how is over the road with a trainer for a female?

by Kim
(Tunnelton WV)

I graduated from trucking school and couldn't go over the road right away so I was driving a coal truck but kept getting laid off so i'm wanting to get back into tractor trailer work and go over the road.

Im wondering how the 3-4 weeks on the road with your trainer is.

I'm a female, kinda shy so it makes me really nervous. Any tips???

Comments for how is over the road with a trainer for a female?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 10, 2014
Rating

Female trainees NEW
by: Jeff

I used to be a trainer for CR England and I have heard a lot of stories about male trainers abusing female trainees. I wouldn't put up with any crap like that. You should be assigned some kind of training coordinator or someone you can report any weirdness to. Tell the trainer up front that you aren't going to put up with any BS. If he's not a good dude he will probably not even take you out. Remember that these larger companies don't want any problems with sexual harassment lawsuits and all. Call the company prez if you need to. Stand your ground. Good luck!

Jan 17, 2014
Rating

coal industry NEW
by: Anonymous

you can thank obama for the coal industry being shut down. Dont believe me just google obama shutting down coal industry (all for global warming). So now you get to go over the road, it gets old pretty quick. Especially for a woman.

Took my girl with me over the road she liked it for awhile but she does not miss it either. like she said gotta go pee sometimes its a long cold rainy walk to the bathroom.

Jan 16, 2014
Rating

Training over the road for females NEW
by: Hervy

Kim, it's not unusual for a female to ask what you are asking. In fact many guys ask to, lol. Believe it or not most truckers are helpful and love sharing what they know.

Most trainers have a passion for teaching. There are some bad apples as with any job.

Just show that you expect to be respected and more than likely things will go like clock work. Trash talking with a sexual innuendo will open you up for unnecessary harassment by the wrong guy.

Whatever company that you find interest in, ask if you can request a woman trainer and ask what are the procedures for changing trainers if there is a conflict in personality. (man or woman trainer)

In summary, I would say it is not something to be worried about. Take a listen to this lady driver name Gene who I interview in Alabama. Her advice will carry you a long way.

Many women truckers on the road and a lot of them had trainers and no problems. You might hear of a few that had issues but out of the more than 200,000 lady truckers I would think that a few bad experiences would be consistent with how life seems to unfold.

What we all have to do is not allow our fears or uneasiness paralyze us from having our own experiences.

Come on out Kim and enjoy the ride! I would think if you could handle hauling coal, you can handle all aspects of over the road trucking.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Ask A Trucker.