AskTheTrucker » driver trainers

Trucking Industry Covers Up Female Driver Trainees Harassment

Allen Smith — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:58:02 +0000

Are female truck driver student trainees really being harassed by some male CDL trainers? Are the stories of verbal and sexual assault true or are they just stories? Why would trucking organizations and companies want to cover up such acts of violence against women? In the world of over the road trucking, is violence against women driver trainees really taking place and are the trucking industry leaders doing all they can to cover it up?

For years, this giant industry has moved along in total control of how drivers lives would turn out. The company could either make you or break you. With billions of dollars at stake, a large majority of OTR drivers are still just a pawn in the companies game of playing with people’s hope. Hope that they can have a rewarding career and provide for themselves and their families . . . many of these trucking companies use this hope to pull in new CDL students and drivers, caring not at all that their lives, most often, will be ruined even more . . . all for the sake of the almighty dollar. Here is a recent email I received:

Mr. Smith,

I received your trucking information about a year ago and I wanted to follow up with you. All I can say is that everything you said was true. The tactics used by my company was so blatantly obvious that even a child would have been able to detect it. Everything was going fine for the first 4-5 months, but then everything changed. I realize we are in a recession, but it became very clear to me that they were working hard to “starve me out.” At the same time they were telling me that freight was slow, they were hiring new student drivers every week. I wish I would have taken your advise a year ago, it would have saved me a lot of heartache.

Truth About Trucking, LLC is not about pushing anyone away from trucking as a career, but to assist in showing how and what one will be expected to go through in order to make trucking work as a career. Surviving the first couple of years as an OTR driver is the key, which you must realize will be very difficult to do for many. Again, a great part of long haul trucking is designed for your failure.

Having been involved in trucking in some form or fashion since 1969, I am no newcomer to the industry. In past years, I have declined to work as a driver trainer and I have never operated around female student drivers. In fact, with 20 years of long haul trucking under my belt, I never even ran into that many women drivers. As reports of abuse and harassment by trainers against female students became known, I first responded by doubt. Thirty two years of driving a truck, locally and long haul, I had never witnessed any such acts against women drivers. Then came news about CRST and the suit brought against by hundreds of women, which by the way, was refiled on November 30th, 2009. Unlike many drivers and trucking industry organizations and leaders, I could not believe that all 230 women were simply lying. This was just one company . . . I wondered if there were other female driver trainees too afraid to come forward regarding these acts of violence which include both mental and physical abuse . . . then came TruckerDesiree.

As I mentioned on the Dan Rather Reports, after Desiree began sharing her story on this blog, I began receiving emails and often phone calls, from women across the country asking for our help in making this issue more public. First came a few dozen, then as many as a few hundred. I would always ask each women why they never reported such incidents of violence, even rape by these male trainers . . . and the answer was always two-fold: (1) they were afraid of losing their jobs and (2) they did not think anyone would believe them anyway. Through our investigation, one aspect that always surprised me was the fact that industry “leaders” and organizations tried and are still trying, to keep this issue silent. This is an issue that not only deals with female harassment, but male harassment as well. Furthermore, let’s be fair . . . driver trainers have also been harassed by driver trainees. Bottom line . . . there is a big problem within the trucking industry and its driver training programs. Why then, is the industry fighting back so hard to prevent this issue from being heard further?

Why would large trucking organizations contact former drivers who are now unemployed and on welfare, and recruit them to write against TruckerDesiree and anyone who works toward making this issue known? Why would these organizations and trucking companies not want to change their driver training programs and instead, continue to turn their heads when women are reporting physical, mental abuse and even rape? Furthermore, why is there no law enforcement agency stepping forward to conduct their own investigation into this matter?

How big, really is this issue? Are you a female CDL student trainee who experienced such acts of violence by a male driver trainer? Post your experience at Real Women in Trucking. Trucking organizations have recruited drivers that were once on the side of Desiree . . . I know this as fact. Why are they wanting to cover up such illegal acts by some of these male driver trainers that they continue to hire? Why are there still those trucking companies and organizations condoning this behavior and working to discredit those women who are sharing their experiences?

We would like to hear your thoughts . . .

: cover up, crst, driver trainers, female driver, female drivers, harassment, otr drivers, real, sexual harassment, Trucker Desiree, trucking, trucking companies, trucking industry, trucking organizations, violence, women in trucking

Trucking Talk Show Exposes Hostility Within the Industry

Allen Smith — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:41:13 +0000

Trucking talk radio, Truth About Trucking “LIVE” aired their introductory commentary broadcast this evening by Allen Smith, concerning bullying and harassment within the trucking industry and the public workplace. Part 1 of a 2 Part series, Allen set the stage for their in-depth look into the hostility many truck driving students, male and female, are facing from some driver trainers and the trucking companies that employ them.

The next show, Hostile Training and Work Environments within Trucking, will be a 2 hour show as Truth About Trucking looks at the hostile work environment within the trucking industry. From the bullying to criminal assaults targeting students and drivers, this area of trucking continues to go unreported. With a wide range of special guests, the show will reveal and discuss the motives AND solutions to one of trucking’s dirty little secrets. Showtime: Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 7:30 PM EST.

: assaults, bullying, driver trainers, female drivers, harassment, hostility, industry, students, talk radio, trucking, trucking companies

Bullying in the Workplace

Allen Smith — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:37:13 +0000

As elementary as it may seem, intimidation by the workplace bully has actually become a silent epidemic . . . not only in this country, but worldwide. A recent study on bullying in the workplace, showed that 37% of the population is or has experienced being bullied while performing their job duties. It is believed that many cases go unreported, and worse yet, many companies do nothing about it once reported.

Often told to “just gut up and handle it” – bullying has become so overwhelming for some, that in recent years a new term has been coined: bullycide. In recent years, kids as young as 13, as well as adults, have taken their own lives due to the cowardly acts of these still-existent bullies. The trucking industry is no exception.

Many CDL students and specifically, female drivers are finding themselves being “bullied” by some driver trainers. Many of these trainers are known convicted felons, still hired by the trucking company. With the lack of professional women trainers, female students are placed in a truck with a male trainer and are finding themselves harassed, assaulted and even raped. Many male students are being “thrown out” of the truck in the middle of nowhere by these bully trainers and left stranded . . . yet, the trucking company will terminate the student, and do nothing in response to the trainer’s actions.

Even when an act as violent as rape has occurred, the situation is turned around in order to place the fault upon the female driver. When one female driver was recently raped by one of the felon trainers, the trucking company simply asked her, “Well, did you keep your curtain closed?” This driver was terminated from her job and the felon male driver trainer remained with the company, receiving no repercussion of any kind. There are hundreds of cases like this one playing out within the trucking industry today, yet, they remain to be reported by the main news media.

Most trucking companies and driver trainers are professional and respectful individuals. Still, there are a handful of trucking companies who continue to hire known felons and place them in a position as a driver trainer, and simply turn the other way when acts of bullying and violent crimes take place . . . punishing only the victim. We are taking a stance to reporting this type of behavior and to push it out into the main stream media in order to let it be known. It has got to STOP!

There is a massive difference between bullying and rape. Recently, one trucking company received 265 complaints by female drivers and very little was done. Now facing 35 counts of sexual harassment, the other 230 reports were “thrown out” by the courts because they were not filed within the 45 day reporting deadline. Another tactic used by these trucking companies that allow these acts to take place.

Truth About Trucking “LIVE” will begin bringing this epidemic to light on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 at 7:30 PM EST. Host Allen Smith, will present a one hour commentary on the trucking talk radio show, setting the stage for the main broadcast which will be on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 7:30 PM EST. With a special guest panel, the 2 hour show will reveal the truth behind the bullying and violent assaults that many CDL students and new drivers are facing within the trucking industry. Future shows will be slated, as we continue to push forward in order to stop these acts from occurring, and to demand that the trucking companies who knowingly allow these acts to continue, STOP!

Solutions to the problem will be a major focus for the show. It’s time to report these acts of violence and let it be known that the correct measures must be put in place to prevent them from happening.

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 – 7:30 PM EST - Bullying in the Workplace

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 - 7:30 PM EST – Hostile Training and Work Environments within Trucking

Join us as we report on Truth About Trucking “LIVE”

: bullycide, bullying, cdl students, driver trainers, female driver, female drivers, hostile training, rape, solutions, talk radio, trainer, trucking, trucking company, trucking industry, truth about trucking, workplace

Student Truck Drivers Often Face Hostility and Abuse

Allen Smith — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:30:00 +0000

Harassment, verbal and physical abuse, sexual assault and even rape is being reported within the trucking industry on student drivers by their driver trainers. Though most driver trainers are highly professional and respectful to their student trainees, there are those who are committing these acts of violent crime. The trucking companies who employ these known felons, (and all of us veteran drivers know who these companies are), simply look the other way and usually end up terminating the student, taking no action against the criminal trainer.

Unlawful harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal authority. Any employee wishing to initiate an EEO complaint arising out of the alleged incident of harassment must contact an FCC EEO Counselor or other EEO official within 45 calendar days of the date of the incident. The employee should not wait until the trucking company’s internal harassment inquiry is completed to contact a counselor if waiting will allow the 45-day time limit to expire. Thus the reason many complaints fail to ever get resolved.

Furthermore, as a student or newcomer to trucking, needing a job and a paycheck . . . many reports go unreported because of fear of losing that job that is needed so badly. Therefore, these criminal driver trainers continue with their crimes as some of the trucking companies keep looking the other way. Many also, fear being ridiculed and made out to be the culprit instead of the victim . . . all thanks to savvy attorneys who will turn around and “attack” the victim of the crime.

Recently, more and more female drivers are banding together and filing lawsuits against these trucking companies who did nothing when the crimes were reported. There would have been many more, if they had not let the 45 day limit to pass, unknowingly. Let’s be clear . . . most trucking companies do not tolerate any type of employee harassment and will take the proper actions required. However, there are a handful of companies that allow this type of activity to continue and a few of them are now being taken to court. I hope the driver trainers who committed these crimes are brought to justice as well. I can only wish they spend many years in prison.

Trucking talk radio, Truth About Trucking “LIVE” will be confronting this issue in its upcoming broadcast on Monday, June 15th, 2009 and Tuesday , June 23rd, 2009. Not only will we be discussing these crimes taking place within the trucking industry, but we will have several special guests appearing on the June 21st show to further discuss why these crimes take place, how they occur and most importantly, finding solutions to resolve them.

This behavior by some driver trainers and the trucking companies that keep them employed, is nothing new. The problem is that this “little secret” has been swept under the rug for many years. It simply has not or does not get reported. We are going to change that.

Mark your calendars for Monday, 6-15-09 for: Bullying in the Workplace – Part 1 for 7:30 PM EST and Hostile Training and Work Environments within Trucking for Tuesday, 6-23-09 for 7:30 PM EST.

It’s time to lift the rug and report these crimes being committed by these driver trainers and the trucking companies who allow them to continue.

Only on:

: bullying, crimes, driver trainers, female drivers, harassment, hostile training, student, student truck drivers, talk radio, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, trucking industry, truth about trucking, work environments

Trucking News- Meet Trucker Desiree

Allen Smith — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:57:15 +0000

How serious is harassment against female truck drivers? From trucking companies and male driver trainers, you just may be surprised to hear how some companies and drivers are treating many of our women in trucking. Join Allen and Donna, along with special guest, Trucker Desiree, as they blow the lid off of one of trucking’s dirty little secrets. Other topics will include the California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposal for tighter emission and air quality control, certain to effect many owner operators across the country. With other special guests scheduled to appear, be sure to tune in for this 2 Hour Special as Truth About Trucking “LIVE” goes “Green” and talks about what others choose to ignore.

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 at 6 PM EST

Trucking Secrets Exposed!

Only on – Truth About Trucking “LIVE”

: CARB, driver trainers, female, harassment, news, owner operators, truck drivers, Trucker Desiree, trucking, truth about trucking, women in trucking

AskTheTrucker » driver trainers

Trucking Industry Covers Up Female Driver Trainees Harassment

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