How Much Strength Is Required?

Congrats kristine! I've been driving for 15 years and have arthritis in my spine and lupus that affects my joints. The company I work for will not allow me to lift anything that may hurt me worse. We are required to use chains in the winter but they even pay someone to put them on and take them off for me. Same goes with driver unload or driver assist loads. Many companies that hire new drivers won't allow their employees to chain. If it's bad enough to chain it's too bad to be on the road... read the policy of the company and if you don't like what it says find a company that fits you better. Never settle or be unsafe. Good luck and happy driving.

Kim, may I ask who you drive for? The reason I ask is I broke my elbow about 6 years ago and while I can lift about 50 --70lbs waist high, I would never be able to lift it over my head. I am getting ready to go to a local technical school and have been getting prehire letters. I didn't even bother with Prime because the recruiter told me I would have to be able to lift 70 lbs over my head for Prime's company physical. I am fairly strong for a woman and I know there are some that could lift that amount of weight, but many would never be able to. I know not all companies are like that, but it seems they are eliminating a lot of potential employees!

Lifting, in trucking is a thing of the past.....if they use it in their pretesting, its to weed out prissy women, I guess. Its a scientific fact that women do not have the upper body strength. So ANY test of lifting over ones head is unfair in my book. BUT it has become a known fact in the trucking industry, that women make better drivers !!!! SO don't settle for dome company that makes you look like wonder woman....pick one that wants you for your common sense, your work ethics, and your honesty...thats where us "apron slingers" excel !!!!

Lifting, in trucking is a thing of the past.....if they use it in their pretesting, its to weed out prissy women, I guess. Its a scientific fact that women do not have the upper body strength. So ANY test of lifting over ones head is unfair in my book. BUT it has become a known fact in the trucking industry, that women make better drivers !!!! SO don't settle for dome company that makes you look like wonder woman....pick one that wants you for your common sense, your work ethics, and your honesty...thats where us "apron slingers" excel !!!!

I agree Starcar, but I did find it interesting that the company most of the guys on this forum tout as being so wonderful, basically sets their lifting requirements up so that many women would never be able to pass them. it may not have been intentional, but does come across that way to me. Oh well, it did force me to look elsewhere and have found a few companies I am really interested in talking to more seriously once I get started in school.

Jolie...I agree.....but its the company thats missing out...Women make great drivers for alot of other reasons than strength....women are PROBLEM SOLVERS....that goes a long way in trucking...