Best Trucking Company For A Woman Driver (new)

Help! Which is the best company for a woman driver (solo for only 4 months)? I am wanting to make a move but with a great company.

Welcome to the Trucking Truth site, Rita. We're glad you are here and we'll try to help.

First off, how much experience do you have now, and why are you looking to jump ship after a short time with your current company?

Thanks. I have 4 months on my own & 6 weeks training. First, I am wanting to move because I can't get a truck that can stay out of the shop. I'm on truck number 4 now. And I'm currently at Freightliner putting it in the shop. 1st truck - electrical issues, in the shop for over a week; 2nd truck - loaner, only used to take to another company terminal for an OO, 3rd truck - in 31 days it was in the shop 8 times....EIGHT! And for days at a time. This last truck is having issues with the oil gauge fluctuating, while I'm driving. The gauge will go from 50 psi to almost 0 psi & then back up. I like staying out & running. 1st time out I was OTR for 2 months before I went home. Secondly, I'm wanting to change because I'm not getting miles when I do run. Example, pick up a load on Friday, 300 miles to receiver, but delivery is Monday p.m., I'm forced to do a 34 reset - when I don't need to. In 4 months I have had one check that was over $1,000. Every check since has been $300 or less. I can't live on $300 a week.

Are you under a contract with this company?

Rita, I'd encourage you to stay where you are. None of the issues you mentioned have anything related to your gender. It's always hard for newbies to understand how all this works. They usually just blame their issues on the company and start looking for greener pastures.

I completely understand your frustrations, but I'm not sure how you can connect any of them with the fact that it's a bad place for a female driver to be. Trucks break down. Even places with great maintenance programs suffer break downs. We all get short loads occasionally on the weekends, but especially the newbies. Guess what you're going to be at the next company? If you guessed the newbie, you get a gold star!

It's almost always best for a new driver to figure out how to make it where they are before they start launching off somewhere else. You have to lobby for better miles. We all do that. You do that by always taking care of what they assign you and getting it done on time. Be proactive. If you get a 300 mile load on a Friday, ask if you can drop it at a terminal or drop yard near the customer Friday night or Saturday. Then maybe they can set you up with something else that will have some miles on it.

You have to be creative about how you work with your dispatcher. You have to prove you can get things done on time without issues or complaints. Most newbies think it's the company's responsibility to "give" them good miles. It's actually a big responsibility that rests on the driver. I can assure you that there are some really successful drivers at your company. You have to figure out how to be one of them.

You can do it - I know you can. If you'll stick it out and learn how to make it work for you, then I have no problem with you looking elsewhere. Just make sure you stay for a year and focus all your efforts on improving your results. Trust me, they want to see you earning a thousand dollars each week. The more you are earning means that you are a productive member of their team.

Check out these articles and see if anything in them resonates with you. I want to see you succeed, but jumping ship as a rookie is very seldom a path that gets good results.

Show Me The Money!

What It Takes To Be A Top Tier Driver

Welcome Rita, your situation sounds very familiar to me. You are still brand new. Old School is telling you exactly the way it is. Work hard and prove yourself and communicate with your dispatcher. You didn’t say if your under a contract or not.

My gf had a similiar situation as you describe. I coached her along and she proved to the company how good she was. She must have wanted to quit a dozen times during that first year. She stuck it out, completed her contract and they even offered to make her a trainer. She went to the terminal and turned in her notice to come to work for me. They have tried several times to get her to come back, but that isn’t going to happen. Point is use their time and dime, learn to be productive and after a year you will have alot more available options.

None of what you describe has anything to do with your gender. It is just the nature of the beast. Trucks breaking down happen, packrat almost had a catastrphic event right after his shop worked on his truck. Things can and will happen. It is mechanical and we put them through alot. Sometimes a particular truck is just a lemon. Luck of the draw. Just be glad your a company driver and the company is paying the repair bills.

This life can and will be frustrating at times. Foscus on those things you can control. Your productivity and safety. Communicate effictively with your dispatcher. As you prove yourself your miles should pickup overall.

Your issues with your current company have nothing to do with gender. Your frustration with the constant breakdowns is understandable. As Old School stated, if you are hired at another company, you will be "the new kid on the block." Also, what happens if you go to another company and you have a period where you are having breakdowns?

Reality is any reputable company is a good company to go to regardless of adjective.

As OS mentioned you have to lobby for miles and prove yourself. Most companies give newer drivers these types of runs in order to keep from overwhelming them as they work on mastering their skills. Prove you don't need the time.

If I get a 300 miles run I'm going to get it done in five to six hours. I'm going to tell my DM , and then execute. If we can drop it or move the appointment up we will do so. I also have no problem contacting the customer directly and seeing if they will take it early. Worse thing they are going to say is no.

Keep doing that and if you don't see an improvement then you may have to go up in the chain of command. It is in no one's interest for a truck to sit. You're not making money, the company isn't making money, and the company may be losing money.

Hi.. Trucking companies care less about gender than they do about gettin it done. my FM prefers women.... but rather than gender or color.. they love green. make them money and you will go further.

take the initiative as other said to bump up the appointment... drop it at a yard or ask for a relay/repower/t call