trying to bite my ankles.

I only bite hot military alpha male types hahahhah

Poor, poor Bravo Zulu. LoL

I only bite hot military alpha male types hahahhah

"Rainy and Bravo sittin' in a tree"....................y'all know the rest!

I have never felt unsafe. But being aware of your surroundings goes a long way. I drove solo for a while before i began teaming. It's really not bad out here at all.

Basic safety for any driver whether male or female. You simply never follow anyone else to their truck (or anywhere else for that matter), never allow anyone in your truck and don't walk between trailers.. walk around the end of the row and across trhe front of the fuel island.

I have never felt unsafe. But being aware of your surroundings goes a long way. I drove solo for a while before i began teaming. It's really not bad out here at all.

Basic safety for any driver whether male or female. You simply never follow anyone else to their truck (or anywhere else for that matter), never allow anyone in your truck and don't walk between trailers.. walk around the end of the row and across trhe front of the fuel island.

Good point. Men out here can be starved for affection and more. I've had quite a few ask me to escort them to their trucks.

But again that is no different from any other situation. However I NEVER let them see me go to my truck once they ask. I'll go back inside or watch for where they go then go around the other side.

If I park at night I usually pull into fuel island do my post trip and go to the bathroom and grab some food THEN go park for the night. I don't have to get out of the truck again in the dark thanks to my "potty" on the truck. If I start in the dark I to the same. Do the pretrip in the light of fuel island.

Tractor.....I think I scared BZ.. He disappeared hahha

Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies and useful information. It doesn't sound like it's any more dangerous than a lot of other jobs.

When I used to teach special ed. way back in the day, I had to worry about infectious bodily fluids and children attacking me. It's always going to be something. Some of the kids were delightful. I have good memories. But I'm not sure trucking is any more risky than crazy kids trying to bite my ankles.

Trucking isn't terribly dangerous if you are a good, safe driver. If you take risks or never learn to fully control the vehicle, the danger level can skyrocket quickly.

One thing that was shared with me by our safety team. Multiple hard braking events, which are tracked by most major companies, are an indicator of a problem driver. Stevens Transport started tracking accidents against hard braking events a couple years ago. There is a strong connection. The more hard braking events over a three month time, the more likely you are to get in an accident. These days, you will get a phone call from Stevens safety EVERY time you hard brake, and my understanding is that if you start getting those calls regularly, you will very quickly find a rear-facing camera in your cab, and if things continue, you won't work with Stevens for long.