FEATURE: Female Truck Drivers
Female Truck Drivers: Independent, Fierce, Controlling Their Destiny There’s a story behind every woman sitting in the driver’s seat of a truck. Whether it be how their background brought them to the transportation industry or the purpose they feel they serve as a driver, their journeys are inspirational and a much-needed motivation boost for the next generation. Take a look at the stories from these female drivers that show how dedication and determination are essential when reaching for your dreams.
Liz Imel
Reinventing Your Career After learning how to drive tractors at the age of five, Liz Imel grew up to become an over-the-road professional driver for Maverick Transportation in Little Rock, Ark. Growing up on a farm and working with big trucks as a teenager encouraged her to stick with her first love. Imel spent seven years in a farm repair shop and then worked for a hardware manufacturer for over a decade. When the company closed due to foreign trade, she refocused her life on professional truck driving. With her daughters fully grown, she saw an opportunity to take her severance from her last company and go back to school to earn her CDL.
Jazmin Vasquez
Going Electric Based in California, Jazmin Vasquez is a professional driver for NFI Industries and entered the profession following in the footsteps of her father and brother – both of whom are truck drivers. She began hauling freight over-the-road in 2019 and enjoys the chance to see new parts of the country. Vasquez is one of few female drivers willing to operate an electric heavy-duty truck. She drives a Kalmar Ottawa electric terminal tractor that provides less noise and fumes than
As a driver for Maverick, Imel spent the first seven years driving a refrigerated truck for the company. Today, she hauls boats and still enjoys her line of work. She loves seeing the country and getting a good workout in when unloading. She is proud to be in her career, and is more optimistic these days about the public’s view on self-motivated women that want to join the industry and start a great career. “One good thing that came out of this pandemic is that the general public has a newfound respect for professional truck drivers,” Imel says. “I challenge every driver to maintain and keep that respect by being true professionals out there— while driving and parked!”
diesel trucks. Vasquez is proud to be a driver that focuses on lessening harm to the environment. Her contribution to healthier air quality is linked back to creating a livable climate for her young relatives growing up, and future generations. She is looking forward to the next innovations for electric trucks and is ready for faster chargers that will be lighter and easier for women to move. Vasquez is a proponent for more women joining the industry and encourages them to stay away from thinking it’s not a possibility for females to thrive as drivers.
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