Coming Back To Trucking After 30 Years

Hello All! I have followed the boards for quite some time but haven't said anything. Anyhow I'm Terri from Tennessee. Years ago I had a Chauffeurs License but my husband was insistent I did not need it (we are since divorced!). So I went back to truck driving school (which I find ironic as 30 years ago we would talk crap about truck driving school graduates! Gee...look at me now!)

I have decided to go with Werner Temperature Control division. I'm feeling really nervous as it seems so much has changed in my absence. I'm not really sure I have a ton of questions but I am glad there is some support to be found here. I would absolutely adore tips and tricks or tell me what its like being a woman out there in 2019! Well, last time I drove if a woman was in the parking lot after dark it had to be for some nefarious purpose. Is that still common?

Hi and welcome back

Rainys Articles

Scroll through my articles as i have some on women, safety, and the lifestyle. Werner is a great choice.

There are so many women out here men dont usually notice anymore unless you need help, then they clamour to you. lol

A lot of women drive and many ride with ther husbands.

we are here and you will do great!

I have been solo OTR for almost 5 years. Most times, women drivers I see are half of a team; when I do see another solo lady, it feels like we are part of a club. I restrict my out-of-truck time after dark, depending on location. I travel with a dog, so that makes me feel safer and the company is nice, but a dog is a fair piece of extra work. I have only seen a “night worker” one time, and no one has ever mistaken me for one, but I am 61 years old, so that may be a factor, ha ha! I just do my job, and gender has not been an issue for me. Occassionally you can play it in your favor though, by asking the office gals where the driver’s bathroom is, and they may say “oh, honey, you don’t want to use that nasty bathroom, come around here and use ours” and believe me, it is always soooo much better!

Thank you ladies! I am trying to start with Werner but I’ve been sitting at a hotel for a week now waiting on a trainer. I was t picky on male or female smoker or no smoker so I am definitely hoping it works out!

Howdy! I too had a chauffeur license & drove '88-92 as a team driver for 3 different companies with different male & female drivers. Being the oldest of 5 brothers and 1 sister (passed in 2009) & having done 14 yrs on active duty in the Air Force, I never had problems with men.

Then the last co-driver became a husband & wanted off the road to be a cowboy....ranch hand on cattle ranches. I tried to keep my chauffeur license but was told I needed a CDL & I wasn't grandfathered in. ****ed me off! But life moves on. I learned to raise bum (orphaned) lambs & calves :-D

In Aug 1996 the husband suffered two Traumatic Brain Injuries 45 hrs apart. He required a fair amount of care at first but then required less for a few years. Then around 2007 he started going downhill & requiring more care. In 2008 Workers Comp started paying me to care for him. We moved from Montana with our goats (he wanted some & we took to raising registered dairy Saanens), a mini horse & her mini mule baby. In 2009, he started going downhill again & it was determined that the Fentanyl pain patch was his problem (on it for 11 yrs and on 100 mcg), so was put in rehab & weaned off some meds. I truly believe it was the Fentanyl pain patch that caused his decline. Over the next 4 yrs it got harder to care for him.

In July 2014, at the age of 63, I went to school & got my CDL. An older lady helped me with the husband. Her son & D-i-L recommended the school & then hired me. In the meantime, the husband was getting more violent so was placed in a nursing home. He fell, broke his hip on Labor Day Sunday. That surgery went well, but the hospital did not check the cut near his temple & I believe he was leaking blood in his brain. After a unit of blood, I had to make a decision to either do heroics or let him go. Tough decision, but at 74, there was only one.

Three weeks later I went teaming with my brother cause the insurance company said my 4 yrs experience before didn't count. 2.5 mths later, I was ready to quit & let my brother drive for this guy or kill him ;-) Our boss needed another driver & was able to split us up. I had driven solo only once 30 yrs before & going out by myself was very intimidating but I really didn't want to change companies & go out for England, Swift, etc. The first several months were tough trying to do logs as a solo person, but I finally understood how to. I will never run team ever again!!

I just turned 68 on 26 Jul, don't look my age...get people guess I'm in my early 50s & are surprised that I am as old as I am & driving truck. Currently I get a monthly SS death benefit from my husband. In 2 years, I will draw my Soc. Sec & I'll see if I will stay out longer or retire to travel to see friends and family (make a nuisance of myself ;-) ). Laura