When you first start out in trucking you make very little money. Like about $250.00 per week on average. It is barely enough to eat and have a cell phone so if you have a mortgage that will be tough.

You won’t have much time for writing but eventually there is a lot of downtime.

Read A Day in the Life of a Lady Trucker it has many aspects for a student to consider.

There are many blog talk radio archives on “Ask the Trucker” that will help.

There are also new lifting requirements to consider that have been affecting women drivers.
Lifting is really not something we do as a nessesary part of the job but upper body strength is important, unfortunately some companies have been using the agility test to discriminate unfairly. You should be able to life at least 50 lbs but call a few companies and ask what their lifting requirement is to be hired.

I have a fan page on facebook called REAL Women Truckers and you are welcome to become a fan and meet others to chat with.

I enjoy writing myself and I had visualized something similar to what you describe.
I have been able to maintain quite a bit of writing but many times you are just so darn tired.
Before you commit to anything you should call companies and ask if they are hiring experienced drivers from your area.

Many will take you as a student but then will tell you they cannot get you home later.
This becomes a problem if you cannot go home.
I pretty much live in my truck so it is not an issue but if you have a mortgage and roots you need to make sure you will have longterm employment opportunities.
Research all companies and/or schools on the ripoff report before you commit
Good Luck

Some changes that have taken place in Canada are: Sensitivity Training for employees that have several complaints against their behavior in the workplace. So, instead of being `let go`or fired for unacceptable behavior the employee is `sent to school for six weeks to learn what is acceptable behavior in the workplace`and then is on probation for a time period. http://www.hrproactive.com/sensitivity.htm

Another website is called Signs that show your employees need sensitivity training http://www.hrtools.com/training_performance/signs_that_your_employees_need_sensitivity_training.aspx

Why should you care if your employees are sensitive to others?
When employees’ behaviors are the antithesis of diplomacy and tact, they can hurt and take down your business. In short, you should care based on three practical business reasons:

1.Sensitive employees are more likely to treat co-workers with respect.
2.Sensitive employees are more likely to treat customers with respect.
3.Respected employees and respected customers help your bottom line.
In addition to the above, there are legal and compliance concerns affecting employers. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws and regulations that specify how employees, including supervisors, must treat one another in the workplace.

EEOC recommends sensitivity or diversity training.
The most publicized legal issue relates to employer liability for sexual harassment in the workplace. However, insensitive behaviors carry over to many other legally protected classes. According to the EEOC, “Harassment violates federal law if it involves discriminatory treatment based on race, color, sex (with or without sexual conduct), religion, national origin, age, disability, or because the employee opposed job discrimination or participated in an investigation or complaint proceeding under the EEO statutes.”

Whether or not you employ insensitive or disrespectful employees, it is in your best interest to provide ongoing sensitivity training programs for your workforce.

BOTTOM LINE – DISRESPECTFUL EMPLOYEES COST YOUR BUSINESS MONEY

Thanks again Desiree for bring attention to a situation that needs changing….yes change is tough on everyone….in the end éeveryone wins.

Keep writing,
TruckerDebP

I agree that talking about this in Social Media is the answer because it cannot be ignored any longer.

Most of these “So-Called” Industry professionals are used to ringing up a friend to moderate derogatory comments about them or their tactics.

Also, sending emails or making phone calls threatening slander or some sort of litigation has been effective to scare most people from speaking out but Social Media has provided a venue where other like minded individuals can help support the efforts for changes in the industry.

Clearly the ATA had been trying to keep several ticking timebombs under wraps, and has done a good job.

Most drivers have no clue that Swift Transportation has been embroiled in internal union actions but we were aware of it from your “Blog Talk Radio” show done on the “Employee Free Choice Act” , now the ATA is presenting a new publication aimed at carriers in an attempt to further control the message should this thing get any further.
NEW ATA Business Solutions Publication addresses Non-Union Status

This is typical trucking industry and knowing them they will create an award committee for themselves and honor themselves as leaders whichever way it goes.

I see the same thing for the topic for the safety of students.

The more we write and blog they will have to eventually come to the crossroads because mixed in with the unscrupulous are the previously complacent who are beginning to get the courage to speak out on what has been eating at their conscience.

The mistreatment of drivers is vast and for a very long time meant to create turnover. Dispatchers trained like telemarkers in a “boiler room” to provoke drivers.

I am certain that both the ATA and WIT are scrambling to cover their ass right now and will come out with some rah- rah campaign about how they lead the charge but actually their cover-ups have simply FAILED over the past 2 years because of the explosion of Social Media where liars are quickly exposed.

The rules of engagement have now changed. Social Media is about caring about other people not eliminating them because they do not agree with you.

I see it as a free focus group to fine tune challenges in business. It is a great leveling ground where money does not talk & corporate bullshit walks. So if all you have is money and bullshit, the best you can do is steal ideas I suppose and give yourself and your friends awards for those ideas you stole.

I’m glad to provide a place ideas can be shared and I appreciate you Allen for being the leader in honesty to help new trucking students.

Desiree
TruckerDesiree´s last blog ..Truck Driver Shortage

We are up against a billion dollar industry who cares only for gaining more dollars at the expense of veteran drivers and cdl students alike. But, we are seeing some headway.

Attorneys from all across the U.S. are contacting us concerning the DAC report scam … others are looking closer at the trucking companies and their lease purchase programs. Through your efforts, a great deal of media attention has been brought forth related to the driver training fiasco that exists within the industry. Media attention that I have not seen in 20 years.

Through outlets such as yours, more and more of the general public are becoming aware of such abuses that exits within the trucking industry … I receive emails from non-drivers expressing concerns about which you and others have brought out into the public. Drivers must understand that their voices can be heard and change can be obtained.

Yesterday, I received an email from a recruiter of a very large trucking company. Here is a part of his email:

“I am a recruiter for a major carrier and have been for some time. Though it is never discussed, I’ve been there long enough to understand how it all works (if you catch my drift). It’s frustrating. Watching drivers be treated as an expendable resource as well as purposefully being paid an unlivable wage in order to create turnover is getting to be nearly unbearable for me. I’d like to be part of the solution to the problem rather than the instrument of the companies who cause the problem.”

How’s that for confirmation that all we say is true? This is why I said before, that there is still more to the problem. The trucking companies KNOW this all goes on … the dispatchers KNOW that this all goes on … the recruiters KNOW that this all goes on …

What can we, as drivers do about it? Just what you and I and the others are doing … blog about it, talk about it, discuss it … keep the truth going through the power of social media …

Trust me … we are being heard.

Keep up the great work, Desiree …

Allen Smith