What are the pros and cons of being a single woman truckdriver?
Asked by Grace S
I am considering a career change to trucking. My ex husband was a trucker and I would travel with him doing the paperwork, cleaning and helping when he needed it. I truly think it is in my blood. But before I make that decision I want to know some more pros and cons about it. I love different hours ,, my last job was driving but hours were odd and schedule flexible as they say. please email me if you have more questions before you can give me a solid answer,, thank you I am currently by myself already. Due to some family situations I am what you might say now the loner of the group. cast out on holidays to be alone. So that would be no problem for me.

Best Answer:
I am a female and I drove a truck by myself OTR for a year and a half, then locally for a year. I met my husband out here 3 yrs ago, so I'm currently a team driver. There are pros and cons to both situations, LOL! I would have never, EVER stopped being a solo driver if I'd have never met my husband. I'd had several HORRIBLE team-driving experiences and I swore I'd never do it again, because I didn't think I could find someone whom I could tolerate in a truck for extended periods. Well, I found him- and I do enjoy teaming with my husband- we are indeed an ideal match. If it weren't for him, however, I'd still be out here by myself. I loved being a solo driver and never had any major problems. Safety should always be at the forefront of the decisions you make (not just driving safety but your PERSONAL safety as a female)....but if you are smart and make common-sense choices with safety in mind, you should not have any problems. 99.9% of the drivers out here are harmless- some may be crude or disrespectful, but few people are out to hurt others. Even if you do run into someone with a screw loose- in most truck stops there are enough people around who won't stand for seeing a lady being mistreated, that no one is likely to give you any major problems. Keep your truck doors locked, park in well lit areas when you can, never walk between rows of trucks, always carry your cell phone, try not to make it obvious you're alone (keep the curtain closed in your truck- if other people ask, tell them your husband is in the sleeper) and unless you plan on crossing the border to Canada frequently, carry a little can of pepper spray in your pocket when you're out of the truck. It's technically not permitted by the US DOT either, but I used to have some on my keychain and no one has ever said anything about it. For the most part- it's not other truck drivers, but "criminals" in general who you need to worry about. ALWAYS keep that passenger-side door locked when you're driving, and keep something heavy such as a Mag-Lite, a steel flatbedder's strap-tightening bar, or a can of Ether handy by your driver's door in case someone jumps on the side of your truck and tries to rob/hijack you. (Ether is 100% legal to have on a truck and is more effective as a deterrent than pepper spray) Be especially cautious if you have to deliver to inner-city metropolitan areas....most commercial/industrial areas in most cities are on the nasty side of town, Chicago, LA, NYC, Miami, Atlanta, and even St. Louis and Memphis inner city areas can be very dangerous. Try to get there close to your appointment time, and if you can- find another driver who's going where you're going. Keep a good lock on your trailer, don't roll your window down for people, and if you find that someone has broken into your trailer, never confront them, just call 911. Also, sometimes having another driver is helpful in tough backing situations. We haul produce and used to haul cars- having a 2nd helping hand is especially nice when you're unloading/loading your own truck. But SOOO many companies offer "no-touch" freight that you'll likely never have to see the business end of a pallet jack if you don't want to :). A co-driver can be handy when you're trying to find a shipper/reciever, but the new GPS systems are almost as good (sometimes better!) And you'll get into the habit of making phone calls and getting directions before you begin your trips, so you won't need that 'extra set of hands' to do it while you're en route. If you spent time on the road wirh your husband- you already know the *general* pros and cons of being a driver. Being a female doesn't make it THAT much tougher. In some ways it may make it easier, as you will find more men willing to help you back up, slide tandems, make minor repairs, etc. There are more drivers out here who will FLIRT with you and try to get a date, than there are drivers who will be mean and disrespectful....and there are classy, effective ways to handle both types of situations. There are also some genuinely nice people out here, both male and female- and as a single driver you may have an easier time meeting new people, simply because it's more natural for you to have conversations with new people since you're alone. A couple of my best friends today are guys I met out here when I was alone, just starting out. It does get lonely when you're by yourself, and it can be hard to find good, plain 'ol conversation or companionship from other drivers. I am by no means a very social person, but once in a while for Pete's sake, I just wanted to TALK to someone without them thinking it was an offer for sex. LOL. But you weed out the good from the bad, before too long you'll have a list of friends in your cell phone memory, cool people to talk to at night, meet up with for dinner, etc. Overall, social interactions out here can be very rewarding. I brought my little dog with me when I started driving, and I find that a pet is GREAT company if you like animals. It's NOT the right choice for every driver but it's worth looking into. A dog needs to be walked whether it's raining, snowing, hailing or the parking lot is muddy. All dogs shed, some more than others. Dogs will track some dirt and mud into the truck (you can keep towels handy at the door to help this). Cats shed too, and there's that litterbox-in-the-truck issue. But a pet never complains about your singing, never insults you, never gets mad or irritated with you, is content to curl up with you at night, a dog can offer a sense of security (even a tiny dog will bark to alert you when someone's messing around with your truck), a dog will keep you active on a daily basis so you don't get "trucker butt" LOL....plus when you walk a dog you will discover some of the prettiest spots you'd never have found otherwise. I hardly ever got lonely out here with my doggy :). I say go for it- you've got an advantage in that you already know some of what to expect. Keep your chin up, stay confident, and don't take any crap :)....you'll be fine.

Pro's: Happiness, Solitude, Peace, Job security Con's: Dangerous(rape, being ostracized by male truckers), No actual back-up if you needed it.
Answered by laurageerman

if as you say it is in your blood then go for it,but be prepared for being on your own for long periods of time with nothing but the road for company,i have been a driver for a long time and i would not change for nothing,when you kick the diesel truck over you know that you are on your own nobody telling you what to do,nobody on your case,take a break when you want not when they tell you.go for it if that is what you really want to do for a living you won`t regret it.
Answered by trynhelp