Is My Wife Being Discriminated Against?

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3. As for as telling you what to eat or drink while driving... YES! I do have the right. You know why? Cause when my steering wheel is filled with grease, bbq sauce, nacho cheese and more, I dont have the time to stop and clean the entire truck. . I once had to use a tooth brush to get the french fry crumbs out of the steering wheel. When someone hits a bump too hard or a pothole without a lid on the cup the lemonade goes flying and the entire truck gets sticky. Or.. I had someone leave a drink on the top bunk and when he drove away, gatorade now poured on my head and bed.. Soaking all blankets and sheets and my $4000.... Yep $4000 mattress. With no time to stop and dod laundry cause this is a job. I also had a guy who stopped every 2 hours eating full meals from fast food places then needed to craps every 2 hours. He drove 300 miles a day and I drop 700.... I was NOT ruining my 6 year on time delivery record for him. So guess what... Yes I have rules about food on the truck now. Don't like it? Do what you want on your truck but not one mine. Stay or get a different trainer is up to you.

Since I was the one who said it.. I'll be the one to respond to it. Yeah-- I agree with you in regards to when a person is driving. In fact, I'm not a big fan of the thought of eating ANYTHING messy while driving a vehicle, mine or otherwise. Seems like a good way to potentially end up distracted. And who in the hell brings a drink with no lid onto a vehicle? That's just bad home training. I guess in my minds eye, I just expect people in general to use common sense and "best practices". I tend to forget that some people out there probably don't have either. Thanks for the reminder, sincerely.

My experience is that women have to deal with alot more harassment on the road than in many other professions. Thankfully drivers can't get away with near as much harassment as they used to but it's still a problem in this industry.

It's still a problem in most industries. You see this same discussion in computer science, physics, in the military, certainly in restaurants as Brandie W. reports. The only place I've ever not seen it is in the Postal Service.

It's also not a problem everyone is suited to contemplate, which is why we have people who dismiss it out of hand. But I don't think that's really the intent when people deny the situation. Everyone knows that thousands upon thousands of years of historical tradition can't be overcome in a century of modern sociology and medicine.

I think what people like Big Scott really mean to say is that if you can hack it, you'll be respected. It's his way of encouragement. And I'm posting this not just for my wife to read here later, but with future readers in mind. His intent is clear and appreciated.

There is no such thing as an illegal opinion. You don't have to agree with someone's opinion.

Oh, for sure! But an opinion can become policy when spoken by the right entity, under the right context. And a company's opinion is policy. What I was pointing out is that if a company made it their policy that no parents can do a job, and that just happened to only come out when considering the employment of mothers, then that would run afoul of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. We as individuals can have whatever opinion we want, but in the context of a company's actions it takes on a different flavor.

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3. As for as telling you what to eat or drink while driving... YES! I do have the right. You know why? Cause when my steering wheel is filled with grease, bbq sauce, nacho cheese and more, I dont have the time to stop and clean the entire truck. . I once had to use a tooth brush to get the french fry crumbs out of the steering wheel. When someone hits a bump too hard or a pothole without a lid on the cup the lemonade goes flying and the entire truck gets sticky. Or.. I had someone leave a drink on the top bunk and when he drove away, gatorade now poured on my head and bed.. Soaking all blankets and sheets and my $4000.... Yep $4000 mattress. With no time to stop and dod laundry cause this is a job. I also had a guy who stopped every 2 hours eating full meals from fast food places then needed to craps every 2 hours. He drove 300 miles a day and I drop 700.... I was NOT ruining my 6 year on time delivery record for him. So guess what... Yes I have rules about food on the truck now. Don't like it? Do what you want on your truck but not one mine. Stay or get a different trainer is up to you.

Since I was the one who said it.. I'll be the one to respond to it. Yeah-- I agree with you in regards to when a person is driving. In fact, I'm not a big fan of the thought of eating ANYTHING messy while driving a vehicle, mine or otherwise. Seems like a good way to potentially end up distracted. And who in the hell brings a drink with no lid onto a vehicle? That's just bad home training. I guess in my minds eye, I just expect people in general to use common sense and "best practices". I tend to forget that some people out there probably don't have either. Thanks for the reminder, sincerely.

That's part of the problem. Many people have no common sense or compassion or any clue. One of my 50 year old female students did not know left from right. One assumed there were toilets and showers on the truck and bashed prime when she found out otherwise.

I forbid talking on the phone even with a head set. Distracting! And imagine arguing spouses while driving? But then it becomes "my trainer is mean"

No witch... Your trainer doesnt want to DIE! 😂

I had a total melt down the other day from people who arent even at prime yet DEMANDING me to train them... Despite it am dealing with my moms estate, cleaning out her residence, fighting with siblings, and dod NOT even have a truck at this time.

So yeah... Sorry... Students can be extremely demanding and assuming. One woman told prime she was going to wait for me to finish someone and expected to get paid $900 per week while sitting at home for me. For 4 weeks. Can you imagine that?

Jesus...

Yeah-- I can't say that I'd ever be a trainer-- because I just do not have the patience for some of this next level stupidity. Left and right at 50?? Toilets and showers in a truck cab?? WANTING TO TALK ON THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING AN 80,000 POUND VEHICLE??? Ugh.

Even without factoring the fact that you just lost your mom-- I couldn't imagine just.... demanding a person train me. The whole purpose is to get in, to get trained, to get out and on the road... don't get me wrong, your reputation precedes you-- but I wouldn't want to put MY paycheck on hold because I "need" a specific trainer-- I get it when its a family thing, but a person that I don't know in person? That's just silly. Just give me someone who knows what the heck they're doing and who is gonna teach me as much as they can about what I need to know to be a safe and successful driver.

My condolences for your mom. My father-in-law just passed and we're getting ready to ironman to Texas shortly. I can't imagine dealing with an internet following while trying to deal with real world **** that is far more important.

I read this thread 3 times. I have to chime in, though I’m usually quiet. I want to make 2 things clear, one I do not work for Prime, and two, I am a straight middle aged woman. I have a lot of training experience in my old profession and a couple of college degrees. In personnel management and business management. I have traveled to Singapore and China to train people, plus many in the United States. And yes, I chose to become a trucker.

I was the only female in my training class. I was expected to do everything everyone else did, even if they were 20 years younger and male. I was treated exactly the same as everyone else. Except my trainer didn’t pick me up for 2 weeks. And that didn’t work out. And then a second trainer picked me up. And that didn’t work out. Finally a third trainer did. I just completed my solo week and am now a full fledged trucker lol. But I was 3 weeks behind all the guys in my class. I was called stupid and much worse by my first 2 trainers. It seriously bordered on abusive behavior with the second one. But I NEVER EVER thought that the mishandling of my training )and the lack of management wanting to hear about it) was discrimination. IMHO a lot has to do with the kind of people that are attracted to trucking in the first place. Most are loners, maybe a bit odd, usually introverted. They do not go through a lot of training on how to speak to people or even how to teach. Some are good at that and some aren’t. So Ashley, don’t take it personally. Most of these folks are doing the best they can with the tools they have. Just get through it.

The other part I NEED to comment on is the 2 parents at home thing. Optimal, yes. Possible? Not always. As a mother who raised a fantastic special needs child all on her own, while working full time, I have to totally disagree with that statement. My son is now 32. I did a great job without any father in the picture. So if it works for you and your family, don’t sweat it. The kids will be fine.

I read this thread 3 times. I have to chime in, though I’m usually quiet. I want to make 2 things clear, one I do not work for Prime, and two, I am a straight middle aged woman. I have a lot of training experience in my old profession and a couple of college degrees. In personnel management and business management. I have traveled to Singapore and China to train people, plus many in the United States. And yes, I chose to become a trucker.

I was the only female in my training class. I was expected to do everything everyone else did, even if they were 20 years younger and male. I was treated exactly the same as everyone else. Except my trainer didn’t pick me up for 2 weeks. And that didn’t work out. And then a second trainer picked me up. And that didn’t work out. Finally a third trainer did. I just completed my solo week and am now a full fledged trucker lol. But I was 3 weeks behind all the guys in my class. I was called stupid and much worse by my first 2 trainers. It seriously bordered on abusive behavior with the second one. But I NEVER EVER thought that the mishandling of my training )and the lack of management wanting to hear about it) was discrimination. IMHO a lot has to do with the kind of people that are attracted to trucking in the first place. Most are loners, maybe a bit odd, usually introverted. They do not go through a lot of training on how to speak to people or even how to teach. Some are good at that and some aren’t. So Ashley, don’t take it personally. Most of these folks are doing the best they can with the tools they have. Just get through it.

The other part I NEED to comment on is the 2 parents at home thing. Optimal, yes. Possible? Not always. As a mother who raised a fantastic special needs child all on her own, while working full time, I have to totally disagree with that statement. My son is now 32. I did a great job without any father in the picture. So if it works for you and your family, don’t sweat it. The kids will be fine.

Vicki, glad to see you!

Can't get into semantics (at all) R/N .. terrible torn rotator cuff (thank God it's on the left, tho!!)

I'm happy for you & excited for you!!

The truckin' with kids thing, I'm an exemplar ... used to have grandpartents to watch mine on occasion, when Tom & I did tanks.

Covid reared it's head; daughter grew up & moved out, and I homeschooled the youngest...'still am' .. since we are getting college credits, nowadays!

Kinda cool... and it works for us (for the most part!)

Enough typing....have a 'request...' tho... With all you 'ladies' up in here, can one of you reply to the Ladies' section of the forum? Susan D. used to be good on that; Rainy , too ... stuff I can't answer and the pain in my arm standing up to type on my PC is Kicking My ARSK!

Thanks, y'all. Can't weigh in much more, but for MAJOR PROPS to Vicki !!! (..and photo begging, haha!)

Peace and kudos, ladies~

~ Anne ~

Kearsey, thanks for chiming in. With all you’ve got going on, it’s appreciated!

The comments here go to show things are not always as they seem and there’s always another side to the story.

To the original poster, I sincerely hope your situation improves.

🙏

This is where I will step in. Hi I'm the Mrs.. My trainer told me I didn't have the brain muscle to learn via rote memorization, there for calling me stupid. Yes my concerns were practically dismissed right out of the gate. I wasn't really being taught anything. I was having to learn the pre-trip inspection with my classmates, still doing that in the evenings or when they get the chance. I have almost my entire pre-trip down with no thanks to my trainer. I was actually willing to work stuff out. He wasn't. Thank you to those that believe a woman can work and shouldn't have to be pregnant, barefoot, and in the kitchen.

Hey I’m a trainer with prime in the tanker division. I be more then happy to train you but you need to wait like 7 week because I have a trainee with me now .I already have train 3 female driver I can give you their phone number let me know and be safe

Which we don't recommend for any brand new drivers: go pull a tank.