Ellen Voie answers questions about the CRST Sexual Harassment case Part III
In our continuing Q & A with Ellen Voie, President/Founder of “Women in Trucking” we present the final installment of the 32 questions including response from Heather.
30. Is CRST currently your sponsor? Why or Why Not? If not, who terminated the sponsorship?
Ellen: No, they have never been a sponsor. CRST is a member however. They should be given the opportunity to provide a safe environment for their drivers and that includes joining the association as a member.
31. You have contacted several people, asking them to submit ideas about creating a “Best Practices Policy”, some of these contributions, attributed to you, have appeared in articles. Why were the original authors of the contributions not given credit for their ideas?
Ellen: Who are these people who state that I have contacted them? Heather, please give me the reference you are citing. (Admin*** following an email exchange that still exists, some sentences were utilized in an article shortly afterwards. Due to the overwhelming response to these questions the persons do not wish to cause further embarrassment but the matters can be discussed privately)
32. Your “Friend” recently made phone calls to explain that your “Best Practices” White Paper you had your “Eye” on will require $100,000 to produce, Please Explain that price tag? (Admin*** this is in reference to Marge Bailey conversation days before these letters were exchanged)
Ellen: Heather, I have never made this claim regarding cost. Please identify who you are quoting and how they arrived at this estimate. This is another instance of “she said-he said” that was not attributed to me and I am not aware of the context.
I would like to clarify something about associations. I am a certified association executive. This means that I have undergone extensive training in how to run an association. I formed Women In Trucking through the process of legal applications, by-laws, anti-trust issues, non-conflict policies, employment law, etc. One of the first activities I did was to create a board of directors. I am legally bound to the collective instructions of the board of directors. The board is the governing body and includes a professional driver, industry executives, etc. When people criticize me for not being a driver, they don’t understand association management. I report to people who have over 300 years experience in the trucking industry and were chosen for their knowledge and experience. They determine my priorities and monitor my activities. If you or others have questions or concerns about Women In Trucking, feel free to contact our board chairwoman, Leigh Foxall, who I report to Leigh@womenintrucking.org (Admin*** original email CC:See Bio for Leigh Foxall Leigh@truckstop.com )
(Admin**** After receiving these questions a phone call between Ellen Voie, Marge Bailey, Char Pingel & Desiree Wood took place.
Ellen was reminded that Tracey Hamm had been involved in CRST Sexual Harassment case and was following Ellen on Twitter and Facebook.
Ellen was also advised that she had discredited Desiree Wood to filmmaker Beverly Petersen. Ellen did not recall this.
Tracy Hamm received an email moments after this short phone call and spoke to Ellen Voie. Tracy Hamm has read this Q & A and said she would be surprised if these answers above remained the same following her phone conversation with Ellen Voie.
A follow-up letter was written to clarify permission to post this dialogue due to the legal disclaimer attached to the email questions. This was due to the indicators present that Ellen Voie tends to be a “Litigious” person. ******
The following is the email by Heather Rose:
Dear Ms. Voie:
I appreciate you answering my questions. I would be lying if I said you have persuaded me. I am left with more questions about your experience level with Women’s Issues. You have left me to conclude that you are not proactive in searching for Women involved in the CRST case because I know there are many at your fingertips you have made little effort to interview.
You seem to be only satisfied with a management perspective of what is occurring. You state that you had to earn respect working in a male dominated industry but you fail to see that earning respect among Women Truckers when you are not one but aspire to represent them puts you in a precarious position.
I assume you know my questions will be made public to you and you state that you want transparency but you put a disclaimer in your responses so I cannot publish your answers for the public. This does not constitute transparency.
Many of your answers seem more inclined toward you rather than women truckers and despite the common knowledge that it was your organization that removed or deleted evidence of misconduct. I did not bring up the issue that your qualifications have come into question because of the handling of that Cyber-Stalking but you seemed to want to include this information.
I feel that you missed the opportunity to understand that if you cannot control a message forum and you have not experienced first-hand what it means to pick up a load, manage a logbook, dock a trailer, find suitable parking and you are continually dismissive of issues, you seem nothing more than a female corporate apologist.
You do admit to incidences to conceal and/or find fault with others who question you and I also find that you do not seem to be prepared to assert yourself in the Women Truckers need their issues raised properly.
I will make the questions public this weekend and I offer you the chance to give permission for your answers to be made public if you are 100% confident of your responses this should not present a problem.
Otherwise, I will make a disclaimer to say what I gleaned from your responses and allow other to provided supporting information to the contrary.
Sincerely,
Heather Rose
(Admin*** Permission to publish was returned by Ellen Voie with the following email:)
Ms. Rose,
I was not aware that you were asking me questions for publication purposes. Feel free to use my responses with the agreement that there will not be any alteration or editing. You may use them as written and without edits.
Please explain to me what you are referring to when you state that I removed “evidence of misconduct.” Please provide evidence that I have mishandled a cyber stalker. These are claims that are not substantiated. You claim that I am accountable for the WIT message forum, but there are people lying and slandering on sites which hide their identity. If there is one thing you can do to assist, it would be to tell me what you want in regard to what happened on the forum in the past. Why is this still an issue?
I am not aware of any CRST cover-up, if you have evidence to the contrary, please provide proof. You claim that I admit to incidences to conceal and/or find fault with others who question me, but this is not true. You are making assumptions about me. Stick to facts that you can prove. In regard to your assertion that I do not understand what it’s like to “to pick up a load, manage a logbook, dock a trailer, find suitable parking” you are wrong.
I accompanied my former husband on the road extensively. We strapped our son in the bunk in his baby seat and I traveled with him on many trips over 20 years. We owned three trucks and I drove them (not under a load). I also owned a consulting business for 18 years and audited log books, kept compliance records, completed compliance paperwork and more. I spent a lot of time at truck stops, in the truck, at shippers, etc. I have been honest about not having a CDL and have not misrepresented my background.
However, my role as an association manager means that I report to the population we represent. Only 20% of our members are drivers, and many of those are men. The greater part of my job is for those who are in the industry, not just drivers. That’s what the board of directors is for, to provide the insight into the industry.
Now I would like you to answer some questions.
Why don’t these websites say who is the owner/administrator?
http://www.facebook.com/REALWomenTruckers
http://realwomenintrucking.com/about/
http://twitter.com/Womentruckers
Why do you support slander and libel on your sites? Why do you feel that you must police our association? If you don’t support our mission, don’t join.
You have your own association called Real Women in Trucking or Real Women Truckers. Why are our activities your concern?
Why do you not hold OOIDA and other driver associations to the same level?
We are not a driver association, but OOIDA is.
There are women in trucking who do not drive. There are women in this industry who sell, fix, dispatch, recruit and lead companies. We represent all of them. Have you talked to any of our members to get insight on WHY they appreciate our efforts? Have you taken the time to find members who have been helped by our association? Why do you want to hurt these people who have joined and are benefiting from our services by continually questioning our activities and making false assumptions about who we are are and who we represent?
Ellen Voie CAE President/CEO
Women In Trucking, Inc.
***********************************************************************************************************
Note from Admin of REAL Women in Trucking:
This site was created as a safe place following the Cyber-Stalking that occurred from the “Women in Trucking” forum from 2008-2009. The need to dissect and attack other Women who were seeking answers as they embarked into the trucking industry is found to be part of the problem that needs to be corrected. Frequent retaliation for reporting abuse in Trucking makes it necessary to provide a place to speak without fear. Some of the Women who post on this site are engaged in pending legal actions and others are contemplating moving forward. Due to the climate in trucking toward Women Truckers anonymity is a must until REAL changes occur and are enforced. At this time we have only broken promises and very little representation we can trust.
R.E.A.L. stands for:
R. Reaching Out
E. Encouraging others
A. Achieving personal success
L. Leadership
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Ellen Voie answers Questions about CRST Sexual Harassment case Part II
The first part of the Q & A between Ellen Voie and Heather Rose was SHOCKING, to say the least! 64 responses and counting in less than 24 hours and more Revelations than….well almost as many as REVELATIONS!
That was for just 7 questions and there are 32 in total so Dag Gum It! Let’s see if we can hammer this mess out!
We sincerely appreciate Ellen Voie & Marge Bailey of “Women in Trucking” contributing and listening to what is being presented here. So far we have learned from Director Marge Bailey that “Women in Trucking” IS NOT A WOMEN’S DRIVER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION. That means they should not make commentary or be asked to give expert opinions on cases and policies that affect Women Truckers as though they are the voice from Women Truckers.
Former CRST Truckers posted comments and I know a few are waiting in the wings. One Woman Trucker took the time to write her painful story that she has kept carefully tucked away but felt compelled to share it when she saw how dismissive the atmosphere was towards the CRST plaintiffs. I want to thank “Randy” for sharing links to the case so the Marge & Ellen can have the opportunity to learn more from another point of view instead of just what they have learned from CRST.
It has been helpful to clarify that the word “Obstacle” in the “Women in Trucking” Mission Statement means more of ergonomically adjusting trucking for Women. This may be a priority for “Women in Trucking” from an Industry Standpoint. This interpretation of the word “Obstacle” is considerably different from what REAL Women in Trucking would like to see higher on the priority list.
It is very important to remember that you will learn nothing if everyone always agrees with you. Always permit yourself access to those who might disagree with your opinions to help you view each problem from another angle. Otherwise you are cheating yourself of a valuable experience to grown and learn.
The Q & A between Heather Rose & Ellen Voie of “Women in Trucking”:
Part II
8. Do you agree with the ATA and its constituents (employers of truck drivers) that driving an 80,000 lb. tractor-trailer is unskilled labor and if so why?
Ellen: No, I believe it should be classified as skilled labor.
9. Do you feel that having written a book about your experiences with a tractor-trailer driving school which you attended, qualifies you as an authority on the conditions women face in OTR driver training situations? (Admin **for our Non-trucking friends OTR means “Over the Road” where drivers stay gone for weeks of months at a time, sometimes living year round in a truck to deliver freight)
Ellen: Not at all, I have never said that my experience at truck driving school qualifies me for anything other than understanding what it is like to attend driver training academy. The book is called “What to expect when attending truck driving school.” (Admin*** Link to Press Release of Ellen’s Book “Crushing Cones“
10. Would you support an industry wide standardized driver training curriculum?
Ellen: Yes, I support PTDI training standards and was trained within these guidelines. In my book I explain to potential drivers how to choose a school so that they don’t get scammed and not trained appropriately.
11. Do you, your organization, or anyone on your board, profit from the recruitment of women into driver training programs?
Ellen: NO, there is no financial incentive to recruit women drivers into any program or carrier. One board member owns a driver recruiting service where she earns a living but this is unrelated to Women In Trucking. (Admin*** www.ladytruckdrivers.com is owned by WIT Director Marge Bailey who is a recruiter and also owns www.truckercupid.com and has been answering many of the questions in Part 1 of this series.)
12. What kind of message do you believe it sends, to have a link to a dating site for women interested in dating truck drivers, which is run by a Director of WIT and also advocates the recruitment of women into the trucking industry?
Ellen: I am not aware of Women In Trucking linking or supporting a trucker dating site, please send me the reference. As far as a director having a recruiting site, it is only one of many recruiting sites that are members of the association. Feel free to contact Marge Bailey to discuss your concerns. Our board members are volunteers who represent various companies. (Admin *** Marge Bailey was contacted. She agreed that including a disclaimer on her Twitter feed @TruckerCupid would help eliminate misinterpretation)
13. As an advocate for women in trucking, have you ever taken it upon yourself, beyond what you may have been told at a corporate management level, to investigate the training culture of the industry that you and your organization advocate recruiting women into?
Ellen: Yes, that is why I went through driver training at Tri-C. I wanted to experience it myself. Also, I worked at the driver training facility at Schneider National where my role was driver retention. I worked with drivers at numerous Schneider facilities during my role there and I spent countless hours talking to drivers. I also work with NAPFTDS and CVTA to ensure that driver training facilities are legitimate and adequate. Next week I am speaking at NAPFTDS’ conference to educate the school executives on how to accommodate the driver and his or her family’s needs. If you are concerned that there are driver mills out there, so am I. They need to be closed. However, if potential drivers do not do their due diligence and investigate a potential school, these facilities will continue to exist. We all want them to shut down. We need to reach potential drivers before they sign a contract.
14. Are you aware of the amount of money that “corporate driver training mills” are receiving from the government to provide training, under the premise of job creation?
Ellen: Yes, it is due to the government’s goal to create jobs. I am aware of it. Whether I agree with it or not is another issue.
15. Are you aware that the Mega-corporations, who offer entry level training, are using trainees as low paid labor in team driver operations?
Ellen: Please elaborate on the carriers who do this and how they are forcing drivers to work for them.
16. Are you aware of and can you explain, the extremely high rate of turnover in these “driver training mills” where most students do not finish training or having completed training, do not continue to pursue employment within the trucking industry?
Ellen: We work hard to reach out to potential drivers and help them choose legitimate training opportunities so that they receive adequate training. That is an important part of our mission.
17. Colleen Morse, the Mother of the child from the “Trucker Buddy’ incident stated on a website called fairness.com that you responded to her that she was “over-reacting to the e-mails”? Have you had any training to work with trauma victims?
Ellen: I am not qualified to work with trauma victims. Colleen Morse did not have a child in the Trucker Buddy program, she was never involved in the Trucker Buddy program and I have never spoken to her. She claimed in an email that one of the Trucker Buddy drivers acted inappropriately with her son, but she was not in the program and she violated every policy that Trucker Buddy had in place to ensure the safety of the children. However, based on her allegations I contacted the driver and immediately removed him from the program. You can verify that with the driver or any Trucker Buddy executive. I suggest you do so. (Admin*** Click Link to See Comments by Colleen Morse )
22. In your recent article in Transport Topics Online you seemed to back track on your “Eye on Harassment” what changed?
Ellen: Please explain what you are asking me in regard to the article. It was about leadership.
23. You have impression in the recent Transport Topics Article that some women are perpetual victims. Are you aware that many women are coming from domestic violence and/or broken marriages, some having barely escaped with their lives, might take offense at that statement?
Ellen: The article wasn’t about women who ARE victims and it was not about drivers. It specifically states that this is about women leaders who take the victim role instead of trying to move forward into leadership positions. Here is the paragraph I believe you are referring to.
“Often, the resistance women leaders’ encounter is from those who see themselves as victims – not just men, but other women as well. They feel “picked on” by co-workers, the boss or the entire company, and instead of viewing the situation as a challenge, they blame others and refuse to accept any responsibility. Feeling powerless, they try to build themselves up by tearing down those whose positive vision they envy.”
Heather, this is not about blaming people who are, in reality, victims, and it is not about the driver population. It is about allowing others to keep from succeeding because we won’t accept the challenges ourselves. What I find interesting about this article is that so many executives sent me messages about how they could relate to the article because they had to move beyond those who want to tear them down and bring them to their level. If you go back and read the entire article about leading from a position of strength, it should be clearer. It was not intended to disregard real victims of any harassment, this is about “those who see themselves as victims and blame others instead of accepting responsibility for their situation.” The article was directed at senior level management and not about drivers. That’s why it appeared in Transport Topics, which is not a driver publication. (Admin*** Transport Topics Online Article )
24. Have you consulted with law firms and/or a private investigator such as www.compassllc.org with the intent of investigating the backgrounds of those who may voice questions concerning the motives and methods used by yourself, your organization or those involved in its day to day operation?
Ellen: No. I had lunch with some friends who were concerned about the character attacks on me and one, a private investigator, took it upon himself to do some research into public records. I never hired anyone or asked anyone to investigate anyone. I did not use the information he found in public records.
25. In the “Bully in the Workplace” Video you seem to cast aspersions on the moral constitution of women who claim to have been abused by their trainers, labeling them as gold diggers, have you personally spoken with any of the women involved with the CRST case?
Ellen: I would appreciate having a conversation with a sexual harassment victim from the CRST case. Please have them contact me. I have never labeled them as gold diggers, ever. Heather, you need to get the whole story here and ask these women how they were contacted and by whom. If you can find someone to give me their story, I would truly appreciate it.
26. Are you aware that your postings on Twitter, concerning the dismissal of the CRST sexual harassment law suit, due to gross mishandling on the part of the EEOC, appears to some, as gloating?
Ellen: No. (Admin*** @WomeninTrucking Twitter Stream Feb 13th www.twitter.com/womenintrucking )
27. Are you aware of any appeals that have been filed or any settlements that have been agreed upon, in the CRST Sexual Harassment case?
Ellen: Yes.
28. Why, if advised by legal counsel, not to appear on radio programs discussing Workplace Bullying, did you felt free to comment on the CRST Sexual Harassment Law Suit?
Ellen: First, I have never been advised by any legal council to not appear on a radio program. What you are referring to is when I told Donna Smith that I was not ready to participate in the radio show because I was working on anti-harassment policies with EEOC and legal counsel and was not prepared to discuss the process in public.
29. YRC, Ohio Pitt, CRST all have recent EEOC claims against them but are coincidently linked to WIT. Are you aware that it appears your organization is merely to ease the impact of litigation not to help Women overcome obstacles in the trucking industry as your mission statement indicates?
Ellen: First, there were no individual claims against YRC. http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/3-5-09.cfm This was a compliance effort and the EEOC included Women In Trucking in the compliance activities before we were even aware of the action. There was NO complaint from a driver involved in this compliance, it was an action agreed upon by both groups to reach mutual goals. This was a positive action, Heather, and I have talked to both the EEOC and YRC about the process. Again, this did not involve any driver.
Second, the Pitt Ohio case was initiated from events that started in 1997, which is 13 years ago. They have been working hard to change their practices and we are part of that effort. Is this not a positive action to create change on their part?
The CRST case has been won in court twice. Again, Heather, do you know of any women involved in this action that I can speak with? Are you aware of the activities involved in this case? I would like to speak to a driver who was a victim. Do you believe that CRST has the freedom to join an association whose mission they support?
(Admin*** I know there is much bad blood and feelings involved but please try to refrain from name-calling. I know it is hard because this should have never been permitted to go as far as it has. Everyone has a right to their opinion as long a physical threats of violence are not made. Make sure you have documentation before you make allegations also. Finally, do not waste time trying to go back to advise a victim how he/she should respond when you yourself have never been in the identical situation and cannot change what trauma that person is experiencing, you are only kicking them when they are down & that is why SILENCE is a Predators best friend. When you do this to a victim you are helping predators thrive.)
Related posts
A Gentleman’s Point of View
Meet Jim & Jan McCarter , The Keys Truckers
Tolerance is perhaps the greatest gift you learn from listening to another person’s point of view and realizing there is always more to the story if you take some time to listen and learn. We can all benefit from being more courteous to those around us. The following is a message from Jim McCarter and his Wife Jan McCarter.
I myself have heard just about enough about how we guys out here on the road are a bunch of sexist pigs.
Yes this career is definitely geared toward males and we are the majority of the workforce. I don’t mind sharing the road or other amenities with females because they bring a different light to us out here on the road. If I see a woman out on the highway I give her just as much respect as a male because she is, like me, a driver.
When I hold open a door for a lady at truck stop, it’s just because of the way I was raised. I don’t have any hidden meanings when I extend this courtesy because when I have a guy walking in close behind me I’ll hold the door for him also. This doesn’t mean I want anything from them in return. A nice thank you (which I get from all the guys) from a woman is always a plus.
It just means that they appreciate the thought. Sometimes words don’t even have to be spoken. A smile from her will get me to nod my head and smile back. Just about the same thing with guys happens too. It’s common courtesy to do these things for one another. I do not discriminate as to what a women looks like. Any shape or size or any color skin don’t matter because I only see a female.
Some females think however that if a “gentleman” opens a door for them and they reply that it’s an open invitation to start a conversation and ask them back to their truck for a quickie, so they don’t acknowledge them at all. If I get snubbed after I either hold or open a door for a lady I really don’t let it bother me. If she didn’t appreciate my southern upbringing or my good manners, then shame on her and I’ll remember her as a “difficult and bothered” person, but I’ll still open the door for her next time.
If some guy or guys out here engage in sexist talk on the radio about how a certain girl looks or how they would love to do them or whatever, you can count on me not being in on the conversation. I rarely have my radio on unless I need to converse with a shipper/receiver on a certain channel or there is a backup of traffic.
I think that is the norm these days anyhow mainly because a lot of drivers like me are just “tired” of the stupidity being spread out over the airwaves. There is nothing but stress and strife aired out over the citizens band radio any way’s so I really don’t need to listen to that crap anyhow.
Another thing about women on the road, they don’t have to prove anything to me or anyone else. If they, like all the other drivers, just get out here and do their job then all is well in the world. Letting what other people think about you bother you are not being productive. I have the mentality that out of all the people I see today I will probably never see again anyways so who really cares when anyone thinks of me. But, there is one important factor in this. If I act respectfully and show respect towards the men and women I share this profession with then I will not be remembered. But, if I act like a bastard and complain about women all the time, then someone might remember me in that way.
So, if you are a woman that has classified me and my friends out here as just sexist pigs who want nothing more from you than to degrade you and get in your pants then you don’t know me and about 95 percent of us men. If a few of us got out of hand why do you have to classify all of us as assholes?
I’m just saying….
Jim McCarter (Keystrucker) The Keystruckers.com You can follow Jim on Twitter @KeysTrucker
Jim and I were talking last night about the woman Vs man thing and I told him how a friend had mentioned that she’d like to hear the Man’s side of story so Jimmy made the post above!
He was raised in the south and has a habit of saying sweetie and honey a lot, but he was raised that this is how men should treat women and that it was a compliment and respectful thing to do. I too feel that this is a good thing and I appreciate the sweetie, and honey when the door gets opened or when they are just saying Good Morning Honey! I have never read anything else into it because there is nothing else to read!
I don’t ever want my husband to stop being courteous to anybody just because a few may perceive his gestures as perverted. We were all raised in different parts of the country and in different ways. Being a Trucker really opens your eyes to this. We must be more open minded and positive.
Also many of these drivers out here have been alone for so long they actually have lost any and all social skills they may have once had. I smile and say good morning to everyone I see almost every morning and if someone takes it the wrong way, so be it! I still feel good about myself.
The longer you are out here, the more you actually understand!
Jan McCarter (Keystruckergal) The Keystruckers.com You can follow Jan on Twitter @KeysTruckerGal
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Ellen Voie answers Questions about CRST Sexual Harassment Case Part I
In an attempt to clarify the position of Ellen Voie President of “Women in Trucking with regards to Women Truckers and her comments made in a upcoming Documentary, she was asked to respond to a series of questions to put the matter to rest once and for all.
The Q & A between Heather Rose & Ellen Voie is rather lengthy so it will be presented in 3 parts. Included in this post I have included the blog and video in question.
Febuary 22, 2010
Dear Ms. Voie,
My name is Heather Rose and if you are not already aware, I have just recently opened an account on Twitter under the user name @heatherrose2006. I am a second generation Trucker. I began driving when I was 16 years old. I came to twitter only seeking social interaction with people who are of a like mind and of similar interests and came with no axes to grind against anyone. In the short time that I have been involved with the forum on Twitter, I have become friends with quite a few very interesting people of varying opinions and temperaments. As you may or may not be aware, during the short time that I have been involved with Twitter, there has occasionally been a few vehement back and forth, concerning the role which namely you and the organization that you have founded, “Women In Trucking ” are playing, in recruiting women into the transportation industry.
I recently watched the video of you from “The Ought to be a Law” (Admin*** link is to blog and various video sound bytes including Ellen Voie’s & Ronald Fletcher, it has be titled “Bully in Workplace” on other blogs) Documentary. After viewing the short interview, I must admit I came away extremely disappointed at the thought that a individual, who represents herself as an advocate for woman in trucking, would make such a statements as “…now I’m only hearing the company’s side…” Was it honestly, your intension to make it sound like, as an advocate for women in trucking, you had never taken it upon yourself to listen to even one woman’s story out of the 265 women, who sought redress of their grievances against CRST?
I by no means attempt to argue that there are not naive woman who allow themselves to become involved in compromising and abusive situations but being aware of the current industry wide practice of recruiting vulnerable women. IE: Women who qualify for WIA Vouchers as Displaced Homemakers, out of battered women’s/homeless shelters when the corporate culture of denial, delay and character assassination still is most frequently practiced in most training companies. I would sincerely hope that the statements presented as yours were presented completely out of context because I would hate to think that it was your intention, to suggest that these women deserved what they got and the men who assaulted them and the companies who cover for them and enable them, should not be held to answer for what they have done.
On Feb 5th, you or one of your representatives, posted on Twitter an invitation for all to ”Stop and see us at the Midwest Truck Show.” to which I responded, “You can bet your bottom dollar, I would love to stop by and talk to you.” In retrospect I have to admit that my response was a bit brash, as I have not allowed you the opportunity to present your side of the story, countering some of the unflattering things which I heard and read about you and your organization. That same evening I received an email from an individual, who felt the need to defend you from the “venom being hurled” at you, as they put it, you are “the underdog”. They related to me that they had been told by, a ten year friend of yours, that you are “the sweetest person you would ever want to meet”. They also learned “that Ellen’s Dad was a Pastor of a church, and Ellen was raised in a very Christian home.” In the light of this information I feel that instead of allowing the “venom being hurled” to poison my opinion of you and your organization, I would here, give you the opportunity to present your side of the story.
Perhaps it would be best for me to present you with some of the information that I have garnered from various sources concerning you and your organization and allow you counter or confirm its validity. If you would, please begin by explaining what you intended in the statements which you made in the video I referenced above and the following questions: (Admin*** Click Below to watch video in question )
Ellen Voie responded on Feb 23 2010:
Heather, thank you for being fair minded enough to ask me for my responses to your concerns. I am happy to respond to your questions and I appreciate your interest in fairness.
Please note the privacy policy under my signature regarding my responses. In an effort for transparency I am including my board chairwoman in this email.
First, let me clarify the clip about bullying. There was 30-45 minutes of interview interaction and I was NOT told that the producer’s only focus was on the CRST case. She took a few seconds of the entire interview out of context. I have talked to the executives at CRST about the case and have tried to locate any woman who was involved in the case. I am not aware of anyone who was sexually harassed at CRST, but if you know of any individuals I would be interested in hearing what they have so say. I had to tell the interviewer that I had only heard the carrier’s side because that’s the truth. You might want to understand the rest of the story regarding CRST.
Are you aware of the letters sent to every female driver at CRST that told them they might have money due them IF they could provide support for the harassment case? Did any one of them contact the company prior to the lawsuit? Did any one of them utilize the anti harassment services provided by the carrier? Do you personally know of any woman who was harassed at CRST who had suffered because of a lack of concern on the part of the carrier? If I could talk to a woman who was harassed I could verify the facts myself. I am not implying that there were no women who suffered any harassment, but I do not have any evidence to support this. The reason the lawsuit was thrown out was, according to the judge, was because, “the EEOC, among other things, acted unreasonably by suing CRST without conducting a proper investigation.” Heather, making assumptions about CRST without any driver verification is not accurate.
Again, if you can identify one woman who suffered sexual harassment at CRST I would like to verify these allegations so I have both sides of the situation. That being said, I am well aware of the harassment in the trucking industry and am greatly concerned about it. That is one of our priorities at Women In Trucking. I would like to see all of us work toward making changes instead of constantly attacking those who are working hard to find solutions. Calling people names on social networking sites is a form of bullying and creates an image of an industry that attacks its own members.
We could create a better environment if we used our energy for positive change instead of devouring our advocates. If you and your partners are truly concerned about this industry, you would allow me and our association to work on making changes and support our efforts. Heather, do you truly believe the allegations that accuse us of “covering up” rape or harassment? When you want something clarified, feel free to contact me or my board of directors. The personal attacks have gone too far and show a lack of maturity. I have been in leadership roles in this industry for over 30 years. If anyone thought that I was not qualified to represent women in trucking, I would not have gotten the support that I have.
These personal attacks have been disturbing to so many professionals who have offered their support and understanding, even to the point of airing a satellite radio segment to denigrate these visible attackers.
I am overwhelmed by the professionals who have reached out to me with encouragement and sincerity. If someone does not support our mission, that’s fine, but why continue to lie and slander me and undermine our efforts?
Here are my responses to your questions:
(Admin*** There are 32 questions that Heather Rose asked of Ellen Voie, because litigation has been inferred by Ellen Voie and the disclaimer on her email, Heather wrote a second email to clarify permission to publish the exchanges in their entirety, only the first 7 have been included in this post because the length of the answers.)
1. What do you consider to be your role in the trucking industry and why do you feel you are qualified to fill that role?
Ellen: I have spent my entire career as an advocate for drivers and their Families. When I was married and co-owner of a small fleet, I was very active in Families of Truckers Support Group and I wrote my Master’s Thesis on the Diverse Identities of Women Married to Professional drivers. I earned my diploma in Traffic and Transportation Management and started as Assistant Traffic Manager at a steel fabricating plant. I have a history of working for driver’s issues and have been involved in national and state legislation for nearly 20 years. I helped write the WI driver’s handbook to include information on sharing the road with trucks. In my position at Trucker Buddy, I used grant money to influence parents and teachers in safe driving practices around tractor-trailers. I started “Trucker’s Pride Day” in central Wisconsin to honor drivers, and I even had the Governor proclaim “Truck Driver Appreciation Day” in Wisconsin. I have used my bachelor’s degree in Journalism to write about issues facing drivers, including dozens of letters to the editor of Wisconsin newspapers on behalf of the driving population. Now, my role is to be an advocate for all drivers, with the focus on women’s issues. I have served on ATA, SLPMC and WI Motor Carrier Boards as well as the DOT Advisory committee. I even attended CDL School just to understand the experience. Here is my biography: ELLEN VOIE BIOGRAPHY
2. What are the aspirations, you have for yourself, within the Trucking industry?
Ellen: Our mission (my mission) is to encourage women to look at careers in the trucking industry, not just as drivers, but as technical roles, safety positions, HR, recruiting, dispatching, and corporate leadership. We represent ALL members of the trucking industry, NOT JUST DRIVERS. Along with that, our goals is to remove obstacles that might keep women from succeeding. We are educating, mentoring, networking, interacting and assisting women who join our association, as well as those women who are already in the industry. Finally, we are celebrating the success of our members and highlighting the accomplishments of those who have quietly served.
3. If you could change only two things in the trucking industry, what would they be?
Ellen:First, I would like to see this industry work together to create change, not spend energy trying to undermine each other’s efforts.
Secondly, I would like to see a more female friendly environment for all women in the industry.
4. Do you consider yourself to be an advocate for ALL women in the industry?
Ellen: My goal is to represent all segments and to try to understand the changes that need to take place to provide a safe, healthy environment for all drivers, not just women .
5. What is your vision for women within the trucking industry?
Ellen:A better, safer environment that doesn’t make assumptions about anyone based on their gender.
6. Do you believe that allegations of sexual harassment should be handled any differently in the trucking industry than in other industries?
Ellen: Sexual harassment should be handled immediately and appropriately regardless of the environment. There are specific challenges that this industry faces that others don’t and that is regarding driver training. That is why I am working on a best practices white paper for carriers to use.
7. At what point did you become concerned with women being able to attain high profile positions of power in the board rooms of the trucking industry?
Ellen: In 1979, when I earned my diploma in Traffic & Transportation Management and was the only female traffic manager around. I endured a great deal of harassment when I worked in the steel fabricating plant to supervise the loading at the dock. I deflected it by standing firm and changing their behavior through interaction. As a traffic manager before deregulation, carriers used the same tariff rates and had to differentiate themselves on service. I was offered everything from drugs to dates with professional ball players. I threw the sales reps out. Heather, when I was 19 years old and walked through the plant, the welders constantly whistled, yelled and made negative comments about everything from my clothes to the way I walked. I told them that they were wimps who only used wire feed welders and then I showed them that I knew how to weld with a rod welder. I had to earn their respect. They never gave me a hard time again. I didn’t stand for it. I have spent my entire career in this industry. I had to prove that I was worthy of respect.
Admin*** Part 2 of Ellen Voie Q & A with Heather Rose will be published by March 3, 2010
Become a FAN on Facebook: REALWomenTruckers Follow us on Twitter @WomenTruckers
Additional Reading:
Gazette Online CRST Sexual Harassment Case Articles
CRST Sexual Harassment Case by @TruckerDesiree
Male on Male Sexual Harassment in Trucking
Same Sex Harassment Jury Award
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What does “Women in Trucking” stand for?
Long gone is the era of Mrs. Walt Cleaver, waxing the kitchen floor in heels and pearls. Women have fought long and hard, confronting and, for the most part, overcoming resistance from the “good ol’ boy network”. Significant inroads into most “male dominated” industries, such as Women, in the “trucking industry”, where they long held clerical and managerial positions in numbers proportionate to businesses of comparable size and prominence.
While not commonplace, decades ago it was not unheard of, for a woman to own a fleet of two or three trucks, leasing them out, under another company’s authority. This holds true for the vast majority of companies that make up the “trucking industry” today. Our industry remained “male dominated” longer, by comparison to others, mostly due to a vast majority of women not being interested in becoming truck drivers.
In the past, while woman were willing and eager to work in positions that once were predominantly filled by men, they were not, for the most part, willing to take jobs that would isolate from their families and friends. It has not been until the recent developments of an infrastructure catering directly to the truck driver, the advent of more easily operable equipment and the implementation of currently available “training” opportunities, that women have taken a serious interest in becoming truck drivers.
While isolation and scarce home time remain issues facing drivers, no longer, might a driver find that the only bathing facilities available at a “truck stop” is a garden hose, out behind the garage or a deep-sink, next to a stinking mop bucket, gone are the days of manually steered, underpowered trucks with twenty forward gears requiring two or three shift levers and women no longer need be born into broadminded “trucking families” nor rely on their fathers, brothers, uncles, boyfriends or husbands to teach them how to drive a truck.
When you think of the trucking industry, what comes to mind? Is it a vision of some Mega-corporate fleet, consisting of several thousand units? While these corporations are considered major players in the industry today, they were not always so and are still but a very small percentage of the trucking industry as a whole.
Mega-corporate, billion dollars a year, several thousand unit fleets, is a relatively new phenomenon, having only come into being within the last few decades. Within this small slice of the “trucking industry” pie, there are three basis corporate cultural models:
1. Entry level training to drivers of little or no experience and also offers lease/purchase programs for equipment.
2. Trucking companies, consisting of predominantly company owned equipment, offering no entry level training and only employing drivers with a certain level of experience. They may also offer lease/purchase programs.
3. Trucking companies owning no equipment but they lease the services of drivers who own their own equipment: Smaller trucking companies providing load brokerage/dispatch services, operating authority, insurance and vehicle registration, taking a percentage of the gross revenue.
Before the Mega-Corporate phenomena over the last few decades, adventurous women, like those of the same spirit throughout history, have been making their presence known in the industry. These women received their training much the same way their male peers did, though they had to work much harder to overcome the male chauvinistic stereotypes of “the good ol’ boy network”.
Through their determination and hard work they were able to gain the respect of most their peers.
As a result of recently development of more ergonomically comfortable equipment, more accessible training, and worsening socioeconomic pressures, women as well as men are increasing deciding to become truck drivers.
Targeted recruitment of Women by the Trucking Industry without adapting proper training to prevent Rape, Violence & Retaliation to students is purely irresponsible. Recruiting Women into Trucking on the same sites where you can “Date a Trucker” is equally misleading and irresponsible.
Why is it supposed by some, that we must expect change in the culture of Mega-corporate trucking companies to occur any less slowly than in any other industry, who had undergone changes, in regards to sexual harassment, decades ago?
It is ludicrous for some to suggest that “the good ol’ boy network” is anymore heavily entrenched than it is in any other industry. Exposing flaws in a “problematic culture” and demanding redress of grievances may be considered, by some to be stirring up negativity but to those whose grievances require redress, it is called equal and just treatment.
While it is correct and necessary to push for a more gender diverse industrial corporate profile, change simply for the sake of the changing outward appearances does at best, no good and at worst, facilitates further coatings of white wash. If it is the good ol’ boy culture which needs to be changed, simply elevating into positions of “power”, women who are willing to play ball with the good ol’ boys, does nothing to address issues of abuse of basic human rights and dignity.
We would be foolish to attempt to argue that there are not naive woman who allow themselves to become involved in compromising and abusive situations. We would be as equally foolish to assume that there are not manipulative and abusive men who have found their way into positions of authority. If we are to hold naïve women to account for their indiscretions, why should it not follow that abusive predators also be held to account for their actions?
To adopt a “Boys will be boys” , and “Girls will be Girls”, “they are only doing what comes natural.” attitude and insist that changes be made carefully in half steps gives one the appearance of an apologist for Mega-corporations eager to cover over issues of negligence and/or malfeasance.
Being aware that problems exist in an organization, which one is attempting to recruit people into and as one who claims to be an advocate for those people, one does nothing to prepare or protect those people from abuse, one becomes complicit in the problems. Denying problems exist, casting aspersions on victims’ character and demanding their silence, makes one an integral part of the problem.
As seems to be the instance in most every issue, throughout the trucking industry, when putting together a driver training curriculum, social dynamics were never taken into account, when deciding its structure.
Heather Rose
2nd Generation Trucker
Additional Reading:
Predators and the Professional Female Drivers
Related posts
Hope Rivenburg needs your help for “Jason’s Law” The Safe Trucker Parking Bill
Despite what the organizations who represent truckers say they are doing, the truth is that “Jason’s Law” needs your Voice to be taken seriously right NOW!
Hope Rivenburg is the young Widow of toddler twins and a 2 year old who has just emerged from her trucker husband’s murder and the trial of his killer who shot him for $7 while he waited to deliver milk parked in an unsafe area.
Hope Rivenburg and her family have fought to raise awareness of the truck parking issue since the senseless murder of her Husband Jason Rivenburg in March 2009. She is asking for your help to make calls and write letters.
There are 4 particulars states she needs YOUR help: Arizona, Washington, Pennsylvania & Virginia.
Our Twitter Campaign on the Virginia topic of rest area closures gained a good deal of attention. This collaborative effort helped to negotiate the reduction of 25 rest area closures to 19. The 2 hour time limit signs were removed & the Virginia Governor has just announced that the remaining rest areas will be reopened using inmate labor to maintain the rest areas that were affected by a budget crisis in Virginia.
This is something to celebrate that Social Media greatly impacted. Each one of us has a voice and we can help by getting involved.
Let’s forge ahead to help Hope Rivenburg who is helping Truckers and anyone who cares about Highway Safety make Safe Trucker Parking a reality.
Please make some time TODAY to make calls and/or write letters and emails to help.
Here are some guidelines to keep it simple:
Write to Congress/Senate
I have provided a link here to Open Congress which has an easy way to “Write Your Representatives & track progress of: JASONS LAW
Whether you will be calling or writing, please prepare with relevant information. Here are some additional tips:
Properly address your letter with the following headings:
To your Representative: To your Senator:
The Honorable (full name) The Honorable (full name)
(Room #) (Name) House Office Building (Room #)(Name) Senate Office Building
United States House of Representatives United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Representative: Dear Senator:
Your letter should address topic of “Jason’s Law H.R. 2156 OR S.971 – The Safe Trucker Parking Bill”. (H.R 2156 to House & S.971 to Senate) Type a one-page letter formatted in a three-paragraph letter structured like this:
- Say why you are writing and who you are. List your “credentials.” (If you want a response, you must include your name and address, even when using email.) *Understand that if you are not a voter in this Congressperson’s district they may dismiss your letter. Therefore you can do one of two things: Call with prepared talking points and open conversation with: “Hello, I am representing Truckers in your district who …” AND/OR network to others through Facebook and Twitter using hashtags and ask them to help us raise awareness for “Jason’s Law” (this is what we did on Virginia topic)
- Provide more detail. Be factual not emotional. Provide specific rather than general information about how the topic affects you and others. Use the correct bill number and cite it in your letter. The House Bill is HR 2156 and the Senate Bill is S976 for “Jason’s Law”. The following links are to help you gather CREDIBLE information for your letter or call: A. C-Span Video introduction of the Bill B. Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduces “Jason’s Law” C. Text of the Bill was written out on a Conservative website (this bill is a non-partisan no brainer) D. 3 question survey which was prepared by @Longhawl due to the misinformation being spread by “The Trolls on Twitter”.
Close by requesting the action you want taken: In this case we need more co-sponsors for “Jason’s Law”, a vote for the bill to be passed. We are also raising awareness that this issue is urgent. There are some things to remember about effectively writing your elected officials.
DO’s:
- Remain courteous & respectful but refrain from over doing it.
- Say who you are. Anonymous letters go nowhere. Even in email, include your correct name, address, phone number and email address. If you don’t include at least your name and address, you will not get a response.
- Use specific examples or evidence that support why safe trucker parking is important.
- State that you are ready to help them and other co-sponsors to get Jason’s Law- the Safe Trucker Parking Bill passed and will be following their actions with regards to this important piece of legislation for Highway safety.
- Thank the member for taking the time to read your letter.
DON’TS:
- DO NOT Use vulgarity, profanity, or threats. Being rude right off the bat will only discredit any valid points you make later in your letter. Also, making implied threats ARE NOT protected speech and can get you a visit from the Secret Service. Simply stated, don’t let your passion get in the way of making your point.
- DO NOT Forget to include your name and address, even in an email.
- DO NOT Demand a response.
All calls, letters and emails are helpful but particularly to Arizona, Pennsylvania, Virginia & Washington. There are 2 Senators for each state. You can locate their Facebook on Google and sometimes on their official contact page.
For Twitter try TweetCongress to look them up, and use hashtags for to get attention in other subgroups such as: #AZ #Arizona #Phoenix #USBill #HR2156 etc.
U.S. House of Representatives: Contact Information
U.S. Senators: Contact Information
Below I have listed links to give you ideas how you can participate in this action by using Social Media and studying how other are utilizing it as well.
Arizona Senators: Contact Information
Pennsylvania Senators: Contact Information
Senator Arlen Specter Facebook Twitter
Senator Robert P. Casey Jr. Did not locate active FB or Twitter
Virginia Senators: Contact Information
Senator Mark Warner Facebook Twitter
Senator Jim Webb Facebook
Washington Senators: Contact Information
Senator Maria Cantwell Did not locate active FB or Twitter
Senator Patty Murray Facebook
You can also write to members of the Transportation Committee who you can look up on the links I have provided and the appropriations committee to raise awareness of the importance of this bill. Don’t let truckers be forgotten again when you have a shot right now to be recognized thanks to Social Media.
Remember, our Twitter chatter goes into Google and it’s hard to ignore so if you are for Highway Safety that benefits everyone who travels on the interstate system please help make calls for “Jason’s Law”
Related posts
“Sam” from my story – R.I.P. “CUJO”
“Talk Less , Listen More” that was the advice to all new trucking students from Mr. John Cooper , dubbed “Cujo”.
This gentleman was “Sam” from my student trucker story on “Ask the Trucker – A Day in the Life of a Lady Trucker“, he passed away unexpectedly Christmas weekend , it was a shock to everyone in our company.
“Cujo” was a dedicated company man, he was one of the first people a student trucker would meet and he was the first person many of us went looking for as our training experience unraveled. Often he could do little more than encourage us to remain optimistic, pick ourselves up and try again. “Cujo” motivated me to keep trying.
I learned to read between the lines with Cujo and because of that I overcame many obstacles which is my student trucker story. He was a man with a great deal of integrity but his hands were tied to make changes. His optimism and upbeat demeanor may have seemed to some that he did not understand but I know he truly cared about the students success. He was simply not in a position to be much more than a figure head, the Ambassador.
So dedicated was Cujo to the company, I never told him I wrote about him or about my story until the night of the first Dan Rather Broadcast. By that time he had seen me overcome many challenging situations. He played a key role in my success with just a few directives.
After my story became public knowledge, I was stopped by a female driver in my company at a North Carolina Fuel Stop who said “You called Cujo , “Sam” after Samuel L. Jackson in your story.” , I smiled and said “Yes, I did”.
I knew what she meant, many drivers looked to Cujo for a hand out “so to speak” rather than a “hand up”. While it was true this man probably heard more firsthand horror stories from the student trucking fleet, he could do little more than try to motivate them to dust themselves off and keep trying. Disregard the rumors, gossip and keep rolling.
It wasn’t any special treatment this man gave, it was what he didn’t say that clued me in that he carried a huge burden. I sensed this right away when I heard him speak at our orientation. I took the initiative to ask him to dispel rumors from day one about our bonuses, the team driving requirement and my reservations about teaming with “Tony”.
When my trainer brought me in short of segments to test out, it was Cujo who said “She got paid good money to teach you and she could not even complete your paperwork”! He saw that I wanted to learn the best way, I did not want to cut corners … it was me who asked to go with a second trainer to iron out the kinks of my poor training.
I waited several days for the second trainer but he never showed, it was Cujo who saw me roaming the halls a few days later and realized that trainer never came for me. It was Cujo who made sure I got a second trainer so I could pass.
When “Tony” had his meltdown, Cujo knew it would happen because he met him, he knew I had made a promise and would not break it. He tried to encourage me to be selfish and think about myself before teaming with “Tony” but I had to give it a shot, seeing how I did promise and we had gone to CDL School together.
When the company attempted to remove me from the truck and give it to “Tony”, it was Cujo who informed me what the correct wording was to utilize to prevent it from occurring again.
Unfortunately, we had one miscommunication that was very unfortunate. When I rode the bus back to re-team with “Mag” it was Easter Weekend. I arrived at 5pm on Friday, everyone had gone home or I would have stopped by to see Cujo.
Following the bleach incident I became aware that “MS” knew that “Mag” had recent problems and could be a potential threat to my safety. “MS” was inapproprately friendly and unfriendly to certain student truckers and this was common knowledge. She booked my tickets, she seated me on the truck with the people she knew were potentially violent or could hinder my success.
It was Cujo who told me “Mag is a crackhead” and “Do not tell “MS” Shit”. WOW!!!!
This was totally out of character for a man like him to use this language. He worked closely with “MS” who is the team coordinator. This was my only point of contact and he was telling me to avoid her at all costs!
He had regrets but with the weekly volume of students and the turnover how could he possibly keep up with it all? He shared just a few candid comments which helped me overcome obstacles, he gave me no special treatment. I sent others with simialr problems to him with this advice. “Cujo is not going to fix the problem, he can’t but he needs to know and then read between the lines of what he is saying to you. “Talk Less, Listen More”.
My last co-driver was a girl Cujo set me up with, after everything I had been through I tried one last time to team up but it was actually a test.
When I returned to the terminal after Hurricane Ike with “CC” I went to see Cujo who had recommended her to me the week before. I spoke with him and another fellow driver/trainer. I told him I was trying to let her take the bull by the horns but she was not stepping up. The trainer said “someone needs to be in charge, be the leader” Cujo interjected “She’s is a leader” meaning me. I was flattered but I admitted that if she does not want to be led it was only provoking her. I told him that her temperament was predisposed so I was trying to let her lead but she showed no initiative. I said “I’m not sure she really wants to drive”. Cujo said “That’s what I thought”.
It was a test! He set me up and he set her up.
I did not always get straight answers from Cujo and sometimes I took my questions elsewhere. I did not give up and he saw that.
I never told him about the story or the show because I did not want him to feel he was hiding something. I called him the evening of the the first Dan Rather Report and explained to him what the emails and qualcomm’s meant. Everyone was confused and many still have no idea there was a show.
He was calm as I told him and wanted to watch the show. Then toward the end of the conversation he said “Girl, you really got em goin around here…” he was absolutlely tickled that something was happening. He carried a very heavy burden.
With regards to the Million Mile Driver I mention in my story, he told me on many occasions “They are screwing her over” and from her when she heard of his passing, she said “He knew a lot of stuff and I know it ate him up”.
Cujo called me late one evening at out nowhere late on November 20th 2009, this was very much out of character for this gentleman who was very much “by the book”.
He wanted to see how I was and what my plans were for the future. He said things I have never heard him say and never imagined he would be the type to be that unguarded.
I didn’t know what to make of the conversation but when I received the news of his sudden passing on Christmas weekend the timing seems to coincide with a diagnosis he received.
Ever the optimist, I understand he was upbeat and downplayed his condition. He never said anything in our phone conversation about it but he spoke in a way that was out of the ordinary. He was clearly distressed. Of course I feel guilt that I did not press him, he obviously needed someone to talk to and I did not hear his wheel squeaking. He died from complications after a treatment for Cancer. It seems he had just been diagnosed with it around the time he called me.
He was a bright light of sunshine despite everything that was going on around him. I would not have been able to overcome the obstacles I faced as a student trucker without Mr. John Cooper, his optimism and few candid moments are key ingredients in my success.
Mr. Cooper passed away in his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was 59. He was laid to rest in Montgomery Alabama. He was active with his church and community in numerous organizations including Big Brothers, Big Sisters Organization, the Boys and Girls Club.
Rest in Peace “Cujo” Thank You for touching my life.
Related posts
BRING IT ON! – Ethics in Sexual Harassment Training
BRING IT ON
– Who is responsible for Sexual Harassment Training?
Let’s face it, Women are naïve and add a good amount of pride they sometimes do things which get them into some bad situations.
I had hoped to complete a post called “The Wild West” which examines the similarity of the American West and Trucking with regards to the introduction of Women but I was distracted yet again.
Sweeping things under the rug just makes a big lump in the rug. Eventually, people trip some may fall and others might try to sue! Some legal action may be warranted from that lump of dirt but leaving it there makes it visible to others who might see an opportunity for a frivolous lawsuit.
When is it time to pull that rug outside? Sweep the dirt out, shake it and beat it with a broom? After the first lawsuit? 10, 20? 265?
I worked at Disneyland and boy people sure want to sue them. Some folks save all year, sometimes a few years to take the family on the great American Road Trip to see Mickey. The reality check comes when they arrive & Goofy does not open the front doors for them and they have to walk a mile from the parking area to the hotel with all the kids screaming to go potty.
Enter the Hotel Lobby to see 800 other families with screaming kids who are hungry, hot and come to find out Pluto does not swim in the pool like he does on your brochure, your room is not ready and it will be several hours because the 800 families who came last week have not checked out yet. OH BOY! Guess who gets yelled at?
There are a number of things going on in the scenario above:
1. High Stress Level
2. Disoriented Environment
3. Miscommunication
4. Misleading Advertising
5. Being Naïve
Who has the power to control of this situation? This is where good training comes into play when things get heated.
I use this “G” rated example to lead into truck driver training purposely because I see the same thing with Women entering this industry who have been misled from advertising and recruiters to think its one big party to be a trucker.
I see recruiting techniques that advertise both trucking jobs targeting women and “Date a Trucker” on the very same sites. I see job placement agencies encouraging “Displaced Homemakers” who are Women who have maintained a household for many years and for whatever reason are now unmarried and have little or no job skills.
Enter Job Placement recruiters who offer a free voucher to pay for CDL School making light of the REAL work required to become successful in this industry.
While it’s true that anyone with the ability to listen and learn can become a trucker in my opinion there are other elements to this job that Women may not be prepared for.
I’ve covered the obvious in many of my other posts but let’s talk about some other scenarios:
A Woman recently Divorced after 25 years of Marriage has little experience and is encouraged to go to CDL School from her Unemployment Office. She gets a good Male trainer and he teaches her everything she needs to know. She begins to romanticize about his concern for her learning. He does not make a pass at her but this makes her like him even more. She initiates sex and wrongly assumes they will ride off into the sunset together. At the end of her training period she assumes they will drive as a team together but he has no intentions of running as a team. She is hurt and angry and feels used. He goes to pick up another female student and she becomes angry and reports him for harassment.
Was she naïve? Yes
Who is in control here? Both of them
Who is the professional here? He is, he is the teacher, she is the student. Proper training for him would help him recognize the situation he was about to get himself into and get her off his truck before it got out of hand.
Anyone from a corporate environment who has had Sexual Harassment Training has learned this but it does not exist in trucking yet increased recruitment of Women does. See a potential problem?
Who knows trucking?
Even a street smart gal gets her heart broken from getting too caught up in a tryst. Let’s face it ladies, trucking provides a lot of anonymity and that’s a big attraction for a “player” OR someone who thought “YOU” understood it was fun while it lasted.
But let’s get back to “Street Smarts”:
1. Street Law is this: “You Snitch, You Die”
Anyone who has ever been around gangs knows that if you join a girl gang there are only 2 ways to get “initiated”.
1. A gang bang , sometimes watched by other girls in the gang
2. Beat in, where the others literally beat the shit out of you.
In some gangs it is perfectly acceptable to share, sell or trade women amongst gang members with other woman watching and sometimes participating. Is that what Women in the Trucking Industry mean when they say you need “Street Smarts” to be successful in the trucking industry?
Then there are those really “Tough Girls” who think they are “One of the Boys” … Guess what… “YOU are NEVER one of the boys”! I don’t care if you dress, talk, walk or act like a boy, your males buddies are wondering what it would be like to have sex with you and may have discussed it with their friends when you walked out of earshot, and sometimes NOT in a good way.
Some of the toughest bitches I know have been raped because they thought they were “One of the Boys”, got drunk with Guys who were as tough as them who they thought were just like brothers to them.
The “Tough Girl”, “The Woman Scorned” and the “Rolling Cathouse”, all Women, all part of the trucking industry and every other industry as well.
Professionalism, Training and Self-Control alleviates much of this mess.
In my US Xpress comments on the original post I mentioned my conversation with a former Driver/Trainer who told me when he was assigned a Women to train he brought his Wife to meet her. After 30 minutes, his Wife would determine if she was here to Work OR Play. He told me that many times she took him aside and said “If you let her on your truck you will be getting Divorce papers!” He was happy to report he is still married. He no longer trains women at all because the quality of female recruits to trucking has declined and he began to fear for his life and his marriage.
That is the result of misleading advertising directed at Women entering Trucking.
Lack of suitable female trainers? You can refer again to poor recruiting tactics and lack of support from in-house staff. Recruiting Truck Drivers and portraying dating ads only complicates the issue further.
Again, this is an overall industry failure. Recruiting Naïve people has always been a tactic as far as I can tell but this time it’s biting back. Covering up , blaming the student. Who is in the power position?
Consider this scenario:
Single Woman attends orientation. No money, arrives on greyhound with all her belongings in boxes. Safety department person observes her acting giddy and follows her to her motel room. He was formerly in law enforcement in the same city where she is unfamiliar with her surroundings. He drops his pants and tells her to perform oral sex. She refuses but it is clear he will be her superior at this company.
Who do you believe?
The homeless woman who was joking around the night before with “The Guys”?
OR
The former law enforcement professional who is now a safety director at a large truck carrier?
Was he watching her the whole time and knew she was a perfect target because of how “outgoing” she was?
Did she “Bring it on”, Does “She deserve it”?
There are still many guys who think getting laid means getting a girl drunk and hoping she passes out so they can screw her. There are still plenty of Women who believe she “deserves it” and would not step up and speak out.
There are many naïve women and manipulative women who will make false allegations to harm someone but it takes two to “tango”.
Are Women Truckers expected to go to Charm School prior to CDL training?
Additional Reading:
Ethics: When falling in Love falls out of bounds
Stanford University Sexual Harassment Policy Online
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Lady Trucker Chronicles
The Lady Trucker Chronicles is a short series of You Tube Videos made by Christy aka NJ Katwoman in years past which give Lady Truckers a chance to say what is on their minds.
When you are trucking, you don’t get the chance to sit and talk much. Despite the increase of Women into Trucking, it’s difficult to find a Woman who will give you advice.
That is why this series is important to share for newcomers who are looking for REAL answers before they sign on the dotted line for a Student Loan.
I have linked Christy’s New Blog Site The Lady Trucker Chronicles and encourage you to listen to Portia & Emily and the other Women Truckers as they talk about their experiences in Trucking.
To Meet Portia, Click HERE
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REAL Women in Trucking
Welcome to REAL Women in Trucking, this site is to disseminate FREE Information to help keep you Safe and Informed without judging your personal self or lifestyle.
It is the result of a campaign by Industry Spokewomen to cover up, discredit , repackage and take credit for the obstacles that have been overcome by REAL Women Truckers.
At this time, there is No Guidance by Trucking Industry Leaders to make Enforcement of Federal Laws a Priority with regards to Women. At the same time, Women are being heavily recruited into the Trucking Industry and the internet is full of misleading ads, charlatans and carpetbaggers who seek to benefit from recruitment but do not want to address personal safety unless they can make a buck off it.
Change is coming , but until then it’s really up to YOU to know who and what the obstacles are and find your own way around them. This may not be so easy if you are just coming to Trucking. The nice Lady in the office might not really be inclined to assist you. The nice organization you buy a membership for may not care about little ole YOU. The structure may be so large that even people who want to help are forbidden to share inside info.
Even with all the good and bad advice you can gather, you will have to rely on your own good judgment, and sometimes this might get you in trouble. This site is about telling you the Truth.
Trucking is good if you are adaptable, don’t mind not being able to shower every day, can be away from home for long periods of time. To survive your first couple years you should have no overhead, no car or rent to pay, otherwise you will be stressed out and that is no way to learn. Do Not Believe ADS or Recruiters, their objective is to get a commission; they could care less about your success.
This is just a short introduction to this site, No Memberships, No Forums where you have to put a bunch of information. Just a place for you to gather information and not be attacked.
We are proud to say we have made the topic of Harassment “HIP” this month on many Trucking sites. Everyone is coming out of the closet and talking about this longtime problem which is an abuse of power.
There are tons of tools for corporate training available, certainly no one in the trucking industry needs to reinvent the wheel BUT enforcement is an issue. Retaliation is an issue. The endless articles and media campaigns for solutions cannot fix this problem if there is no guidance at the very tippity top.
Thats’s where our Media Savvy comes in.
Women Truckers have proven they CAN competently do the job of Trucking for a number of years. The First Licensed Female Truck Driver was “Lillie Elizabeth Drennan” who received her license in 1929. Doing the job is not the problem though.
While luxuries such as Private Showers have advanced, some of the situations have remained the same, such as the topics in this 1976 Article in TIME Magazine about “Bitsy” Gomez, The Sexes-Women Truckers
Fast Forward to 2009 when CRST Van Expedited had the upper hand on the EEOC in a case that began with 265 Females Truckers reporting various degrees of abuse. The case was reduced to 35 and then dismissed because the EEOC was unable to file it properly but thankfully the Judge left to door open for an appeal with her comments given in the opinion that the cases have “Meritorious Credit”, some cases were settled out of court by the lucky few Women who could afford a private attorney. The appeal for the CRST Sex Harassment Cased was filed on November 30, 2009, you can read more about it by clicking HERE
Yet another recent case involves Prime and brings up number of other questions in this debate forum about how far behind the Trucking Industry is when it come to seeing the “Big Picture” ahead as more Women show the desire to become Truckers. Read the Prime Judgment and Opinions HERE
Now that we have Anne Ferro as FMCSA Administrator maybe we can get more people to listen to REAL Women in Trucking and have a shot for a REAL change, not just a smoothed over version.
More Female Trainers is only part of the Solution, better training for all with check and balances to eliminate the abusive system both in-house and inside the industry. Perhaps an aggressive outside Human Rights Group might help the Trucking Industry wake up and smell the Organic Coffee.
I’m inviting you to make your voice heard and if you don’t like change then just sit back and enjoy the ride baby!
REMEMBER: “Well behaved Women rarely make History” ~ Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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