Posts Tagged ‘Truckers’
Smart Way or Dumb Way – Examining the EPA partnership with the American Trucking Association
The Environmental Protection Agency partnership with the American Trucking Association for a “Greener” Tomorrow may look, … well “Green” to outsiders and paper pushers but how does it affects human beings?
Most people could care less about truckers whose job requires them to live without luxuries like daily showers and toilet facilities in order to provide comfort to everyone else. Think about that for a second.
What if you could not take a shower, use a toilet or wash your hands when you wanted to and you had to perform your job everyday in these conditions.
Not only that but you had to sleep in your car and you were not permitted to use the air-conditioner in the summer to sleep OR use your heater in the winter.
Remember Old Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol” interrogating poor Bob Cratchit for needing to stay warm as he toiled away at his desk?
Morals and Ethics sacrificed for profits and awards is what you find when you scrape past that façade of the ATA partnership with the Smart Way EPA Program, not solutions for the environment.
Would you feel you were a safe driver in these conditions? How would you feel after sleeping in your car when it is 90 degree outside? Imagine you will be expected to cover 500 or more miles the next day to deliver a load of childrens blow up swimming pools and they had better be on time!
Rhianna Weir , writer for the Madison, Wisconsin trucking examiner wrote an article this week aimed at the non-trucking community that Saturday July 24, 2010 people take an hour out of their day to sit in their car, which is about the same area of space found inside the sleeper section of a semi truck. Challenging them to idle their car, SUV or pickup truck for no longer than five minutes and then try to relax for just one hour.
The first thing the non-trucking community needs to understand is that the American Trucking Association does not represent drivers; it represents carriers who are interested in profit not people. They are interested in media coverage to appear compliant and interested in formulating an image that seems genuinely concerned but these are strategies, anything that could affect profits by way of capital expenditures is not going to be embraced.
When public pressure gets turned up on safety issues a “partnership” will soon follow which helps control media creating a favorable image, a compliant and obedient image and this takes the spotlight off of the real issue.
In trucking when this happens it is the drivers who suffer because no one properly represents them and the nature of their job makes them unable to fight back.
Bill Hutson, a driver for 30 years and founder of a non-profit called Table Talk Ministries aptly puts it, “No matter how you squeeze a turnip a trucker pops out” and this seems to be the strategy of the ATA when they applaud themselves and the carriers they represent in their partnership with Smart Way Transport.
In this video from “Big Truck TV” it is clear that the ATA created this partnership for a very deliberate purpose but if you are an actual truck driver this video might make you vomit.
The truth is that some recipients of the Smart Way EPA award who are truck carriers represented by the ATA are able to reduce the idle emissions by inhumane and unsafe practices such as harassing drivers, charging drivers to idle but not providing solutions such as “Auxiliary Power Units” commonly referred to as APU’s .
These carriers are permitted to get way with saying “we are testing them” but they are not required to provide them despite rebates and other incentives like those which are funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The federal Department of Transportation regulations require 10 hours of rest for every 11 hours of driving. During these times, truck drivers often idle their engines to rest comfortably as would any other normal human being when they sleep.
Trucking idling laws fail to consider this and that many truckers are employees and do not have the option to buy expensive APU equipment and install them. Lease Owner-Operator truck drivers also generally have in their contract that they are not permitted to “alter” the trucks they are making payments on and this includes installing an APU. Smart Way EPA lets carriers receive awards who DO NOT provide solutions for employee drivers, this is unsafe & inhumane.
Performance scores are listed on the Smart Way Transport web site , a higher score or more favorable score would make a company more attractive to prospective shipper partners who care about environmental impacts and their own reputations but what if the carriers were reaching the score levels by inhumane means?
Smart Way encourages carriers to improve their score by adopting various fuel-efficiency and emission control technologies, policies, and strategies to their fleets but do they understand how these methods are practiced before they throw their annual shindig in Las Vegas, Nevada to hand out awards?
With so many states adopting new idle restrictions it seems that getting a photo opportunity accepting a Smart Way EPA award for a press release would be a trucking fleet President’s wet dream.
According to the SmartWay Transport web site, “A score of 1.25 represents outstanding environmental performance. These Carrier partners are already utilizing most of the commercially available fuel saving strategies and are actively evaluating the latest emerging technologies. Partners with scores of 1.25 are awarded the honor of displaying the SmartWay Transport Partner logo, EPA’s symbol for superior fuel efficiency and environmental performance.”
In practice, from a driver stand point, “fuel saving strategies” comes out of the drivers pocket. Being charged to idle or harassed for idling is one strategy used by some of the carriers who appear as award recipients on the Smart Way EPA website. Trucks drivers suffer with a fan if possible or pay for expensive motel rooms if they can find one that has truck parking, most do not and if you have a pet you are in really big trouble.
Now the first assumption is that if you have a pet in the truck you are exempt, that is not true in all states and if your company has idle restrictions they might still charge or penalize you for idling your truck. It is actually illegal in most states to have an animal in a hot vehicle but not illegal for an employer to do this to their employee. Also, driver’s do not have the option to put say $20.00 in the tank and use the receipt on their taxes for the fuel they burn in their company truck. Seems weird if fuel cost was all that mattered but even if the drivers were paying from their own pockets, the idle calculations still occur and maybe this affects qualifying to awards, just sayin..
Trucks drivers who are employees, which many fleets are on the Smart Way list are generally issued trucks to drive. It would make sense that if there was a limited amount with APU’s or bunk heaters, they would go to solo drivers who must park at night. Unfortunately it does not work that way. You can beg, plead, threaten, turn in hospital receipts from getting sick from trying to not idle and it will do you no good. More often than not you will be harassed verbally and over the Qualcomm about idling your truck with a complete disregard that the temperatures outside are so extreme that it would be unsafe to NOT idle your truck.
I suspect that measurement of idle time internally at trucking carriers may be linked to the SmartWay program so that they might qualify to be award recipients so let’s examine how this is being manipulated. I have copy and pasted and explanation from the website “The Rip Off Report” of how idling is calculated on each truck from “Baldy” of Pensacola, Florida.
He writes: “The onboard computer or “Qualcomm” measures engine running-time, speed-time (overspeed), and idle-time (among other things) and breaks this down into percentages. When it says that you are 30% over-idle, it means that 30% of the engine-running time was idle-time. Turning off the engine does not decrease the idle-time. It only keeps it from getting larger. The only way to lower the idle-time is to run more miles (run-time) than you sit idling (idle-time).
Example: If you cranked up your truck just after the weekly reset (mine was on Monday morning) and idled for 30 minutes without moving the truck, and then turned the truck off for the rest of the week, your idle-time for that week would be 100%. If you did that, and then ran down the road for 30 minutes before turning it off for the week, your idle-time for the week would be 50%.”
In a nutshell every second the engine is on it is calculating idle time against the tires rolling on the ground so even at a stop light the meter is running. If you are a solo driver running 5 or 6 days a week and you can drive 11 hours a day, you still have to remain parked and still a good deal of time.
Trucks have very little insulation, a fixable design flaw and like technology advancements like I brought up in “My Green Idle Idea“, the trucking industry does not embrace anything that costs money when they can find a way to make drivers pay for it.
The general public does not like truck drivers, they are afraid of them and they do not understand them so it’s perfect to pull this kind of crap because no one will bat an eye.
Fuel Saving Strategies noted by SmartWay should be understood to mean that a truck driver who is an employee or Owner-Operator who either is not provided a solution for idling or is forbidden to purchase an APU unit for their truck is actually paying for the carrier’s trip to Las Vegas to accept the SmartWay EPA Award. How do you like them Apples? The average paycheck per week being about $700 for driver in some companies I have heard as much as $300 has been charged to a driver from a single check. That’s a lesson most drivers do not want to experience twice.
A driver sitting with no load or during a rest period must idle in summer or winter or they can become sick, and most certainly will be operating the truck in an unsafe manner when they can roll again. Carriers who set idle policies do not take weather into account such as the case of the driver who posted about being charged to idle during a snowstorm and being told to buy more blankets even after becoming sick. Read Story Here
Some drivers report having their DAC reports ruined after complaining about being charged to idle or protesting idle policies. Citations given to drivers for idling in states who have adopted new laws are rarely paid for by carriers and with new CSA 2010 regulations drivers remain unclear how this will affect their records.
Until the general “Green” loving public can wrap their heads around how they are being bamboozled with “better air quality” campaigns that cover up safety shortfalls and inhumane practices against truck drivers this issue cannot be resolved.
Let the good times ROLL in Vegas for the SHAM called “The Smart Way Transport Partnership”
The slogan is accurate, “The Smart Way to save money, fuel and the environment” but here is the translation, “Save Money by Killling a Trucker, the Smart Way”.
Additional Reading:
Rhianna Weir Challenge
Preventing Truck Drivers from being Comfortable Underway Again
Smart Way Transport Partner List
Smart Way Award PDF
Fleet Owner – Smart Way names Excellence Award Winners
Rip Off Report Charging Employees to Idle
Smart Way Carrier Score Explanations
Related posts
Practical Truck Driver Training Solutions – Part 3 Personal Responsibility
Personal Responsibility is the ability to take care of oneself by means of, keeping healthy, managing ones emotions, keeping a sound mind, treating yourself with respect, and etc….
Being a trucker requires organizational skills. It requires common sense and it often requires two people to run one truck in an orderly fashion.
Many times a non-driving trucking spouse or partner maintains paperwork, audits settlement sheets, navigates and may be in charge of locating, planning & booking loads if they are owner-operators.
The non-driving spouse who rides along or manages to co-pilot from home contributes a great deal to the success of a professional driver.
A single person is expected to all of these things alone and the consequence of paperwork errors, miscalculations in a logbook or navigation can be costly. They can also affect your career.
When someone is considering entering trucking they should ask themselves and be honest.
Do I have good organizational skills?
Do I often rush to get things done and overlook details?
Can I read a map without a GPS system?
How do I react in severe weather?
Frequently, recruiters say nothing to student truckers about the intense logbook rules & regulations that are required to operate a commercial motor vehicle. The logbook can become a great source of stress unless you take your time to learn how to manage it accurately & legibly. If you cannot write well or do not have some math skills you will have problems in this industry. Even as many carriers are moving to paperless logs, you do yourself a great disservice by not understanding how to manage a logbook to use your time effectively.
Speaking as someone who used to audit hotels with many revenue venues on a daily basis I will tell you that the logbook truckers must complete on a daily basis took at least one year for me to fully grasp. This is because you are generally completing it when you are dead tired and your thoughts are scattered. Mistakes might be simple addition errors but they can be time consuming to correct. Truckers are constantly under time constraints. Falsifying your logs can mean your CDL. I personally suffered the most violations while I was taking advice from my trainer and a former trainer that I teamed with for one month.
Learning to do your logbook is a very important component to becoming a truck driver if you wish longevity. People, who grandstand about how they cut corners, run two books etc. are idiots. In the past this was expected but now it will eventually end your career. Even if your dispatcher is pushing you to “Do a favor” you will be the one to suffer, your dispatcher will never go to bat for you if you have falsified logs to do a favor for him or her, NEVER! , So don’t do it. Turn off your phone at night and make them put all favor requests on the Qualcomm.
The reality you should take into account is that hours to work are controlled because of the logbook and federal regulations. You are permitted to drive 11 hours per day not to exceed 70 hours in a week. A seventy hour work week? Do the math before you commit to a loan and understand this so you better estimate of how much you can make as a truck driver. That is 70 hours you log and there are indeed tricks to not burn up your hours while you are waiting but you are still probably not resting. These are long days.
You will be paid CPM “cents per mile”, therefore at the maximum per week running legal you should be able to estimate if you can survive on this low pay during your student phase. You will not be paid to sit in traffic, yet it is burning up your drive time. You are not paid to sit at shippers and receivers which can be many hours. You are not paid to fuel, wait on repairs, climb in trailers, sweep out debris or complete your logbook. Can you feel the tension building?
In some student fleets the pay is as low as 13 cents per mile. Most student fleet trucks are governed engines that only go on average 66 -67 mph, another control to your miles. All things being perfect this is barely enough to buy food and afford a cell phone. You should clearly understand this.
Right now there are many 4 year drivers who are making 18.5 cents driving team freight, this is because many companies who require experience are not hiring but a recent CNN Money reports the return of the mythical driver shortage reaching 400,000 by 2011. Here is my analysis of the Truck Driver Shortage
There are many drivers who are trapped with not enough money to buy their own trucks, no suitable options to move up the food chain & 100’s of new students arriving each week thinking there are tons of jobs awaiting them. If you are a new trucking student expect to feel unwelcome, but don’t take it personally.
What about your temper? I find most people who seek this job are independent by nature, loners and very strong willed. While working alone may seem like a great idea, truckers are often in stressful situations. You should aspire to become a professional driver. Not a unprofessional driver.
Are you a good traveler or do you get annoyed easily with delays?
Are you a good driver?
Do you suffer from road rage and act out on the highway?
Do you have trouble with your temper in stressful situations?
Do you permit others to upset you?
Most everyone will have to say yes to at least one of these points but a professional driver has disciplined control of their emotions to not tailgate, cut cars off because they cut them off, not weave in and out of traffic and to monitor weather knowing when it’s okay to roll and when to shut it down.
Venting on the CB is one thing but acting out on the highway is not impressive to anyone, it is dangerous and stupid. If you have these tendencies you should truly reflect and determine.
Can I change these things to be successful in the long run?
Committing to becoming a professional driver means your conduct on the highway AND with others when you are working should be PROFESSIONAL.
As a trucking student you will see a good deal of juvenile behavior in these huge carriers that train students. The turnover is so great that no one expects you to be around next week. You are little more than a one cow being herded into the pen. You may feel warm and fuzzy during orientation day but once you leave the terminal you are a number on a screen.
The training environments in these mega carriers have little guidance and they bring people from all walks of life looking for new carreer. There are people who would like to provoke you endlessly, get you involved in their personal dramas, and give you false information just for the heck of it. Some will pry into your life to create a drama and this includes some trainers, dispatchers & supervisory staff.
The reason my Student Trucker Horror Story is long is because every person I knew going through training was having one endless drama after another during their training and most of it was occurring because there was a complete failure by our company to provide any guidance or support.
It was as if a few inmates had taken over the prison yet in the hallways the management wandered about with a blank stare. It reminded me of the movie “The Stepford Wives” waving at each other as if nothing was wrong. The distress of the students from a lack of accurate information, communication & follow up was and is inexcusable. It was surreal to me that so much suffering could be occurring in one place that operated on denial auto pilot.
As a student you will be subjected to some people who engage in petty gossip, stay away from them. If you choose to “Hang Out” you will find that simple conversations often turn to sex, sometimes women see it as harmless flirting but as a student trucker you can get yourself into seriously bad situations.
You should realize accepting help as a student female often means there are “strings attached” even when the person says there are not.
Protect your privacy:
Don’t talk about your former job, education, marital status, income level , DO NOT talk about how many miles you are getting & DO NOT believe they are getting as many as they say they are. There is a lot of jealousy and because everyone is paid very little there is an element of desperation. Other drivers are always trying to see if the grass is greener on your side of the fence. Do not get into these conversations.
Its okay to listen and learn but do not engage because the conversations generally deteriorate into contempt and that is when the gossip starts. Listen & Learn of what to do & WHAT NOT TO DO with regards to accidents and incidents Realize that everyone will tell you, “Oh my way is the best & only way” That is 100% Baloney!
There’s more than one way to skin a cat and you will meet a lot of loudmouths who have plenty of advice but are failures in the execution of the job.
If you are adaptable, have the ability to listen, learn and you can hold a vehicle steady that’s the first step.
DO NOT try to form any Romantic Relationships in the first year or so, most end in heartbreak or disaapointment but the real loss is your chance to be taken seriously and get your much needed experience. You may meet several people in your first few months trucking that you like on a personal level and impulsively you decide to team up, after all the most effective teams are married couples. More often than not the following occurs:
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They turn out to be already married
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They have several people they “see” while they are on the road
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They are unsafe drivers and you cannot sleep while they are on duty.
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They expect you to drive, be their secretary, mommy and cook.
Once you decide to get on a truck and develop a relationship as a student you are generally taken less seriously from this point on. You are viewed as a “Truck Hopper” because there are women who go to truck driving school simply to meet men. As a single woman entering this industry, you will have to work harder to prove you are not a “truck hopper” because unfortunately there are those who cannot believe a woman can actually find peace working alone and not be a man-hater.
Mixing the two learning to drive a big rig and developing a new relationship is generally not a confidence booster. Often the man begins to feel threatened as you are becoming more confident and a power struggle ensues. If you truly want to drive you can derail your career very early by not understanding this concept. Get your experience FIRST! Then you can have more freedom than if you get dependent during your learning period and forgo some of the teaching you should have had.
If a veteran owner-operator, or other veteran driver encourages you to quit your training company to team with them you should realize that an O/O cannot get insurance to let you drive so this is actually a trick to get a sex partner trapped on the truck. Quitting to run team with someone you do not know or have never lived with is a really dumb idea also. If it does not work out, chances are you cannot go back to the training company you left. Also, starting out as a couple and never learning how to operate the truck on your own can mean you have shot yourself in the foot. This will place you at a disadvantage should you decide to go on your own later.
Sexual harassment is going to happen in trucking and in other jobs. We need to get educated. If you have a thin skin, find another line of work. But you have a right to be trained in a safe manner.
Men in trucking often have not worked around women before so you should expect to hear things you have not heard in your former work environments. Everyone in the trucking industry should have increased training BUT it is often women in support positions who are the greatest harm to entering female students. These are often the culprits who cover up abuse by a few guys who harm many. This is frequently because these women get a good deal of flattery, flirting and sometimes more and feel compelled to protect the offender at the expense of the targets of abuse. This is one way a hostile workplace is created and can be manipulated by a predator in bully organizations. It is a huge problem in trucking and especially for female students.
Mind your mouth, and your manner of dress as a student. You are being watched by predators who know most will not make it. They are looking for someone vulnerable, someone eager to learn who needs a mentor. They are looking for signs in the way you talk and dress to see how to win your confidence. Whether you engage in consensual sex or succumb to badgering after getting yourself in a dangerous situation you should realize you were a mark the moment this person set eyes on you. Stay away from “Mr. I know everyone and I can hook you up” unless you want to be used like trash.
Understand that the Human Resource department is a last resort. Do not make threats to sue and mouth off, you are only setting yourself up to be retaliated against and this may happen anyways. Instead, document with email correspondence in a professional manner and create a dated paper trail.
If you have an incident that requires the police call them, get a report and do not let your company off the hook if they say they are “investigating it”, chances are they ARE NOT and delaying, follow up is crucial. They drag things out on purpose and delays to file formal charges only make you look bad.
If they tell you there is no statute of limitations to file a harassment claim they are lying and be aware all information you provide them of the incident they will twist and try to make it seem you are guilty or mistaken. Phrases like “we are investigating but we don’t have to tell you the outcome” may sometimes mean they have simply let the predator go on to circulate elsewhere hoping you won’t find out or run into each other again. This is frequent in trucking. Beware of the friendly “Let’s all work together” & “we are stronger when we are united” cheerleaders. Place a time limit and follow up. In this industry these are specific blow off phrases I have heard time and again by people who participate in covering up abuse.
Sexual Harassment is really not taken seriously and cases are rarely won. The truth is that truck driver training fleets that have non-existent harassment & conduct training, trauma preparation, or follow up are willfully negligent. What the trucking industry is doing with the provocative way they treat victim’s amounts to Psychological Warfare and many drivers show signs of “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder’ (PTSD) after they have reported an incident to their HR Department. Victims are generally treated as the guilty party rather than the offender.
Certainly give them the benefit of the doubt to resolve the issue internally unless it is serious violence or a rape. Make sure you call the police to make a report. The trucking companies are always looking for a way to make you look guilty for dropping the ball. DO NOT let them tell you that you “brought it on yourself”. If this happens GET A LAWYER! NO ONE deserves to be raped or beaten for any reason whatsoever!
If you begin to experience nightmares, or other symptoms from the incident itself that are unresolved or retaliation after you reported it go to your HR Department for a form of first injury to file a claim for PTSD under workman’s’ comp. If they try to tell you that you cannot file or it will not be allowed demand the paper firmly but politely. Get their name and every single person’s name involved that you speak to regarding your issue.
Carriers seem to react with a better attention span to workman’s comp claims rather than lawsuits. It is truly the bully organizational structure that has permitted this conduct to permeate the trucking industry. Some experts who study bully organizations feel trucking carriers who begin to experience an increase of PTSD claims due to their poor handling of harassment for both men and women they might begin to correct their training atmosphere, eliminate the predators and create a safer environment. Locate an employment lawyer just in case; the internet is beginning to have plenty of trucking harassment cases which show this is a pervasive problem that is willfully ignored.
Women are trained from childhood to not only judge each other but remain silent when they witness something they know to be wrong. In the trucking industry this will be the toughest obstacle to recognize and overcome.
If you do get a female trainer expect her to be tough and appreciate it. But you should not have to be her monkey, her audience for her lovelorn confessions or have to be subjected to unsafe driving such as tailgating, exceeding the speed limit or breaking the law in any way shape or form.
Is it true that some Women feel they are a service to others when they remain silent when they are in the position to protect?
A female trainer should not only teach you how to operate the truck but hopefully give you personal safety tips like how to secure your doors at night with the seat belts and so on. You both should take personal responsibility upon yourselves to know, YOU STINK!
Having to live in a truck with another person and not being able to shower each day makes for very smelly living. You might be able to tolerate your stench but it is new to others and it might be so offensive they may refuse to continue to drive with you and give no reason. Make sure you use personal wipes on EVERYTHING daily to stay “Fresh” and dispose of them. Sadly, there are many people who need this spelled out. Wipe all your cracks liberally! Large people have to understand that they sweat more from places others do not. Even skinny people can smell like ass after a day or so of hard work and no shower. Don’t be arrogant! Use a pillow for the driver’s seat if your butt sweats and remove it out of sight & in an airtight bag when not in use. Keep your bedding clean and clarify the potty stops.
Couples might feel comfortable using a porta-potti on a truck but with a trainer you just met, especially of the opposite sex, I doubt it. Sometimes asking to stop for the bathroom is not tolerated at all. You should clarify this before you leave the terminal with a trainer or co-driver. This is also a characteristic to watch out for as some may become abusive when you ask to stop to use the bathroom. Try to plan to go around fuel stops whether you feel like it or not. If you are using a bottle, dispose of it properly. I prefer to see urine poured in the grass and bottles put into trash receptacles. Crapping your pants is unfortunately something that does occur in trucking. Obviously do not make a habit out of crapping in a bag, although some slobs do and the stories are … ICK!, but emergencies do occur and many times there is nowhere to stop. You should think about this.
Becoming a trucker does not mean you have to act like an ape or look like one either. On the other hand, many things that people take for granted like fresh water and clean toilets are a treat for the professional driver.
While there are some trainers or co-drivers who are slobs, other drivers are meticulously tidy, respect this and clean up after yourself. Use a bit of baby powder in your hair if it stinks from not washing. Use deodorant and if it is not strong enough find one that is. It is incredibly hard to sleep or drive with someone who stinks and it is very hard to tell someone that you want to vomit whenever they come around.
Your Trainer should not delay to teach you how to back the truck up and dock it, teach tail swing, how to complete your logbooks and what the consequences are for not doing them. They should teach you about chain laws and how to adjust your tandems and how to complete all of these things as if you are alone. You have abour 35 to 40 days with your trainer there is not a moment to spare. Learn everything you can during this time and ask for help if you don’t understand. Some people need things explained more clearly, there is nothing wrong with this.
Your trainer should not by prying into your personal life and YOU should NOT behave as if you are at a singles bar every time the truck stops. Before you leave the terminal with your trainer you should know how to send a distress message from your Qualcomm and understand how to delete it so that the other person does not see it. This can help prevent an altercation on the truck in dangerous heated situations.
Know your fleet manager’s name, phone number and email. Also know his boss’s name, and the boss’s above him. If your company has an “Incident Response Center” or Emergency 24 hour call center, make sure you have the number programmed in your phone. In my situation, I did not know such a department existed in the beginning but once I did they handled getting me safely to a motel and through the weekend but the ball was dropped after that. This is what I commonly hear from male and female drivers who have experienced “Incidents” where they had to get off the truck during training.
They are not being told these departments exist and when they do find them to be assisted, their dispatcher and/or fleet department drops the ball. There is no follow up or lack of sensitivity because whatever trauma that occurred is not handled properly.
If you are scared, GOOD! The students who are scared make better drivers who pay attention and take this job seriously; the ones who aren’t have accidents and often hurt others. They won’t be truck drivers very long but hopefully you can steer clear of them so they don’t take you down with them.
Written by Desiree Wood “Trucker Desiree”
Additional Reading:
Bring it On – Ethics in Sexual Harassment Training
Truck Driver Employee Rights under OSHA and FMCSA
Workplace Fairness – Trucking Whistleblowers
Related posts
Practical Truck Driver Training Solutions Part 2
The root core problem in truck driver training is irresponsible recruiting and predatory lending. We always come back to one word, GREED !
Greed over safety seems to be a recurrent theme over the past few months. The tragedy of the coal miners in West Virginia and the devastating BP Oil Spill that may very well impact generations to come.
Right under our complacent noses the federal government has been running an indentured servitude operation and it is called “The Truck Driver Shortage “.
Following the first Dan Rather Investigative Report into Truck Driver Training called “Queen of the Road” feeble remarks meant to imply a lack of credibility of the interview subjects were quickly published in an article by The Trucker inferring the persons interviewed were not credible and/or disgruntled. Perhaps before the advent of social media this would have done the trick to extinguish any glimmer of hope that the outside world might begin to take an interest to the issues that affect truck drivers.
Highway Safety pertains to everyone therefore revealing just how truck drivers are trained has been a secret the trucking industry had hoped to conceal. Any responsible adult should be gravely concerned with this topic and be able to easily conclude that personal safety and highway safety are interwoven once you understand that in order to learn to drive a truck you must live cheek to cheek with a stranger.
For our non-trucking readers it is difficult to comprehend that the very trucking industry organizations that claims to exist in part to delve into advocacy for highway safety are perhaps the greatest foe to the American Driver. The American Trucking Association most definitely does not work on behalf of drivers but rather large carriers who push the scope of what humans can accomplish with a constant barrage of regulations, rules, intimidation tactics and retaliation while at the same time cultivating a public media persona.
This double faced organization is the epitome of all that has destroyed our nation. Corporate greed coupled with narcissistic arrogance that devours the American worker whose loyalty is no longer valued. At every echelon of this industry it is difficult to determine whether you are speaking to a saint or dealing with the devil. These organizations have mastered abuse like a parent that beats their child in private and dresses them in fine clothes for Sunday school that perfectly cover every contusion. There seems to be a never-ending stream of recruiting ads and phony social media sites to target truck drivers and prospective students painting a picture to portray drivers as having a safe, secure, and rewarding job, hiding the abusive and threatening tactics that are used against them as a means of manipulation and control.
The ATA is one of the most deceitful organizations I have ever come to learn of and I cannot imagine an organized crime family could have their meat hooks in any deeper to distort the truth about what their “business” is or consists of. It was truly never my intention when I began writing my original student trucker story to discover these things but had it not been for an eager collaborator to the ATA , I would have never known.
Why would an organization put forth so much effort and continue with such tenacity, arrogance and sense of privilege to cover up and manipulate one person’s story?
The matter became so disturbing that it grew much greater than myself or the issue of women entering trucking but how this giant government funded monster was poised to prey on the most disenfranchised people it could get it tentacles on. How many have been harmed simply because true stories were being manicured off the internet to suit recruitment machines?
I have always been mindful that I was creating an opportunity for the greedy & unethical. I say this because when the attempts to cover my story failed, the very organization who tried to cover it up made sure to insert their name as a resource to solve the problem. They have failed to make it a priority and I see that it was merely another method to grab a headline.
It is 2010 and it seems only the trucking industry is still in the dark ages with regards to violence against women yet there is targeted recruitment aimed at the female population who many times are promptly put in a “Acquaintance Rape ” Situation in order to learn to drive the truck.
The NFL Players Association has Joined the Justice Department Effort to Raise Awareness Around Violence Against Women , The Office on Violence Against Women for the United States Department of Justice provides enormous resources but big trucking chooses DENIAL .
The only evidence I have seen to address the issue has been AFTER lawsuits become public as a PR remedy. This is why I have persisted; I had no choice when faced with the thought that I had the ability to reach someone who needed to find help.
This site was created to provide self-help tools when it became clear that the trucking industry will spend any amount of money to cover up human indignities rather than correct them.
“Trucking has a very incestuous relationship with itself“, this was the phrase a veteran driver used to describe the many organizations, associations and media entities related to trucking. As a civilian entering this industry I was in search of where I could go to find answers to what I was seeing in my training fleet. What I learned was that my experience was no mistake, it was a system that has been perfected to a science to generate turnover, to keep wages low by utilizing student labor running team freight to maximize profits.
Upon researching who is behind all the recruiting ads, industry magazines and controlled trucking media sources the world of trucking became a very small and the same names kept popping up. It seems everyone has been “in bed” with one another at some point.
It is not unusual in the trucking industry to steal content, plagiarize or take credit for another person’s hard work. It is not unusual to blatantly create a media campaign to cover up injustice. It is not unusual for someone to insert themselves into the center of a project and claim victory after the blood, sweat & tears of the invisible have been shed. What is unusual, is to go the extra mile to do the right thing and bring positive changes to the industry.
Recruitment generates recurring income NOT retention. The effects of positive change would result in: The retention of content and satisfied workers, who remain loyal because they receive their reward through pay raises, respect and benefits. However, treating drivers in a humane fashion would negatively affect company profits. Turnover and recruitment of new drivers generates increased recurring income and profit. Ironically, the desire is to lure people in through seduction, only to promote failure and create higher profits by maintaining a high turnover rate.
Professional drivers are often vilified by their own industry in a subtle way when in fact it is the industry that pushes, prods and provokes drivers to do things outside the realm of their responsibility.
New regulations like FMCSA CSA 2010 make it seem that highway safety is a main concern yet according to Dan Little President of the Owner Operators United Inc. “CSA 2010 fails to address the pattern of abuse in truck driver training.” But before we discuss training there is the abuse of predatory lending to attend truck driver training schools.
Predatory lending and poor recruitment go hand in hand dumping themselves into a poor training atmosphere where odds are you can get a few months of cheap labor at the expense of the motoring public. In 5 or 6 months commissions are paid to recruiters, the carriers qualify for the government hand outs while at the same time utilizing a less than minimum wage inexperienced workforce to run freight.
A very curious omission in the statistic loving trucking industry is how many trucking accidents are caused by student truckers by comparison to experienced truck drivers.
There is no doubt that CSA 2010 will change the face of trucking and many jobs will be lost to those who cannot adapt. The seven sections are for the most part good on intent and do hold carriers more accountable. Still there are a few components that create a witch hunt on experienced drivers.
Without addressing predatory lending, Poor recruitment and truck driver training CSA 2010 have simply provided another tool sanctioned by the federal government to further assist in generating turnover.
For example: Last month I read of a student truck driver who was 20 days into training and trying to care financially for a disabled fiancé. The student was being delayed to make income due to the new sleep apnea testing that is a component to CSA 2010. (Read posting HERE )
My question is simple: Why was this person not informed prior to selling them a loan for truck driving school that sleep apnea is now an issue to become a truck driver? This really bothers me that a person whose life is already in distress is wading around blindly searching the internet for answers when in fact they are simply just another notch in some recruiters’ belt!
Since the announcement of the CSA2010 Sleep Apnea issue for truck drivers I have heard of 3 people who have been fired based entirely on this one issue not their driving abilities. If this is what is coming down the pike why are recruiters and carriers allowed to mislead people into the hope of a new career only to yank the rug out from under them a few months or days later?
One trainer shares this story: He was assigned a student with sleep apnea, the student stated from day one his doctor warned that he could not travel to high elevations. As student truckers you go where you are told but your recruiter or training company will not disclose this to you. In this case, the trainer and student were dispatched to Colorado. The trainer advised dispatch the student could not travel to Colorado for medical reasons. The dispatcher refused to un-assign them from the load.
Most people do not realize that refusing a load can be detrimental to your career and working relationship. This is called forced dispatch. The trainer had to take the load and the student died. The family sued, the case was quietly settled and shoved under the carpet with the rest of the skeletons.
In another case former Swift trainer from Smart Union Blog talks about being given a student with narcolepsy , the sleeping disorder! This is irresponsible recruiting and predatory lending.
A former female trainer told me about a student she was assigned who had a terrible skin disease where the skin was flaking off in the bed that they had to share. Another time having to be with someone who suffered from shingles which can be contagious.
Targeted recruitment at women is extremely misleading and this is excessively dangerous. One blog I read last week stated Women Truck drivers can make $60,000 a year! They say nothing about what you have to do to make this. They also make no mention that for women there are specific dangers such as being thrown off the truck in the desert if you refuse to have sex with a trainer or co-driver. Listen to Ronald Fletcher in the Video Clip:
RAW SOUND BYTES ON HARASSMENT FROM A TRUCKING CONVENTION
These ads are deliberate to mislead people and entice them to go to truck driving school. They are targeted to people who have no experience in the cloak and dagger trucking industry that uses people in a government subsidized indentured servitude operation.
Here is a sample: Truck Driver Jobs For Women in a Google search this person has several sites all leading to him, all the ads are misleading and predatory. This is the new spam where someone sits and creates website after website to appear as if it is a social media blog site with a testimonial. Who do they cite as an authority? Read this Jobs & Business Blog to find out. “Great Truck Driving Jobs for Female Drivers“
Nuway Truck Driving school, the subject of the 3rd installment of the Dan Rather Investigative series into trucking “Mind Your Loan Business” was discovered as suspected to be in the loan selling business. Besides the poor training they provided they stood to gain from disenfranchised people who failed on their student loans which were sold to them a high interest rate. This school I was told by Tom Hansen formerly of CRST had such poor students that CRST had stopped accepting them.
Predatory lending and predatory recruitment are for the purpose to take advantage of people for profit. In truth, it is very difficult to remain employed after completing your student phase from Michigan, South Florida and some western states due to the availability of freight. Selling loans to these people and using them for cheap labor at less than minimum wage is wrong.
The carriers utilize this disposable cheap labor force to run team freight for a short period of time and then toss them out before they have made enough money to pay off their student loans but long enough for the carriers to benefit for the recruitment commissions, tax incentives and subsidies to retrain workers. Many of these people receive government vouchers for these schools, therefore it is the U.S. Government who is funding and perpetuating this abuse and unethical treatment.
CSA 2010 does indeed propose greater enforcement standards for truck drivers and carriers but it does not address the rampant ethical considerations and the hostile training atmosphere that affect highway safety.
A worker has right to be trained in a safe manner therefore prospective truck driver students should have full disclosure of what is expected before they sign on for a loan. The job should be clearly defined that it requires 11 hours of driving a day, they should understand they will not be able to shower for days on end, that they will have to clean out trailers and not be paid for it., that they will have to keep strict schedules that require driving all hours of the day and night in all weather. They should understand they will be stretched to the limit at times that stopping to use a toilet is not possible! That is a truth about trucking.
Big Trucking has built a complex system that is so interwoven into many government entities that it can literally control wages and treatment to professional drivers at the expense of highway safety. The Department of Labor classifys Truck Drivers as Unskilled Labor, the lack of accurate crash statistics of student truck drivers, the gross oversight of pattern of abuse by truck driver trainers to women entering trucking and the method of retaliation for reporting abuse. The false DAC reporting, this list goes on and on. These are all control mechanisms’ built over years to control workers and keep them silent and afraid.
Big Trucking expects to ignore two massive sexual harassment/discrimination cases going on right now and fails to address the training atmosphere while at the same time deluge media to claim 400,000 truck drivers are needed by 2011. This is a typical arrogant example of greed and privilege. There is not now nor has there ever been a truck driver shortage. It is true there exists a population of truck drivers who should not be on the highways but without addressing training and recruitment the government is simply giving the nod to sponsor more of the same.
As it stands right now, taxpayers will be left with the $4.5 Million dollar legal bill for the failed EEOC case against CRST Van Expedited should they lose the appeal currently in court. Is that the remedy? Let the EEOC babysit the trucking industry with a never-ending revolving door of cases from women claiming almost verbatim the same abuse? Has CRST corrected its training system?
They say they have BUT according to 3 recent female grads who have contacted me they were never advised of instructions to assist them for an emergency procedure before leaving the terminal with trainers and co-drivers. All encountered later retaliation attempts and humiliation for reporting incidents. They have since been advised to proceed and file more claims against CRST in 2010, this is AFTER the fact.
The problems exist because the trucking industry has been permitted to police themselves with their treatment of drivers while at the same time the federal government strangles drivers with rule after rule making it near impossible to complete the job.
We are in a transitional time and while some corrections may have been made in the past few years, these pervasive problems need to be monitored and inspected to make certain they continue to operate effectively.
With regards to women entering trucking, inappropriate trainers and a lack clear defined safety precautions have not been fully addressed. The advice stated in the “Raw Sound Bytes on Harassment from a Trucking Convention” for Women who have encountered abuse during training is to call the EEOC. This is not a solution! That would be like a landlord of an apartment complex refusing to repair a heater telling his tenants to go to the Doctor if they get sick rather than replace the heater. The solution should be to prevent it from happening to begin with! The federal government with its layers of red tape should not have to babysit the trucking industry! For all its good intentions the EEOC trying to tangle with high powered trucking industry lawyers is an uneven playing field. Ultimately, this is taxpayer money, think about it.
On May 20, 2010 The Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signed an agreement with the Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS) to encourage more women to enter the transportation sector stating: “There’s tremendous opportunity out there for women interested in transportation-related careers,” granted he was speaking of “Skilled Careers” but what better experience in the transporation sector than doing the actual transporting? Secretary LaHood also said “We need to do more to prepare, train and educate young women about the possibilities that await them .”
This is our mission, we must acknowledge the silent struggles of women truckers and students. Our collective failure to address the topic has handed the keys to the offenders.
The American Trucking Association would like for people to believe that there is a truck driver shortage but in fact everything points to a strategic effort to rid American Drivers with experience for H2b workers who are yet another cheap labor force. Just read how clever this organization website H2B Workforce Coalition words their mission. Who is on the executive committee? The American Trucking Association!
H2B brings workers from other countries legally to take American Jobs and again it is to maximize profit and abuse disenfranchised people LEGALLY! Read, “Used and Abused: Guest Workers and Immigration Reform“
The movement to close the border to illegals is one very sensitive issue but the ATA is actually positioning itself to legalize workers from other countries to take American driving jobs and package it as “HELPING“!
National Security, think about this: A person applying for a learners permit to obtain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) who can pass a 50 question multiple choice question test and pass a background check is eligible for a hazardous materials endorsement yet they have never proven they can operate the truck!
Our background check system has cracks so wouldn’t the above scenario permitting H2b workers give carte blanche on hauling freight with an elevated security clearance? Isn’t it more common to see many non-English speaking student truckers lately? How do we know what their criminal history is in the country they came from? If the Transportation Security Administration background check goes through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wouldn’t that show as a clean slate in the system?
Don’t just blame the government, read the list of American Companies who benefit from doing this and pay attention. The next time you stay in a motel note that the maids may be all blond hair and blue eyed but do not speak English.
If there is a shortage of anything in the trucking industry it is ethics among trucking industry insiders. Making remarks like “Our collective experience is over 300 years in trucking” (one which was directed to me recently) has got to be one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard given that the automobile is just over 100 years old!
Who is responsible to insure our highways are safe? Why hasn’t poor truck driver training been addressed? Are student truck driver’s expendable human chattel? The responsibility of course rests upon the ATA and the carriers it represents to address and enforce preventative training. Why is the advocacy page of the ATA agenda suspiciously absent of the human factor that requires any truck to move?
Will the federal government continue to give free reign to Big trucking as it has been doing for Big Coal and Big Oil?
These Highway Safety and Personal Safety and National Security Issues need to be addressed in Trucking before we have a disaster.
I have interviewed a number of seasoned truck drivers and come away with a very reasonable list of solutions.
1. Full disclosure to entering truck driver candidates before they obligate to a loan or utilize a “Workforce Investment Act” voucher paid for by our tax dollars, a “Bill of Rights”.
2. Raise the training standard for both operation of equipment AND conduct.
3. Require a graduated licensing system for truck drivers.
Tracy Hamm of the CRST Sexual Harassment Case and former trainer feels strongly that new drivers stay under permit longer. She notes that new teen drivers have to drive with a permit and limited driving privileges in some states while those who get a commercial drivers license to drive an 18-wheeler do not.
Truck driver trainers I have interviewed agree that school should be longer in class and on the road. The student truck drivers should clearly understand what it means to be going “Over the Road” and what is involved to perform deliveries before they sign on for loans.
The federal government has created a welfare system for the handful of truck driver training carrier companies who appear to be profiteering off the government as evidenced by the ongoing 125% turnover rate. These carriers should be held to a higher standard to teach proper highway safety and conduct skills. The taxpayers have a right to expect their tax dollars are producing an effective workforce that is mindful that they are not only truck drivers but also the eyes and ears for national security. Times have changed and we must adjust our thinking.
Training should include classroom time of conduct skills with testing and signed contract that the student agrees to abide by or be fired. This includes Trainers who have a higher standard of conduct.
The harassment problem is unique in trucking due to the intense living arrangement required to learn to drive the truck. Some carriers like CRST Van Expedited and Covenant Transport who have the “Team Business Model” as a component of their training must address this topic.
The armed forces are the only other training situation that can be remotely compared to truck driver training and they too are struggling to adapt as the introduction of women increases.
To fathom that being raped, beat up and left for dead in the desert is a common story in trucking while in your training period is absolutely unacceptable!
As a whole, we must address the disparity of recruitment vs. retention of Women Truckers. By raising the standard in other areas we create professionalism and boundaries.
Training in sexual harassment at government subsidized truck driver training companies is virtually non-existent except for scattered surface treatments and we will continue to see suits arise like the massive CRST case until we can come to grips with speaking openly about this highly unusual teaching environment and how to make it work.
I have included a replay of a Blog Talk Radio made in December 2009 on truck driver training solutions. Tom Hansen former safety manager of CRST was scheduled to join the show but had a family emergency that prevented him.
Tom Hansen appeared in the first Dan Rather Episode and spoke about the conflicts of interest he encountered at CRST and these are not unique either. It is a system that exists in truck driver training that is neither safe for the students or the motoring public.
Tom Hansen is not a disgruntled employee as the ATA and CRST tried to portray. Tom Hansen & Tracy Hamm are Heroes who decided to step forward to try and effect a change so that no one else would be hurt. Shortly after the broadcast I read remarks from one of Tom Hansen’s co-workers from CRST and he made it clear that Tom was respected in the company but his conscience simply began to eat at him.
At some point we must come to grips with the truth that our silence has potentially harmed someone who simply wanted a chance for a new life.
I encourage you to watch all 4 installments of the Dan Rather Investigative reports into trucking, especially if you know NOTHING about the trucking industry.
They can be downloaded from iTunes for $1.99 each. The titles are as follows:
“Queen of the Road“, “Truck Talk“, “Mind Your Loan Business” & “Haul or High Water“
You can also learn more about how truck drivers are set up to fail as a matter of practice in Allen Smith’s
In the next installment I will discuss personal responsibility.
Additional Reading: (all links in post are links to additional reading also)
Wage Slavery – Methods of Control in Wage Systems
Bound for America H-2A Guest Worker Program
H2b Visa to Rescue Driver Shortage
Violence Against Women in the Military
Sexual Assaults in Military bring Shame Not Action
War with Ourselves: Sexual Violence in the Military
Male on Male Harassment in Trucking – Cagle v. Werner Enterprises
Related posts
Practical Truck Driver Training Solutions: Part 1
This series of posts on Solutions for Ethical Truck Driver Training comes as a result of many long ignored suggestions made by actual truck drivers to their companies who train students and receive a good deal of government funding. The turnover rate in trucking is 125% which is outrageous and most of this turnover is due to predatory lending & poor recruitment. Poor Training & Support, Personal Safety & Harassment Issues, Retaliation by carriers & Industry to push truck drivers out of the industry who protest being mistreated and provoked.
Let’s cut to the chase: As predicted when the economy crashed in 2008 the phony truck driver shortage that the ATA and the carriers it represents rely upon to keep the government money coming in, also dissapated. Now it’s back right when the jobs bill is coming up and all the usual suspects are in high gear for recruiting, but have they corrected their ugly ways?
Sexual Predators and Control Freaks are drawn to environments where they can get what they want and operate without notice. Religious Organizations, Religion based dating sites, Pediatricians, Boy Scout Leaders, Girls Schools; even organizations like Trucker Buddy will attract a risk taking predator. Religion plays a part because denial provides a safe haven for such predators to utilize this fertile ground as a place to feed their illness. This is why these organizations should recognize they have greater responsibility in screening the people they give positions of power to dominate over another person.
“Shunning” is how a person is treated after they have complained about mistreatment or abuse. A sanction to isolate a person further is often associated with religious groups but the behavior is common in the trucking industry, which we refer to as retaliation for reporting abuse. There are many more extreme cases of retaliation that occur in the form of threats or intimidation. Most commonly a ruined DAC and/or telling prospective new employers that the driver is no longer hireable. This has effectively ended many truck driving careers. For Women, the misuse of lifting requirments or agility tests in a manner that is not equal to test given to men and in some cases making the weight inappropriate for the job has eliminated some veteran women truckers from the trucking industry. This is why few people hear much about Women Truckers, most want anonymity.
The ATA advocacy page I have linked says nothing about the recent outpouring of social media, investigative reports and lawsuits about abuse to student truckers by predators and control freaks. Still the media hype machine is hard at work to create the basis for the next wave of student truckers. Articles in Fleet Owner & Reuters ; describe a false image, those of us who have had pay cuts know these articles are complete rubbish. Moving on to more ethical companies is not a viable option because most are not hiring. Only the training companies are claiming to be suffering for truck drivers. Curious isn’t it?
In one manner or another, the government is funding the handful of student training fleets who will most benefit from this next wave of recruiting. The ATA has not acted responsibly when they have continued to ignore that many of the carriers it represents think nothing about hiding behind religion or skewed statistical data which makes it appear everything is fine in the world of training student truckers. This makes the ATA and the Organization “Women in Trucking ” nothing more than an accomplice to abuse. The flip-flop advocacy of what is a priority depends where they can get media attention, it is repugnent and obvious.
“Working behind the scenes” is no good. “Serving in Silence” makes a sinister undertone of a cover up to that which is unacceptable to protect something that is well-known. Partnerships with companies who have lost, settled or are in current litigation for rampant problems of sexual misconduct and discrimination look to be nothing more than a public relations recovery rather than a pro-active approach to correcting a fixable problem.
Many former female trainers from the handful of government funded mega-fleets have written suggestions to help but they have been ignored. There is no reason a $100,000 grant should be awarded in order to create a solutions code, or any other amount in my opinion when real truckers have written endless letters and suggestions to make a better training environment for all student truckers and they have been ignored.
Trucking Companies who train government funded students or receive favorable tax incentives to train workers should be held to a higher level of corporate accountability. Hiding behind religion should not be a factor to avert attention but rather make these companies held under a microscope more closely when it is well known this particular environment makes it easy for a pleasant liar to thrive.
Predators thrive in an environment where there is denial; just ask someone who was raped as a child by a Priest, Pastor, Minister or Deacon of the Church.
I recently had lunch with a Woman Trucker who I had met some months back, she dresses in a rather eccentric manner but she is older than I am. She is very animated and sweet but I could see most people would judge her by her appearance automatically. During lunch she said whenever someone brought up the “P” word meaning “Pedophile” she would go crazy. She never knew why, she had no recollections of her childhood. She had been abandoned by her Mother and raised but her very religious Aunt & Uncle. As a young lady, she got herself involved in troubles that lasted until she was in her 30’s and she came close to dying. A social worker suggested she talk to a therapist and she began to realize she had been raped her entire childhood by her uncle who was very respected in the community and a church leader. Most of the people in her small town already knew about the abuse but they said nothing. They only whispered behind her back. She did not know because she had blocked it all out. Even her childhood friend confessed that there were rumors in the town that her children were fathered by her uncle. She told me when she came to grips with these truths she became liberated and began living her life. She said she dresses in a manner she feels good and she does not care what others say because she feels like she is a teenager for the first time at 50 years of age.
She began driving a truck about 5 years ago and was thankful for the government voucher to have a chance for a new life. The trainer she was assigned told her she had to have sex with him in order to learn to drive the truck, when she refused he threw her off the truck. Her second trainer used her only as a second log book and did not teach her anything. This is a very common training experience for single women entering trucking. Veteran Women truckers may not be fully aware of this because many have become Owner-Operators and have never had to work for one of the Government funded fleets. This woman I met loves the freedom trucking gives her to live far away from that small town where she can be herself. She is not a highly educated but she is very astute in her perceptions. She is thankful she has found trucking but frankly, when CSA2010 comes into effect I feel many of us poorly trained students will be replaced.
It is very difficult to have a student insured obviously because they come from CDL Schools with barely enough experience to hold the steering wheel, PTDI certification OR NOT! NOTHING can prepare a Student Trucker for being in charge of a big rig on the open highway until they get out there and do it. I would also like to add a word of advice to single women who have been offered to learn to drive from a “Owner-Operator”. While this might sound wonderful that someone has taken a personal shine to you, the truth is they probably want a relationship or a 2 week sex partner. For insurance reasons like I said above it would not be possible for a veteran to take you on their rig and for you to receive the hours needed to be considered experienced. I have met many student females who bought this line only to be put off a truck after they refused sex. They often say that they never learned to drive but were only badgered for sex the entire time.
Student Truckers are funneled into a handful of Truck Driving Training Fleets where they are to be trained to drive and most will not make it. There is no shortage of truck drivers but there is a shortage of good trainers who are not Control Freaks and Predators. There is also a problem in poor recruiting which makes good trainers quit. This is especially true for Women trainers. Retaliation for reporting predators remains a problem and as one former CR England Trainer alleged in a June 2009 blog talk radio program for “Truth about Trucking “, sometimes groups of trainers will work in conjunction passing a female student around until she has sex with one of them.
Being a trainer for a student means you are risking your life at the hands of someone you do not know anything about. This is a huge risk when the quality of students is very poor and trainers often quit because of it. The quality of students has been poor because of the government money to foot the bill for anyone with a pulse thus creating predatory lending. The good trainer suffers the consequenses of this chaos which leaves predators who see student truckers as a ripe opportunity for additional company money and sex.
Contrary to the assertions by Ellen Voie in the Q & A about the CRST Sexual Harassment Case here on this site, the Women did not all want to be part of a lawsuit. Tracy Hamm for instance had filed with the EEOC prior and had never been contacted. She saw others being hurt by the same people and wanted change so no one else would be hurt. This is in her deposition and Ellen Voie had no business making such remarks at any juncture when she had never talked to any of these women at length. Another former Woman Trainer who sucessfully sued U.S. Xpress shared this ridiculous question she was asked when she was deposed for her case. “What color panties were you wearing?” her story will be in a future post about some of the unsafe training situations these companies put female recruits into. It becomes overwhelming when the companies are linked to “Women in Trucking” AFTER the lawsuits & allegations. Personal Safety is equal to Highway safety for this line of work. You cannot concentrate on the highway if you are afraid of your trainer or co-driver, or want to kill them as in a recent case from “Gordon Trucking “.
This particular woman trucker was able to go on to work in the industry because her settlement included not being blackballed which is most commonly done to women truckers who ever dare speak out about the treatment they receive. She later married a trainer and became one herself. They are no longer married but she told me her former Husband has had multiple complaints against him for sexual misconduct but he has not beenn taken off the training board except for short periods. He was eventually assigned to train only married couples but was caught multiple times masturbating while he was training, even kicking the students out to stand on the street while he finished! Why is he still a trainer at all?
She is no longer a trainer and like other women trainers I have met, they are given the problem students who should not be on the road at all but for some reason the company retains them. The clue to this may be that in order to receive the funding on each student they must be employed for a certain period of time, even if they are a menace to highway safety. That is the student trucker industry! These are the students who after a good deal of time are not learning and/or have many “issues” that prevent them from becoming good, safe truck drivers. It is because of this, Women trainers are scarce.
Tracy Hamm the Woman Trucker from the CRST Case who first made contact on the Trucker Desiree blog had offered solutions from her perspective after having been a student who had troubles and as a former trainer. We have all seen many competent truck driving students fail to succeed because of the system which protects predators. We have also seen many incompetent truck driving students succeed who should not be on the highway or go on to become predatory trainers themselves. This is why we are demanding solutions! If you read the entire Q & A of Ellen Voie you would have seen Tracy Hamm’s name brought up time and again. Ellen Voie contacted Tracy following a phone conference we had when I advised Ellen that her information was incorrect. Tracy also spoke at length with WIT Director Marge Bailey who took away a very different view once she spoke to Tracy. I am not at liberty to share the remarks that Marge wrote to me following her chat with Tracy, but I can say it was lengthy and Marge Bailey expressed a concern that indeed these issues are much more complex and need to be fully addressed. Tracy like many other Women Truckers provided Ellen Voie & myself solutions that have been suggested to carriers for a good deal of time. The problem is that the carriers ignore these suggestions. Recruiting seems to be a priority but not conduct to insure success.
Here are some of the Solutions from Tracy Hamm and other Women Truckers:
1. The trainer & trainee should spend at least 24 hours together prior to training. During that time, they should ask one another questions and talk about their expectations. The carriers should help by preparing a “Common Concerns” Checklist to help facilitate this interview process.
2. A general compatibility questionnaire would help determine the appropriateness of the match. This will also benefit the “Team Business Model” where some carriers require a team driving component to training: For Instance, Music Preference, Cleanliness, Personal Hygiene, Bathroom Stops, Sleep Patterns, Gambling Stops, Storage… answering these questions verbally will reveal personality traits such as inability to work together OR over accommodating behavior which can turn into “I gave you everything…” tantrum later.
3. The Student Company should be required to have a liaison that will be responsible for the trainee’s success. That person will have the trainee’s phone number and will call him/her once each day to inquire how the training is going. The trainee should meet the liaison in person during on site training. The trainee should be told how to make an S.O.S. via Qualcomm prior to leaving with their trainer and be given phone number that WILL be answered should they need assistance for an emergency to get off the truck. This should be discussed prior to fully understand what would be considered Urgent and what is NOT.
4. To avert retaliation or confrontation by trainer/co-driver for requesting to be removed from a “situation” the liaison and student should devise code words or phrases to indicate that there is something wrong that needs the attention. For example, “I need more vitamins in my water” could mean, “get me out of the truck immediately!” (something to that effect.)
5. The trucking carrier should supply the trainer and trainee with a code of ethics that they must agree to by reading, signing and keeping a copy with emergency numbers before departing the terminal. This should also be done for truck driving teams in student fleets. Any violations of sexual misconduct are grounds for termination.
6. A series of conduct films are very much needed in truck driver training because of the highly unusual training conditions. Two complete strangers from very different backgrounds, religions, political affiliations are expected to conduct themselves as professionals who live and work together without guidance?
I’d like to see my CEO teamed in a truck with the very outspoken 50 year old woman with a gold grill on her teeth. I’d like to see them work together to put a set of chains on at donner pass at 3 a.m. How about Clayton Boyce as my trainee when I’m PMS? We all have our daily issues but in this super intense environment in which we expect to teach and learn we should also provide more guidance before we hand out keys to 18 wheelers.
Other former Women Truckers have offered suggestions such as putting cameras in the cab which for training trucks might be fine if they were activated by a panic button rather than rolling constantly. This is rather impractical given the sleeper size, the reality of changing clothes, having to pee in a cup or bottle at times when facilities are not available. Cameras open up the door for too much weird behavior which is already a problem in trucking where abuse of power is an epidemic.
The first step in making solutions is freeing ourselves from denial and understanding that being a trainer for a trucking student who cannot drive can very well end someone’s life, including the trainers.
The trainer should not be put on team miles from day one which has been common practice. The reason why is that students who come from ANY CDL School ARE NOT prepared to drive an 11 hour shift. This is something you build up to and throwing students out on the road to move cheap freight puts every single person on the highway at risk! The trainer is there to train a person who has little more than a few trips around the city where they went to school. They have barely driven enough to understand lane changes , changing weather and how to manage traffic flow. The trainer is placed in a catch 22 if they must be in the sleeper for 10 hours by law. How can they ever supervise the student legally? That is a question I would like to ask Ray LaHood U.S. Secretary of Transportation. I know this man cares about safety because I follow his news closely on Twitter and I highly doubt he is being told the correct information about what goes on in the REAL World of training truckers and what female recruits have to put up with in order to learn.
The trainer should not be expected to break HOS laws to train students.
Putting trainers in unsafe training situations makes good trainers quit and leaves only the ‘Hot Dog” trainers and Predators who have another reason they take the risk. There is a shortage of good trainers because predatory lending brings unsuitable candidates into trucking. There is a shortage of good qualified, screened students. There is a shortage of proper & effective support from the carriers to teach conduct skills to recruits who are expected to live, work & learn in a truck the size of an elevator.
This is the first part in a series of solutions that have been contributed by various REAL Truck Drivers who care about Highway Safety & Personal Safety. These things should not be for sale , they are free and we hope ethical professionals in the trucking industry will recognize that it’s time to do things differently.
Correct the manner in which you train trucking students and your driver shortage will cease.
Not there ever was one…..
Additional Reading:
Tennnesse Sex Offender owns Trucking Company
ATA – Why is Everbody picking on me (The Clayton Boyce Story)
Center for Sex Offender Management
Rate your Boss – Hostile Workplace
Trucking Company sued by EEOC for Retaliation
Related posts
Salute to Women behind the Wheel
Let’s talk about fun stuff for a change!
I made it to the “Mid-America Truck Show” in Louisville Kentucky and had the good fortune to meet Ingrid Brown whilst I was tweeting away in the Papa John’s parking lot.
Ingrid received a 3 Million Mile award out of 14 others by FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro at the Salute to Women behind the Wheel. She began driving as an Owner-Operator in 1979 and still has the 1979 Diamond Reo her daddy bought her. She says it still sits in her driveway and runs like a charm!
Ingrid says she owes her gratitude to her Daddy & Brother, she is from North Carolina.
I also got to meet Sandi Talbott who also started in 1979, she leased to Cargill Meats, she is 69 years young and she is from Texas. Sandi was also a 3 Million Mile recipient.We spoke in the parking lot about the need for more informationto help new women entering trucking and the need for better communication.
Sandi shared some wisdom to pass along to women which is that you need to understand you are being watched out here so if you are friendly by nature that can be misconstrued in the world of trucking so you must keep your eyes open to your surroundings.
These gals are driving and not on the internet as much. It’s good to know they are out here and they care very much about helping others.
These are the women who should be recognized but we probably won’t get to see them much because the nature of this job is being isolated.
Donna Creekmore, the overshadowed heroine of the Arrow Trucking mess was also recognized for her driving career and it was a thrill to see her accept an award by Anne Ferro.
Writer Linda Sands was present and she was able to meet and photograph women truckers for an upcoming book.
You can catch up with Linda Sands and Gwen Morrison on facebook by becoming a FAN of MODERN TRUCK DRIVERS
I have to thank Ingrid because she didn’t know me from adam but struck up a conversation with me and offered me her coat when I was cold to keep until the next day. I did not know she was to top honoree at the Salute to Women behind the Wheel & after getting to speak to her and hearing about her career plus her wonderful attitude I feel honored to be at the right place at the right time!
Related posts
Wild West Women
Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputations … can never effect a reform. – Susan B. Anthony
The American Westward expansion of the 1800’s created both romantic imagery and tragedy as the clash of cultures changed the landscape west of the Mississippi River. When we think “Clash of Culture” we most often think of race, yet aren’t women truly the last minority? More often than not, Women spend much more effort fighting amongst themselves which has effectively prolonged the advancement of all women .
Notable Women of the Wild West in historic lore are most likely defined into categories of either being good girls or bad girls based on virtue, with disregard to any other substance of character. This is very much the same for Women Truckers. The general thought process being “if something bad happens it’s because they were born with the non preferred genitalia and therefore deserve it for being in a man’s environment.”
The desire to be free and independent has never been exclusive to men. Women rights have always come last in our history. For instance, the right to vote in the United States was won by women after African-American Males who were granted the right in the 1870’s with the 15th Ammendment . Women’s Sufferage did not occur until 1920 despite early victories for western women to vote in Utah. The results of their votes appear to have been geared less towards the empowerment of women but instead to impact the desires of the male population.
Passage of voting rights did not ensure enforcement for African-Americans or women. Intimidation & Retaliation remained a hinderence including Jim Crow Laws aimed at African-Americans. These things were not effectively addressed until the Civil Rights rights movement. The National Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed the requirement that would-be voters in the United States take literacy tests. Sadly, intimidation in rural areas to discourage voting still occurs in the United States of America.
Women in the Old West were unable to legally own land and were rarely noticed for their contributions. Often it was necessary to disguise themselves as men to remain living on their homesteads after their husbands had passed away. The reality for women who held the same dreams as men for freedom meant concealing their gender as a matter of personal safety for themselves and their property.
Charley Parkhurst was an American Stagecoach driver in the 1860’s , known as “One Eyed Charley” he was known to be a fierce driver, hard drinker and not shy to use his gun. The legendary stagecoach driver is believed to have been born in 1812 in New Hampshire.
Charley was a natural as a stagecoach driver, orphaned at a young age he learned his way around horses early in life while working as a stablehand. He had the ability to handle a weapon with confidence while running a 6 horse team through a gauntlet of terrain. His job required the courage to face potential thieves who might hijack his precious cargo.
A kick from a horse had left a damaging scar and lost eye, which is how the hard cussing Parkhurst came to be known as, “One-Eyed Charley”. In 1879, Charley died from cancer of the tongue. Only at the time of his passing when Charley’s body was being prepared for the undertaker was it revealed that “he” was actually a Woman .
Charlotte Parkhurst concealed her physical sex for most of her life. In an article called “She was a Man!” by Floyd D.P. Øydegaard , the final sentence is declares “…Whatever her reasons, she chose not to be a woman and did a great job at being a human being, who just wanted to be left alone.”
There is speculation that Charley “Charlotte” may have been the first Woman to Vote in a United States Presidential Election but it seems unlikely it was her intent to be known as a feminist. She simply wanted to be permitted to live her life and be noted for her good work, aside from her gender.
A young girl, an orphan for that matter could not travel alone but a young boy could and Charlotte was keenly aware of this truth. She was handy around horses, not around the kitchen and had no desire to aquire those skills. Would that make her bad or unacceptable to other women of the time? What about to Men? Would she become a target?
There are countless stories of women living as men in order to experience the same freedom and independance afforded to the opposite gender. Sex without consent is certainly a factor in any male dominated isolated environment. A young girl from a hard childhood might learn lessons early regarding potential dangers, such as, how to avert “situations” where they might be caught off guard not only by a stranger but someone they know very well.
Another aspect would be intimidation where the ego of a bully is temporarily satisfied by attempts to humiliate another person who is visually percieved as weak or small. Charley, wore layers of clothing, obviously to hide her body but also to make her look more manly. This rough exterior would insulate her from those who sought to bully others based on appearence and size.
The fact that Charley was a orphan may have provided an element of street smarts that someone from a sheltered childhood may not understand. A young girl, just as handy around horses but NOT exposed to real world experiences might find themselves in a very different set of circumstances. A lone person, esspecially one with little family could find themselves being victimized without warning in an isolated environment such as the old west, or trucking.
Charley’s desire was clearly to be noted for achievements NOT gender. This desire cannot be extinguished in a determined individual. Charley established a reputation and an ability to do a job most others would not or could not do. Set apart the time in history and the legal ramifications and consider this: If Charley’s gender had become widely known while alive would the job performance be less significant? Absolutley YES!
Would it not be true that Charley would become target of curiousity and perhaps a target for violence? Definately!
Charley left the orphanage for whatever reasons and began dressing as a boy at around 12 years old. In 1855 there are reports of a child which died at birth. This would have placed Charley in her 40’s which would not be a safe planned pregnancy, esspecially for that period of time. What sort of support system would Charley have? What sort of woman was Charley? How would she be judged by the other women of her day?
The first Women who generally followed the men into the frontier are generally capitalists. The “Soiled Doves” or “Painted Ladies” who are frequently associated with the American West followed the money trail. Where there are Men… there is money! AND easy opportunities for Pimps, Madams, Prostitutes, Saloon Girls, and so on. Whatever market potential can be built around a lonley man is soon to follow any new frontier.
Sex was sex in the Old West where men dominated the population; it was not uncommon for Cowboys to share a bedroll. Homosexuality was more common than most would want to know about.
Patricia Nell Warren, a historian and author, said that same-sex relationships between cowboys were often tolerated in the early days of the West largely because manpower was scarce, thus making it impractical for landowners to be choosy about whom they hired. But attitudes changed with the introduction of mechanized agriculture, which rendered human labor more expendable. “Tolerance went away after that,” she said
Calamity Jane might have been considered a Feminist of sorts in her time, not as a change agent but living alongside in a male dominated environment & holding her own. Calamity Jane – Pony Express Rider, heavy drinker, heart of gold. We tend to over shadow extrodinary achievements and courage of complex women if we cannot easily define them as either “Good Girls or Bad Girls. Jane, dressed as a man , lived in a man’s world and loved the man Wild Bill Hickock enough to ask to be buried next to him upon her death. She cussed, drank too much but, during the smallpox epidemic nursed many children with tenderness.
Taming the wild frontier is in part because of the introduction of women. The Mormon Trail and the railroad brought change to the west. The pioneers forged a path and allowed for a more civilized western experience. Law and Order began to spring up as men began bringing their Wives who expected more than tents & saloons. Street pollution from Animal feces, Chamber Pots of Urine & Garbage were not acceptable. Sidewalks were built; Schools, Churches, Opere houses gave rise to a higher level of comfort and entertainment.
Gun Controls were not unheard of in the city limits of western towns. There was also a clash with those “Other” Women , who either by choice or circumstance did not have husbands, but existed in this environment.
Tolerance is perhaps the biggest hold up of all cultures to evolve , this is esspecially true for Women who seek to judge each other, whereas they readily give acceptance to men who live lifestyles they may not fully understand or accept. Women effectively destroy Women’s Rights by acting as Judge and Jury to any other Women who may have goals & ideas on living which differer from their own.
While some Men embraced the comfort of a home in the old west the trade off was losing the freedom to do whatever it was they were doing before. The evolving Old West began to have rules that previously did not exist. Law enforcement , temperance movements were intended to curb behavior. Perhaps not so much different as today & it appears we will never eradicate the vices of humanity. Women who compel themselves to see other women as the cause of such shortcomings become nothing more than enablers.
Trucking is very much like the old west. There are few witnesses to the freedom that is the trucking lifestyle where rules can be broken. The resistance toward women entering trucking initially might be viewed as the last bastion men have to remain in a world without women.
For is it not Women who ultimately demand change when they finally realize they have the power to do so? For some married male truckers who first brought wives to ride along the verbal attacks they received from fellow truckers were at times surprising, when for no apparent reason they were scolded for bringing a female presence in the trucking world.
The introduction of Women as Truckers has been an uphill battle, the stories are horrific of what persistent Women Truckers have endured to live their personal dream for freedom. While most may not understand what might posess a female to become a trucker, given our narrow societal mores of what is appropriate, someone like Charley Parkhurst of the 1860’s most certainly would.
On the surface it may appear that the trucking industry welcomes women with open arms, but the evidence is to the contrary with recruitment much higher than retention. Those women who are able to succeed are intimidated to speak out to help those who will be “happily recruited” into an antiquated training system, which takes race into account but not gender diversity.
In all male dominated industries just as in the old west there is a clash of the diverse personalities of women subsequently feeding the resistance to keep women from success. While men from differing socio-economic, race & religious backgrounds tend to work out their differences in order to “make a paycheck,” women are most often their own worst enemies.
Women who present themselves to gossip about other women or who are complacent when they witness abuse to other women accomadate a predator in order to maintain attention for their own ego. They will manipulate situations for acceptance in male dominated industries, and feel that male attention equals acceptance.
Some choose to be aloof to another who seeks help, or judge free-thinking women as whores. Regarding themselves, their church or manner of dress as superior while failing to see that they themselves are the reason women do not receive equal treatment.
While all of these women may secretly want to be treated with greater respect we cannot conclude that it is the men holding us back, rather it is our own infighting that reduces our effectiveness. This should not be construed as man hating to ask women to stop apologizing and enabling for a limited population of predators they know exist in trucking. The “Big Picture” is to embrace our differences with maturity and cast off the ignorant conclusions we put upon each other who choose different paths in life.
The mere mention of wanting to be treated with human dignity brings some women into attack mode upon each other as if to apoligize for being born female. Feminism is a dirty word, Equal pay advocates labeled a troublemakers.
Those women who are so eager to penetrate the glass ceiling and be included in the “Good Old Boys” club, have simply labeled themselves “Willing & Able to continue business as usual”. Let us not be fooled into thinking that those in the “White Blouse” are not corrupted by Greed & Power. The increase of White Collar Crime among those who wear bras should not be overlooked.
Trucking provides anonimity that is unmatched and not understood until you do it yourself and you do it alone. There is no denying there are those who live not only “alternative lifestyles” on the road but also, double lives. That in itself should indicate why the introduction of women is not embraced by some.
One Trucker once blurted out to me in frustration “We want to go somewhere to get away from Women!” , it’s very true of some men, not all but some. (He was married by the way)
Then there are the men who welcome women and the change they bring. What would we think of a man who complained about urine soaked concrete? Filthy showers? Previously, only the Trucker’s Wife would hear such complaints because after all, the tough guy exterior might be damaged if it was widely known his cheif complaints were related to loneliness and discomfort. Leave it to the women to take control and clean up, Right?
Do male truckers protest cleaning up Truck Stops? Do the majority of men enjoy having someone bang on their door unsolicited when they are trying to sleep? Offering company, drugs, DVD’s, perfume,? I believe most men rather enjoy knowing female drivers will ultimately bring changes to trucking that have been long overlooked.
Women make life comfortable and while many single men might see this as an invasion to their freedom, a longtime married man knows a thing or two about remaining comfortable. Women often fail to realize when they remain silent they hurt their sisters, daughters and granddaughters. Teaching your children to judge others who live differently continues this cycle. Men are no longer holding women back the way women are holding women back.
Women professionals who feel compelled to make excuses simply enable bad behavior of a limited few. Embracing judgement of another woman shows a lack of self confidence to be a true leader. This is the greatest detriment to Women Truckers which currently exists. These Women have decided to live their lives in a manner differently and this is not for anyone else to understand or judge so long as they are doing the job.
Women of the trucking industry clearly underestimate men in the trucking industry which is advancing in all other areas. Without clear leadership for professional conduct from our women leaders, how do we expect men will advance?
To shy away from speaking about real changes in conduct and ethics as more women are introduced is simply irresponsible. If a CEO confesses he still has to take out the trash when he goes home at night, takes his Daughter for ice Cream on Saturday afternoon and cleans up dog poop in the yard, I challenge that same man to make forward strides to create a safer training experience for all students recruited into trucking.
If he is presented the argument correctly, any ethical man would not refuse these changes. So why are we tolerating women trucking leaders to tip toe around in 2010 casting judgement upon female truckers who have been abused rather than making a priority to create a safe environment for all?
Whether choosing to drive the truck or work in a support position in the male dominated industry of trucking, women who do not speak up for adavncement at this late day in age have no one to blame but their own bickering and complacency.
Men cannot be expected to read the minds of women in their own homes so why should they be expected to do it in trucking? The industry is feeling the pressure to recruit more women therefore women in the industry should see this as an opportunity to move forward without making excuses for intolerable behavior by the few.
For a Woman named Charley who might be revered as a heroine to us today, what might women of her day say about her life’s choices? Might she have been alienated by her male friends as well if they knew she was a witness to their lives away from women? What are we protecting? The last bastion of Peter Pan? What of Petrina Pan? In the 1860’s it was necessary for Charley to conceal who she was to fit in but this is 2010.
Additional Reading:
Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Old West was a Magnet for Gay Cowboys
Homosexuals and Transgender people in the Old West
Related posts
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
Related posts
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.)
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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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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
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