The Backbone of America - Truckers

When I was about 18 or 19 years old my dad would talk about how he wanted to start his own trucking company with my brothers once they graduated from high school. I'm the oldest in a family of four kids and my brother Fred is six years younger than I am and I didn't see why we had to wait for him to grow up before we could start our trucking company.

So I remember the day that I told my dad that I wanted to be a truckdriver and help him and my brothers with the trucking company. My dad just laughed at me and said, "Estas loca enanita? Estas muy chapara para subir y amarar los viajes, mejor estudia papar poder hacer los libros de la compania".

I know right? How dare he dismiss me like that! What? Oh...you don't read espanol? Ok, let me translate. What my dad said is, "Are you crazy little midget?" (this is what he called me cause I'm only 5'2" and he's 6 foot.) "You are too short to climb up and tie down the loads. Why don't you study to be the company bookkeeper instead?"

He burst my bubble, let me tell you. But being the ever dutiful daughter I went to Bakersfield College and got my Associates Degree in Accounting. I did my share but by then both my brothers had decided they didn't even want to be truckers!!! I can't blame my dad though, he was old school and women just didn't drive trucks in those days.

But things have really changed. Now I work as an insurance agent specializing in policies for trucking and transportation; so I get to speak daily to a lot of truckers, even women truckers. While I love my job, I really feel a little twinge of jealousy when I speak with truckers and they're driving through snow in North Carolina or rain storms in Washington and I'm just sitting there, day after day behind my little desk living vicariously through their stories on the road! But I look awful cheerful while I sit there don't I?

Truck drivers are some of the hardest workers I know. My brother Fred actually did eventually become a truck driver and he's up sometimes at 2 or 3am in order to get a load to where it needs to go on time. While I dread my small 25 minute commute to and from work, Fred has to drive through Los Angeles and San Francisco traffic on a daily basis. He was to deal with flat tires, crazy suicidal drivers and long, lonely roads. I can't imagine myself on the road as a truck driver now...I don't even like getting my hands dirty while I gas up my personal vehicle!

Lately though, I've gotten hooked on watching a great show on the History Channel called Ice Road Truckers. Have you ever watched this show? It's so exciting. There's a woman truck driver on the show right now named Lisa Kelly and I want to be her! I would never have the courage now, but I would like to think that way back when I would have done what she is doing!

Lisa has to fight the big boys daily to keep her job. She has to work harder than they do just to prove herself worthy to be there. She's just a little bitty thing but she has the experience and she's showing them that she has what it takes. I love watching her tie down the loads and putting chains on the tires in the snow.

The next season of Ice Road Truckers is going to be even more exciting to watch because of this woman! Not only can she keep up with the big boys...she's looks gorgeous doing it! Go Lisa!!...do us women who wanted to be truckers and woman who are truckers PROUD!