I know you will have some very beautiful women submit photos of themselves, and my photo probably won’t be what you expected.  It’s a photo of me getting my hair buzzed because I had just started chemo to treat breast cancer.  Because of this, I’ve realized that beauty really is what’s inside because the outside can change so quickly.  My husband and I have been team-driving for 12 years, pulling a flatbed, until 9/12 when I had to quit driving to start my cancer treatments.  I will be finished the end of March 2013 and I’m looking forward to getting back on the road with the love of my life!

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I can show the boys how it’s done while looking great with a big smile on my face.  17 years this year, accident free! Clean MVR and very proud to be a female truck driver.

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Been driving for over 10 years  most of those years have been as an owner operator for one of the biggest companies in the industry. when i start up my rig the cab becomes an office and i always dress professionally and classy to represent my company and to show people that a lady driver  can operate a big rig and do all the job related duties in jeans as well as in a skirt and a pair of high heeled shoes.

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Name: Libby Clayton
Company: Fort Worth Carrier Corporation
Years in trucking: 7
What you haul: I’m a driver for Dillards. I pull doubles across country
Truck’s make and model: 2006 Kenworth T600

Some of Libby’s earliest memories are with her grandfather, riding along in his big rig. “He’s the reason why trucking is in my blood,” she says.

Those memories stayed with her throughout her life while she raised her two children as a military spouse. Once they had grown, she decided to ditch her desk job and pursue what she had always wanted to do: drive.

Now she says what she loves most about being on the road is the scenery. From the desert roads in Arizona to the valleys and hills in the Southeast, “It’s a beautiful country.”

What made you decide to enter the contest? Show trucks have always caught my eye, and I’ve always wanted to be photographed with one. I think it’d be a neat thing to pull out years down the road and show my grandkids and tell them, “Hey, this is what your grandma looked like in her trucking days.”

OVERDRIVE: How would you define beauty in relation to trucking?

CLAYTON: I believe beauty radiates from within. You can see it in a person’s eyes and their smile the way they light up. They enjoy life. That’s where you see true beauty. Enjoying life is everyone’s best cosmetic.

Trucking is kind of the same way, I guess. You see some of the most beautiful areas of the country right from your workstation—through that windshield. There are negatives, and there are positives, but you have to enjoy what you do or you’re going to be miserable out there.

OVERDRIVE: What do family and friends think of you making it this far in the contest?

CLAYTON: To be honest, I was a little concerned at the beginning asking family and friends to vote for me. But I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support I’ve had from them and by some of the things people have said. Some of the encouragement from family and friends and people from work has brought tears to my eyes. Even if I don’t win this, I’ve already won.

OVERDRIVE: What do you feel is the role of women truckers?

CLAYTON:I think women should be in whatever career field they want to be in as long as they can do the job. A workplace is a workplace, whether it’s behind a desk or the wheel of a big rig. I think we’re as comfortable there as we can be in any position.

OVERDRIVE: Is there anything you would say to the non-driving public about driving big rigs?

CLAYTON: “Safety First” is not just a patch on my uniform; it’s a mindset. I have found the transition from the 9-to-5 world to trucking to be actually calming. I used to hurry to and from work, no time to waste. But driving is what I do, and sitting in traffic backups is expected. Hurrying and safety don’t mix. I do wish people would stop and think about what they are doing when they cut us off, ride on the side of the trailers or directly behind us.

OVERDRIVE: Is there anything you wish you knew before you started driving?

CLAYTON: My first week on the road, I remember asking myself what I had gotten myself into. The first year was the hardest to get used to. I enjoy being at home and seeing my cats and planting flowers, but the longer I’m out here the more I like it.

OVERDRIVE: Is there a sisterhood or camaraderie in trucking?

CLAYTON: I’d say there is,but there are only so few of us and we only see each other occasionally during the course of a work day.  But there’s always that moment when you’re at a truck stop stopping for a drink or the restroom, and you acknowledge each other as you walk past each other. What little contact I have though, through a smile or a “hello” or a simple nod of the head there seems to pass an understanding or a bond between us.

Most of our store deliveries are after hours, but on the occasion when we’re there when the employees are, it always makes me smile to see especially the female employees get such a thrill out of seeing a female driver. I get a lot of “you go girl” and compliments from them.

OVERDRIVE: What do you like about the way you look?

CLAYTON: Well, I think that when I smile, I make other people smile. Maybe with my smile, I can bring other people happiness. They say a smile goes a long way.

Do you like Finalist Libby Clayton: ‘Enjoying life is everyone’s best cosmetic’? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’m a writer/poet who just graduated from a master’s program at UC Davis, with a degree in Creative Writing. I’m driving 48 states solo now, while working on my first novel. A lot of things make people beautiful, but I think what makes me so is seeing endless miles of America from a semi truck windshield. Dwight Yoakam songs playing on the stereo, sunset over the plains of Oklahoma, Mississippi River at dawn, and narrow dirt roads of Texas. It enriches a person from the inside, and makes them beautiful all over.

Do you like Kitty Liang? Share your choice on Facebook!

Back when I was eighteen my boyfriend asked me to move one of his trucks–an old B-model Mack with a twin stick–and when he said I did a pretty good job, I was hooked. My plan to go to college and study psychology went right out the window. Literally. And here I am, thirty five years later, and I am still trucking. At fifty two, I’ll have to say, I still get a bang out of the stares and the comments I still get every time I jump out of my truck. It amazes me how fascinated people still are over women driving these big rigs. The best part is watching the little kids eyes widened at a stop light. I wave and toot the horn and they go berserk. Well, I keep saying every year it’s my last, but I keep on trucking. In fact, I now have three dump trucks, and just this week I treated myself to a new Peterbilt. Well, not new-new. But a 2005 sure beats my ol ’94.

Do you like Cynthia Smith? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’ve had a love for big rigs since I was a little girl. My first driving job was in 1997. I didn’t like being away from my daughter so I decided to stay home until she was 18, then I got my CDL again and went on the road with my husband. We drove the US and Canada for 4 years before I had to take some time off for medical reasons. I am now doing better and I’m looking forward to getting back on the road. I really do miss it.

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My name is Rebekah, aka miss Hollywood. I’ve been a professional driver for 13 years currently running heavy haul /oversized load. I’m 36, a mother to 5 beautiful daughters and married to an amazing man. I take a lot of pride in what I do for a living, and often have to work that much harder being the only female running what we haul, which is concrete forms. I an avid horse trainer as well. I’m far from perfect on the outside, but I’ve got a heart of gold. I love everything about my job!

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I feel I qualify because I am as beautiful as any other woman driving a truck. I love people I meet and I dress for my work every day. I take care of myself. I work out and walk as much as I can to keep myself in shape. I own 379 maroon Peterbilt in which I’ve invested most of my pay. I’m dedicated to my job to make every load deliver safely. I got my chapters lic when i was 15. I hauled pulp wood n poles to pole mill. I’ve hauled gravel.  pulled box , tanker . thank  u for this opportunity.

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I have a great attitude…love my job

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I’m a southern belle from the great state of North Carolina. I’ve been interested in vehicles all my life. I love to drive anything with wheels, some things without. I’ve been driving 18 wheels for 14 years. I could drive 24hrs a day if it was possible.

I got started with expedited freight then car hauling and now sea cans from the great Ports of Charleston, SC. I have met alot of awesome people in this great state, and alot of them really watch out for me, you guys will never know how much ya’ll are greatly appreciated.

So, as you can tell, I am a bit of a spoiled driver, I do my 600 miles and I get the privilege of going home everyday. (And all you fine drivers who decide to try out this fine company, make sure you tell’em I sent ya. Maybe I’ll get enough sign on bonuses to pay for a beautiful truck I’ve been wanting, lol!!)

Along with my southern drawl, I believe I have a great personality and a great attitude toward life, cause I can get along with anyone and I make friends everywhere I go. I love to make people smile, weather it’s with a little bit of southern charm, like “howdy, how ya’ll doin?” or a great cupcake I give out to all the places that I stop, that I even bake myself. Theres nothing like the feeling you get from making someones day with something so simple!

In short, it’s great to have a job thats has a part in keeping this country movin. Meeting great people along the way is one of its many perks. It would be honored to add being “Overdrive’s Most Beautiful” to that list.
(LiveLoveLaugh everyday)

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I have been driving about four years now.  I learned how to drive in a 1 week crash course from my husband. (only 2 days actual time in the truck) At the time he was going to have knee surgery. And I had the decision keep the truck moving or go bankrupt. It was an easy decision, but a very nerve racking week. Since then I have really enjoyed getting to know the other drivers and I’m always learning more.  (I’ve heard I inadvertently cause some fights/tension. As other drivers have asked their wives to do the same.)

Do you like Lisa Martinez? Share your choice on Facebook!

I was a police officer for 6 years and then a business manager for 6 years. We were tired of chasing the materialistic “American dream” and never spending time together. We got rid of the house, the furniture and finally pared down to just 6 boxes of photos and sentimental items that we stored at a relative’s house. Life is much simpler without all that baggage! I thought it would be fun to participate in the truck photos — always up for new adventures.

Do you like Christa Ferdarko? Share your choice on Facebook!

I have been trucking for approx 30yrs i was out there when women were scarce and i got harassed but look at me now i made it. I haul local Seattle-Tacoma Washington been with my company now 20 yrs i run the ports and i am known as Castan’s Precious Princess. Have a lot of Pink inside my truck which keeps the guys out!! Would love to represent the Woman of Trucking…

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Name: Karen Moore
Owner-operator: Independent, Tom Moore Transportation
Years in trucking: 12
What and where she hauls: Flatbed, 48 states
Truck: 1999 International 9400

The day she finished her course of radiation treatment for breast cancer, Karen Moore was back on the road with a cross-country load of bees bound for Florida. That was in March, and she was still weak.

“I got to hit the ground running, which is good. My energy’s good, and I’m getting my strength back. But I used to do a whole bunch of push-ups and work out really hard. Now, my body doesn’t know what to do. It’s like starting all over again. But I have the energy, so life’s good.”

Indeed, if this former legal secretary decides to give up professional trucking, she could make a living as a professional optimist. Her sentences are typically punctuated with laughter. She can talk about IFTA taxes and sound enthusiastic.

Still, there’s nothing fun about a cancer diagnosis. Yet in discussing her trucking life and Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest, Karen speaks always of ‘we,’ as in she and her husband, team driver and business partner Tom Moore.

In a dozen years of trucking, they’d never gone out solo. But, weakened by her treatment, Karen twice had to “play dispatcher,” even from the chemotherapy chair.

“Because we’re independent, we had to book our own loads. It was quite a feat, but we kept everything paid. And now he appreciates having me back in the truck. Between my legal background and his business mind, we were a perfect match. We made it work.”

Still, there’s nothing like a life-and-death scare to help a person understand priorities. She’s always enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at America trucking offers, but Karen recounts a recent visit to the landmark Dinesphere — that giant golf ball structure just off of I-40 near Yucca, Ariz.

“We’ve been driving past for 12 years wondering what that is. Finally, we said we’re going to stop. And they’d just closed for remodeling,” she says. “It’s important to take a little time to smell the roses, see the sites, see your friends while you’re out trucking. A single driver may not enjoy it so much, but it’s important because some day these things are going to be gone. You’re going to regret not picking an afternoon and going to see something. Get off the beaten path. It makes trucking so much more interesting. If you’re going to go trucking, enjoy it.”

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter the contest?

Karen: It was a whim. I didn’t even think about it, other than ‘that’s cool.’ I was still going through chemo, but afterwards I was glad I did because it’s been so much fun. When you hit 50 you don’t feel as beautiful as you were when you were 20. Then on your 50th birthday you find out you have cancer and you lose your hair and your eyebrows, you really don’t feel very attractive. But inside still you still feel like you used to — it’s only when you walk by a mirror that you go, ’huh.’
What made me decide was I always attractive when I was younger. But you lose so much of the physical beauty, it becomes so much more about what’s inside — what comes through your eyes, your smile. That’s so much more important than physical beauty that you can lose. But if you have beauty in your heart, and you’re a good person, the rest of it doesn’t really matter.

Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Karen: A lot of people have a conception of what women truckers look like. Especially when we first started and I was younger, I would call up a steel mill, and say I’ll be picking up some steel. Guys would actually come in to see a woman trucker. All women truckers shouldn’t be fat and sloppy, and that’s what a lot of people think of. Trucking has gotten a bad image over the years, and when we see an attractive trucker – woman or man – we’re pleased. If someone takes pride in how they look, even if they’re sitting behind the wheel and someone may not see them all day, they still take pride in how they feel. It’s the whole attitude. They put a smile on your face, and they do a better job.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the top 10?

Karen: They’re thrilled. They kept asking for updates and now they can’t wait for the voting to start again.

Overdrive: So is there a sisterhood—a camaraderie between the women—in trucking?

Karen: Trucking is an interesting profession in that truckers so many times are yelling and screaming on the CB. They act like they’re tough and they’re really critical of each other. Yet, if you have a breakdown, or if you need something in the truck stop, a trucker will be the first one to help you out. So I definitely feel a camaraderie among truckers. I don’t run into that many women, but we’ll chat a little bit — so I don’t know. It’s still mostly a man’s world.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women in trucking?

Karen: More women would improve the image of trucking overall. I think it’s a great profession for women. I was a legal secretary for 20 years where I went to a cubicle and worked long hours, but I always wanted a job where I could be outside, get dirty and see the country. I have found it to be a wonderful opportunity to make friends all over the country. A lot of people I worked with had never left the state. There’s so much out there, and trucking is a fabulous opportunity.
If I were doing it alone, I’d probably be a little concerned. But I’m lucky that I have a husband and a best friend to work with, and that we work together so well. We’re just a really good team. Women who go out solo and go long distance are very brave and they have my utmost respect.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Karen: Usually Tom and I are together. Men don’t harass me or anything like that. But in some of the little towns, where it’s still a good ol’ boy’s world and they all work at the steel mill, they are still really surprised to have a woman come in to deliver a load. To this day, it never fails: I’ll call in to set my appointment, and they’ll say, ‘have your driver … .’ They can’t comprehend. I’m just the little gal in the office and a male is going to deliver their stuff. It can’t be me. That’s 98 percent of the time, telling me to have the driver call when he gets close — and I’m the driver! It’s like they didn’t hear me.

Overdrive: Is there one thing you wish you would have known before you started trucking?

Karen: Some things you have to accept, like you may not get a shower every day. Most mornings I’m getting up at 4 a.m., doing a pre-trip then I hit the road. Makeup? Are you kidding? I’m lucky to put on lipstick. If you care about primping and doing all of those things, trucking may not be the job for you. But I’ve learned so much about myself. I’ve learned that I have more endurance, to go the long haul. On expedited runs there’s no time to stop for anything: drive, sleep, drive, sleep. I’ve learned that I really am a super hard worker and I can take a lot of adversity and I can take a lot of stress. It’s a very stressful career, especially being an owner-operator, where you’re in charge of everything — maintenance, repairs, tires, legal stuff.

Overdrive: If you could fix one thing about the trucking industry, what would it be?

Karen: It would be so nice if not one more trucker would leave a pee bottle or trash on the side of the road. I hate going into truck stops and rest stops and weigh stations and there’s so much litter. And you know, with one-gallon bottles of urine, that it’s caused by truckers and it’s so disgusting. I would clean up that part of the trucking industry. It’s so sad to see this beautiful countryside littered with trash. There’s no excuse. I just don’t get it.

Overdrive: If you could say one thing to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs, what would it be?

Karen: The biggest thing that I get from non-truckers, when they find out we have a trucking company, is they turn to me, never Tom, and say, ‘do you drive, too?’ I’ve known a lady trucker who trained her husband to be a trucker, and people would turn to her and say ‘do you drive, too?’ And he wouldn’t correct them at all — he was the macho trucker. It’s still a very sexist mentality that people have. I know a lot of women go along, but I can’t imagine being in a big rig 24 hours a day and not driving. You can only read or knit so much.

Do you like Finalist Karen Moore: ‘If you have beauty in your heart, the rest doesn’t matter’? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’m not the average female type. I own and operate my own trucking company.  I work hard and play even harder.  I love fast and loud trucks.  I grew up in the trucking industry and I have always wanted to drive big rigs because of my Dad.  I haul nothing but cattle now, from the south to the midwest.

Do you like Susan Duffie? Share your choice on Facebook!

You’re beautiful because you take risks. You substituted “who cares” for “what if” and stopped talking into your beer about how you were going to do it and actually did it. You’re not afraid to take a crazy stupid chance on your crazy stupid dreams you live life to it’s fullest. You’re an inspiration and you’re real.

You’re beautiful because you just don’t give a damn. You don’t need everyone to like you, agree with you or approve of you to feel good about yourself. You know that “good enough” is subjective, and that more often than not the subject doesn’t really matter anyway. I know you’ll never wake up suddenly 45 and nowhere, half your time and potential wasted on following someone else’s idiot advice.
You’re beautiful because you take pride in ironically showcasing that you’re not. You laugh at the silly standards of conventional beauty and elevate armpit hair, blue-veined pallor and Chucks held together by luck alone to a whole new level. You will never be the one to drop six grand on an anti-aging cream made from red algae and gorilla spit because when you’re eighty, you will be proud of the history that gave you those wrinkles. The thing is, you are absolutely stunning.

You’re beautiful because you’re brave. You know there’s more to life than measuring how long you have — you came face to face with your own mortality and turned to look the other way.
You’re beautiful because you believe in things. Even when it’s easier to be cynical, skeptical, hyper-rational, you keep believing because you know believing in things is what makes them real. You’re beautiful for that reason, because you can do something lots of people can’t.
You’re beautiful and you shouldn’t wait for someone else to tell you. You already know it.
You’re the most beautiful lady on this planet to me, trucker or not. You’re just you.

Do you like Danette Stevens Adamson? Share your choice on Facebook!

Yvonne has such a great attitude. Every time she comes in to the office she is so happy and tries to get everyone to smile thru her jokes. She loves being a driver and tells everyone about it. We think she is beautiful inside and out and we love working with her.

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My boyfriend tells me I’m beautiful all the time. I would like to find out.

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I am very passionate about my job, I have encouraged many women to drive, I have worked with Trucker buddies for years to help The children to understand our industry. I have been trucker buddie of the month of September, and I love writing articles about this industry.

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Maggie Stone was voted into the top 10 in the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest.

Name: Maggie Stone
Independent Owner-Operator: Missfit Trucking
Years in trucking: 21
What you haul: Hogs for AgFeed Industries (based in Iowa) and Dan O’Brien Trucking. I also haul cattle.
Truck’s make and model: 1999 Peterbilt 379

Maggie Stone is carrying on a family tradition. Her father, uncles, and grandfather all drove trucks, but she’s the first woman in her family to do so. And of all the loads to pull, hers may be one of the least ladylike, but this independent owner-operator doesn’t mind getting a little smelly and dirty while pulling hogs and cattle across the country. She considers herself just one of the guys, she says.

“Sometimes I’m my own worst enemy. I’m in a man’s world, and I don’t like to ask for help, which can be difficult when you’re moving 300-pound hogs,” she says with a laugh.

After two years in the Army in the late ’80s, she started driving professionally in 1992. Through all that time on the road, she’s grown to appreciate the sense of family and community there is in trucking. So much so, that she dedicates her time, money, and her truck to helping needy trucking families every Christmas, and she’s volunteered with Trucker Charity Inc., a group that helps truckers in need year round. When Arrow Trucking, Co. filed for bankruptcy in 2010, Stone and a large group of volunteers worked hard to bring truckers home safely who were still on the road.

OVERDRIVE: What made you decide to enter this contest?

STONE: I didn’t—somebody else entered for me. I don’t know who yet, but I am narrowing it down. I’m just tickled someone entered me, though, considering I often smell bad thanks to the hogs.

OVERDRIVE: How would you define beauty?

STONE: Beauty, to me, is not just outward. I mean somebody can be extremely ugly on the outside but beautiful on the inside.

OVERDRIVE: What was the reaction from family and friends when you made the Top 10?

STONE: My family went absolutely crazy. I’m the third generation in trucking—the first girl. And my aunt has been commenting on photos with such beautiful messages, saying everybody is looking down on me and cheering for me. It gives me goose bumps.

OVERDRIVE: How do you feel about the role of women truckers?

STONE: It’s a tough job and a tough life, and it is kind of hard for women to fit in, but I have noticed lately there are more and more women who are getting into it, and I really encourage more and more women to get into it. It can be hard—you’re away from your kids and your home a lot, but you get to see the country and meet new people every day.

OVERDRIVE: What would you say to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs?

STONE: I’d say that women are just as capable—if not more capable—than men at driving. My father used to say women were easier on equipment than men. I’d also remind them that anything you own, a truck brought it to you.

OVERDRIVE: Can you tell us a funny story or incident that has to do with you being a woman driver?

STONE: The first time I showed up for a job I had, I walked into the office ready to turn in my paperwork, and I heard two men upset, wondering where their driver was. I went up to talk to them, and they asked, “Can we help you?” I told them I was their driver. They laughed and said they thought I was a kindergarten teacher or something.

OVERDRIVE: What do you wish you knew before you started driving?

STONE: The hours are long and grueling, and it is tough to be away from home. It’s also hard to keep up appearances and stay clean and professional, especially with the type of hauls I pull. As a woman, you always have to focus on being safe, too. It can be scary at night walking across a truck stop parking lot, so that’s something you have to always keep in mind.

OVERDRIVE: If you could fix one thing about trucking, what would it be?

STONE: The image. Years ago, when my father and uncles were driving, they were the kings of the road. People thought they were amazing when they found out they drove trucks. But now, you hardly want to tell people you do that. I take pride in what I do, but a lot of drivers don’t. I want us to be kings of the road again. We move America.

OVERDRIVE: Is there a sisterhood in trucking?

STONE: I would say so. We find each other through different social networks and other sources. When we see each other on the road, we have a little bond, and it’s nice because there aren’t many of us. There especially aren’t many independent owner-operators who are women.

OVERDRIVE: What do you like about your beauty?

STONE: I’d say I have a big heart. I’m very giving — and my smile is contagious.

Do you like Finalist Maggie Stone: ‘I take pride in what I do’? Share your choice on Facebook!

Amanda should be selected as one of Overdrive’s most beatiful woman because she is the true definition of beautiful on the inside and outside. She is caring, loyal, professional, generous and intelligent. Amanda is exactly the type of trucker that should represent women in the industry. She drives with professionalism, skill, ease and a concern for all on the road. She is a second generation trucker, following in the foot steps of her parents. One of her greatest joys is working side by side with her dad for one of the nation’s largest and most professional companies. In Amanda’s free time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, the great outdoors, and riding her Harley.

Do you like Amanda MacPhail? Share your choice on Facebook!

She is a very giving person. Helps other in need. Very friendly and does her job well. She is the most beautiful person in side and out.

Do you like Linda Reyes? Share your choice on Facebook!

My wife is a beautiful lady trucker. Who works hard and is often told she is too small to be driving a big truck much less pulling a flat bed. It is hard work for such a small lady

Do you like Melinda Stephens? Share your choice on Facebook!

Have been in trucking since 1982. Have always loved the power of the engines & the industry as a whole. If we have it, a truck brought it! I always said when I grew up, I was gonna be one of those girls on the Peterbilt calendars…lol. Never applied :)

Do you like Shanna Collins? Share your choice on Facebook!

Never in my life did I think I could make it as long as I have being a truck driver. My dream when my kids were little was to learn to drive a big truck. After all 3 grew up and moved away, I decided it was time to learn! I went to driving school and got my CDL. All of my friends and family didn’t think I would make it out on the road, They even made bets saying that I would only last 3 months or less. Eleven years later I am still driving and loving it!. I was named 2011 Schuster Co driver of the year, participated in the 2012 Iowa Driver Championship, and was nominated along with 12 others as Iowa Motor Transportation Associations 2012 Driver of the year. This job has given me opportunities I never would have been able to do. Not only have I traveled the U.S. and Canada, but I have been able to afford to visit Europe about 7 times. The best part is being able to see my kids and grandkids all over the United States whenever I choose to.

Do you like Rose Swallow? Share your choice on Facebook!

My wife is such an awesome, inspiring person. She works hard to make sure myself and our four-legged kids are well cared for. She has been driving for 14 years and pulls a flatbed. She can chain, strap and tarp with the best of them. You see, we have 15 dogs we have adopted that were either abused badly or abandoned. No matter what, she makes sure they have everything they need even if she has to go without. When she does get home, she likes to spend time with her grand baby and the rest of her family. She enjoys cooking on her grill or smoker too. She goes out on the road for several weeks at a time and sacrifices so much of her time and energy so that we are taken care of.  I have so much respect for her going out there and doing what she does. She is a kind and caring person. Willing to help out in any situation.

Do you like Jennifer Roach? Share your choice on Facebook!

I am a solo female owner operator. I have been driving for 12 years now and 8 of that has been owner op. I worked my butt off as a company driver for 4 years paying off $60,000 in debt. I then purchased my truck from the company I was driving for. I wanted to work smarter not harder. That is what I have done as an owner operator. I paid my truck off in 14 months. Then I just started saving my money. I paid cash for my brand new F 150 in 2009 and also paid cash for my half of the house my fiance and myself purchased in 2011. It was always my dream to drive a truck ever since I was 4 years old. I have never wanted to do anything else. This is not a job to me, it’s a career, and a lifestyle. I love all aspects of what I do. When I am on the road I feel as though I am camping. I just absolutely love being on the road. I have wanted to become a positive light in the industry. It hurts me to hear people talking bad about it. I also hope I can inspire more women to realize they can do this job all by them selves. Thanks for considering me.

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I should be selected because I LOVE what I do! I’m passionate about what I do and not very many people can say that about themselves, not even my friends and family.  I’ve gone through some tough situations while on the road, but my passion for it combined with my strong faith in the Almighty is what keeps me going.  I am a 60 year old single mom, grandmother, great-grandmother and an owner operator who’s been in the trucking business now for 9 years now.  I am respected, admired, encouraged and loved by family and friends every day.  I can’t complain, I am living the DREAM, my dream!

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Tina Comer was voted into the top 10 in the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest.

Name: Tina Comer
Company/ owner-operator: Owner-operator, Comer Trucking
Years in trucking: 24 years with Comer Trucking (six years as a driver)
What and where she hauls: Logging in California
Truck: 2006 379 Peterbilt
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Tina Comer says it’s her mission in life to make everyone her friend. She’s making progress too—at the end of my interview with her, she was already one person closer to that goal.

With her wicked sense of humor and a smile so infectious you can hear it through the telephone, it’s hard not to instantly like this woman who loves to laugh. In fact, Comer says the mischievous twinkle in her eyes and the constant smile on her face are her two favorite features.

“I get compliments on my eyes and on my smile,” she says.

Despite those compliments from family and friends, Comer says she was still shocked when she found out she had made it to Overdrive’s Most Beautiful top 10.

“I was just stopped, just sitting in my truck reading [the email] going, ‘Seriously? Really?’” she says. “I just was very taken aback. I’m just shocked.”

Now that she’s getting over the shock though, she says she’s excited. And her favorite part about making it to the top 10? Making new friends, of course.

“It’s neat that I’ve met some new ladies via this [contest], and potential friends—lifetime friends. I think that’s really, really cool.”

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter the contest?

Comer: I got an inbox [message] on my Facebook from a guy I know. He actually sent me the link and said, ‘You’ve got to do this.’ And I was all, ‘Oh, whatever.’ And he goes, ‘No Tina, you don’t understand. You really should get in this and represent logging.’

Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Comer: I think that beauty is definitely from the inside out. It’s how you treat people. The physical beauty—I don’t look at that when I see other people. I look at the heart. I think that’s truly what matters—how kind of a soul you are.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the top 10?

Comer: Amy [Gladen] actually called me, but I was in the woods and she couldn’t get a hold of me. I hadn’t gotten the email because I didn’t have service, and I hadn’t gotten my calls yet, but she had left a message. I hadn’t checked it, but just as I pulled into my driveway, Amy texted me, saying, ‘Would you please check your flippin’ email?’ And when I asked why, she’s all capitals saying, ‘WE MADE IT!’

Overdrive: So is there a sisterhood—a camaraderie between the women—in trucking?

Comer: Absolutely. With the ladies that I personally know, there’s never any kind of competition. We’re all just friends. The majority of the girls that I know that drive, we all haul logs, and we’re all just buddies. And that’s the way it should be.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women in trucking?

Comer: You know, it’s funny—I grew up in a family where I’ve got four big brothers. I’m just used to being around guys more so than women anyway. I guess I just don’t even think about it that often. I just feel like I’m just one of the guys. I don’t think about the gender role as far as our job. We’re just all out doing the same job and having a good time.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Comer: Well actually I did, when I just a beginning, new trucker. I went to this job and there was a man that apparently had issues with me being on this job, and so he met me on the road. And you know, it’s dark and I’m by myself, and he blocked the road to go in to the job and was really kind of in my face. That scared me because he was a big guy. But otherwise, I haven’t really had any [problems].

Overdrive: Is there one thing you wish you would have known before you started trucking?

Comer: I kind of had an advantage because my husband has done this for so many years. But… that I didn’t have to be so darned serious. You know what, I’m not serious about anything else in my life. Just go out, do the best job you can do, and learn to laugh at yourself, because you’re going to bend a bumper on a stump once in a while.

Overdrive: If you could fix one thing about the trucking industry, what would it be?

Comer: The cost of being an owner-operator—the fuel prices, the benefits. It’s getting harder and harder, in California especially with the CARB and such. It should be more profitable to do this job that we really love.

Overdrive: If you could say one thing to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs, what would it be?

Comer: Anybody could do this. It’s not a gender thing. If you want something, go for it. If you have a dream, go for it. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to try, do it. That, and don’t cut me off!

Tina Comer is just one of the 10 women selected for the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful top 10 list. Read about the other top 10 candidates as well as all the other submissions by visiting this link.

Do you like Finalist Tina Comer: ‘Beauty is how you treat people’? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’m a beautiful person inside and out. I go out of my way to keep my self with a pleasant appearance. If there is someone who come up to my truck needing a helping. hand  I will help. I never take the attitude as go find you a job. I’m out here because I lost my job that I had worked at for 11 years. I always feel we can make a difference the nicer we are to others. The better the days and nights out here on the road are for us. Thank you. Linda.

Do you like Linda Simmons? Share your choice on Facebook!

Barb has drove teams with her husband Don now going on 20 months. Before that she was a stay at home mom and raised 3 kids and held 2 jobs. A full time school bus driver and worked in retail. Barb has a wonderful smile and a great personality. She is a hard worker and does her job well. She has a great outlook on life. Barb would be a great choice for Overdrive’s Most Beautiful Ladies of Trucking.

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Becka has a Class A CDL, is part owner in Whitetail Transport, and will take on any task put before her. She also is a trained welder and qualified engine mechanic. Becka is a single Mom with 2 beautiful daughters and works more than full-time in the trucking industry. She will drive anything from a dually to a big-rig and takes pride in getting the load there, intact and on-time. Aside from her beautiful face and fantastic figure, she has a heart of pure gold and a work ethic beyond compare.

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Name: Jessica Samko
Company: Owner/operator, leases through Landstar
Years in trucking: 5 years
Hauls: Almost anything that needs to be moved between New York and California
Truck: 2008 Volvo 780
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Even before Jessica Samko became a truck driver, she had a tendency to stand out. Whether it was through riding motorcycles or attending rock concerts, she always found a way to show her independent streak.

“I love going to rock concerts. I love rock—I love the energy it gives me—but sometimes I don’t look like I fit in there either,” she said with a laugh. “Most of them have mohawks or 90 percent of their body covered in tattoos, and I’m just there on the side.” Luckily, standing out has never bothered her, Samko said.

In fact, it was the same adventurous spirit that drew Samko to rock music that also led her to trucking. When she was younger, Samko dreamed of working on a cruise ship and traveling the world. But a few years later, when she fell in love with a truck driver, she started wondering if she was destined to see the world from the cab of a big rig rather than the bow of a ship. Now she can’t imagine doing anything else.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Samko said. “I get to see the country, I get to do a job that I love, and now I get to see everything with my boyfriend.”

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest?

Samko: Actually, my fiancé entered me in the contest without me knowing about it. He told me about it after. But I wasn’t mad at all—I thought it was an awesome idea. At first I was afraid that people might think I was being conceited, and I didn’t want people to get the wrong impression. But I think it’s really a great idea to let people know that there are a lot of beautiful women that drive trucks.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the top 10?

Samko: They were super excited—my mom actually put together a little barbeque to celebrate. So yeah, they were stoked.

Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Samko: I think honestly it’s an overall thing. It’s not just the outside. You know—if you have a friendly, positive attitude and you present yourself well, looking clean and professional. And I think the key is to smile. I think a smile can make everyone look beautiful.

Overdrive: What do you like about the way you look?

Samko: I guess if I had to answer, I guess I’d say my smile. I’m always smiling. I’ve gotten compliments on it too.

Overdrive: Would you say there is a sisterhood in trucking?

Samko: I’ve met the women from the contest, but pretty much that’s it. I don’t know anyone else. I’m sure there is with other women, but I’ve just never had the chance to meet anyone yet. We went to a Landstar event that they were having in Florida back in January, but most of the women that I met were wives—I didn’t meet any actual drivers.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women in trucking?

Samko: I don’t look at it as much different than men. I think we all get the job done and we’re all in it for the same reason. We all support families and ourselves with it. Women stand out a little more, of course, but there’s really no difference to me personally.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Samko: There’s definitely some unwanted attention at times. I’ve had some creepy stories where I’ve been followed and stuff like that. When I come to California, a lot of times I’ll walk to the mall—it’s in walking distance. There was one time when I went and walked around for a couple of hours, and then I stopped to get something to eat. And a guy sat next to me and said, ‘So I see you work for Landstar.’ And I was like, ‘Did you actually watch me get out of the truck and follow me to the mall and follow me around the mall?’

Overdrive: Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known when you started driving?

Samko: I’m an animal lover—I have my two dogs in the truck with me—and it breaks my heart to see all the dead animals on the side of the highway and all the stray dogs at truck stops and along the roadway. I was really unprepared for that.

Overdrive: Is there anything you wish you could fix about the trucking industry?

Samko: Since I run teams, I think we should be able to break up our 11 hours of driving. Because when we sleep, the wheels are still rolling, so we hit bumpy roads and stop-and go traffic. Sometimes it’s really impossible to actually sleep eight hours straight. So I think we should be able to break it up and switch. I think the 11 hours is a good rule with 10 hours in the bunk, but maybe if we could split it in half and do five hours here and five hours there.

Overdrive: If you could say one thing to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs, what would it be?

Samko: The job’s not for everyone, but it’s not that bad. I mean really, truck stop showers aren’t that bad. (That’s always what people ask me about.) But with everything you get to see—I love it. I love what I do, and I don’t think many people can say that.

Jessica Samko is just one of the 10 women selected for the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful top 10 list. Read about the other top 10 candidates as well as all the other submissions by visiting this link.

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I am living the dream I have had since I was a little girl.  Always wanted to own and drive a “Big Truck”.  I have to admit the truck takes priority over most things.  I love to spend time washing, polishing and maintaining this truck and I spare little time in maintaining a feminine appearance.  I think it would be fun to try a makeover and especially be in a picture with one of those beautiful show trucks!

Do you like Shari Denny? Share your choice on Facebook!

My beautiful fiancé drove her very first Mack at the age of 13 years old. She is the ultimate beautiful trucker. When people talk about her the call her “Trucker Barbie”. She is simply breathtaking! Her beauty radiates from within her. She is never seen without a smile and it infectious. She is the hardest working woman I have ever met. She is only 5’5″ tall at 130lbs. she looks like she should be a model instead of working like a man. She can and does drive ANYTHING! She is not only a trucker but a heavy equipment operator as well. She owns her own Peterbuilt “her baby”. It’s a 1986 and she has had it since she was 17. She is now 32 years old. Her dad has offered to buy her a new truck for several years but she refuses. she has a love for her truck like no other. the truck is nothing to look at but to her its the most beautiful thing in the world! Its old, stinky & the paint is chipping off. She says “its whats under the hood, honey” She puts in the long hours on the farm in all the dirt and grime & filth & still makes it home to fix supper, give baths & read bedtime stories to her two children every night. She always gives to everyone and never takes time for herself, always with her radiant smile! Please make her the most beautiful. There is no one who deserves it more than her!!!

Do you like Brandy Williams? Share your choice on Facebook!

She is an amazing woman. She had gastric bypass and has maintained great eating habits on the road. She has overcome many obstacles from being told she cant do the job to giving up her entire life to persue her dream. She continues to grow and learn in every aspect of her life. She tries to practice what she preaches…. live laugh love.

Do you like Sarah Sallee? Share your choice on Facebook!

I have been trucking since I was 23 years old. Before that I was a trucker in the military and was deployed to Iraq from 08/06-06/07 where I drove the lead gun truck in convoys from Tal-afar to Mosul and a few smaller towns. I have seen many IEDs and even been shot at. Which left me a disabled veteran because of PTSD. Coincidentally my birthday is 9/11 and I was at the towers just two weeks before they came down.

I currently own and operate a semi with my boyfriend, leased to Mercer Transportation. My life in trucking started young as my dad and several family members trucked back in the day. I love my country and have seen all except one state from the wheel.

Why me: I would love to be part of this program because I want to stand proud and strong and free. This is a great opportunity to show how I beat the odds in Iraq and represent women truckers and women vets across the country, even if only a wall in some office. Still, maybe somebody will look up and think about the daughters, sons, mothers and fathers lost in the desert and out here on the road? Despite all that, I keep on trucking!

Do you like Heather Bennett? Share your choice on Facebook!

I should be selected because I’m very compassionate and enthusiastic about the trucking industry. I’m a third generation heavy duty tow truck operator and couldn’t imagine doing any other job. Even though my job is very dangerous I risk my life to help people who are broken down on the side of the road. It gives my soul fulfillment and my life meaning.

Do you like Rebecca Aurenz? Share your choice on Facebook!

I think driving truck is a very important job.  My husband and I have two trucks and three flatbed trailers.  I enjoy the challenge of hauling difficult loads safely.  My most difficult to date was a 100 ft. steel beams.  Its rewarding to be able to see material I haul after its installed. For example in the  bridges, sign bridges across freeways, boats, and our latest the windows at the new University of Oregon sports complex.

Do you like Linda Rajic? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’m gracious and humbly thankful God has given me 32 years in trucking and 51 years in life! I haul baby moos and general freight to all 48 states and Canada.
Why me? Because I like pretty trucks, memory filled ones — and it’s a rush to show they have personalities, too!

Do you like Ingrid Brown? Share your choice on Facebook!

I built my company from the ground up, when it seemed that the whole world was against me.  I’ve survived the ups and downs of the trucking industry, and I’m still here today.  One of the things I pride myself in, is the fact that I will always stop to help a fellow trucker in need, even if it’s a stranger or one of my direct competitors.  I know what it’s like to be that truck on the side of the road, and know we have to stick together for any of us to prosper.

Do you like Jessica Loree? Share your choice on Facebook!

I AM a mother a grandmother and most of all I AM  a truck driver.

Do you like Lisa Samuels? Share your choice on Facebook!

Beauty is everywhere you look! Beauty inside & outside & around you! Looking your best each day you drive your truck for yourself, what you believe in yourself.

Do you like Cynthia Begay? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’ve been in this business for 24 years with my husband and when our four children were old enough, we added a second truck and I started hauling as well. I love my job, as hard as some days can be, because it’s mine. I know it, I make the ultimate decisions on it (along with the hubby of course *wink*) and even on a bad day, I get to laugh with my friends. Plus, every day is casual Friday!

I haul primarily logs, which is my favorite. Nothing better than the sunrise in the mountains. Now that three of our kids are grown (two married and in the Air Force and one working for Caterpillar) my husband, Robert, and i are even happier that we share the same interest and we work on them side by side. Sometimes we even get to haul on the same job together.

Do you like Tina Comer? Share your choice on Facebook!

I have been in trucking for 27 years. The fire started when I was very young. I have gone from driving for companies to owner operators and the grand finale of owning  my own. I run 2 trucks now 1 flatbed and 1 van .I love to drive tankers too! It’s like the old story, if your not in them your under them. I do all the bookings for freight, play that dispatcher,drive,and all the paper work that comes with it. As you will notice in the picture, I like to take the back roads and take time to stop and smell the roses, go for a walk,just take a breath if ya know what I mean. Good luck Everyone. Happy Trails!

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Name: Jackie Wormley
Company: Owner/operator leased to Landstar Ranger
Years in trucking: Driving for 12 years
What you haul: Windows on a dedicated run from Iowa to Montana
Truck’s make and model: Freightliner FLD120 (with purple and gold stripes in honor of her favorite football team the Minnesota Vikings)

Jackie Wormley knew she wanted to drive a truck since she was five years old.

“I made my dad take his bobtail truck to school for show and tell; the kids loved climbing up in the cab and blowing the horn. I’ve just always known this was the career for me.”

Wormley has been driving for 12 years and has always driven solo. “I’ve always wanted to be on my own out here,” she says.

She spent the first 10 years living out of her truck and saving money; she parlayed that into paying cash for her half of the house she and her fiancé Joel recently purchased in Minnesota.

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest?

Wormley: I’ve been doing a lot of things lately to try to help owner-operators, including working with Kevin Rutherford of Let’s Truck. I used to drive for Covenant Transport and spent a lot of time at the terminals around other women who drove team. They would say how much they admired me for doing it by myself. I want women to know if you apply yourself, you can do this on your own. You can do every part of it on your own. I think this contest is really going to help women coming into the industry see what they are capable of.

Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Wormley: I think it’s how you do your work. I think your character and how you do your work shows your beauty. I’m on a dedicated run, and see the same customers every couple of weeks. They always comment on how clean my truck is. I take pride in how my truck and equipment looks, and work hard to be professional.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the top ten?

Wormley: When I first entered the contest, they were shocked. I’ve always been a tomboy. But I told them ‘looks aren’t why I’m doing this.’ Once I made the top 10 they weren’t surprised at all; they said ‘You’ve got this.’ They have been very supportive. I have a great group of family and friends.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women truckers?

Wormley: We’re out here to do the job the same as anyone else. I’ve never thought about women being any different, except you need to be a bit safer and more aware of your surroundings because it can be a little dangerous. I grew up in the trucking industry, and my dad only had one kid – me. So he taught me everything I know. I do everything for myself, including truck maintenance and washing/waxing (I was waxing the truck just before this conversation).

Overdrive: What would you like to say to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs?

Wormley: I don’t think a lot of people ever look up into truck cabs when they are driving down the road, so they don’t realize women drivers exist. When I get out of the truck, people are sometimes taken aback that a woman is climbing out of the driver’s seat. They probably wonder, ‘Where is her husband, or team member?’ It’s just me out here, and I love it.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Wormley: One time, early in my career, I was at a Wal-Mart distribution center waiting for my load. I was sitting in my truck doing something in the front seat, and there was a male driver parking a truck next to me. I noticed he was really close to my truck; he almost hit me! He got on the radio and said ‘I am so sorry. I looked up, saw a woman in the cab and was so surprised, I almost hit you.’

Overdrive: What do you wish you knew before you started driving?

Wormley: I’ve known I wanted to drive a truck since I was very young. My grandma said I knew wrench sizes before I could read. I graduated with honors and had scholarship offers after high school, but I didn’t want to do anything else. No one ever said I could do something ‘better’ – everyone was always so supportive. I didn’t know how much I really was going to love it until I got out here on the road. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t drive. This is my career choice.

Overdrive: If you could fix one thing about the trucking industry, what would it be?

Wormley: Honestly, I wish the government didn’t have to be so involved. I understand the need for regulations, and I can work within the rules and make them work for me. But I think they are being a little hard on us with electronic logs and speed regulations, etc. On the other hand, it’s the drivers that drive over their log books and get into accidents that cause the need for such regulations. I don’t know what needs to be done there. We wouldn’t have these issues if all drivers made good choices. Additionally, driver image is a something I wish I could fix. I see a lot of drivers in truck stops that look like they don’t care about themselves, and that shows through to customers and people outside of our industry.

Overdrive: Is there a sisterhood in trucking?

Wormley: I don’t know; I’ve never really paid attention. There aren’t a lot of them, but now with this contest I feel like I have more of a connection than I ever have, and we can be a support group among ourselves. We can create a sisterhood out of this awesome group of women. Back in December when I received the email about the contest, I thought it was a great idea. I read the entries, and all of the women are such great people.

Overdrive: What do you like about the way you look?

Wormley: My best feature is my hair. I’ve always been told that – it’s thick and every couple of years I grow it out and donate it to Locks of Love so it can be made into wigs for children with cancer. I like to share with people who are less fortunate.

Do you like Finalist Jackie Wormley: ‘If you apply yourself, you can do this on your own’? Share your choice on Facebook!

Well from the first glance, you see a beautiful women. If you take the time to really get to know her, you’ll learn how bad she wanted to be a trucker no matter what anyone said about her size or the fact that she can back in wearing heels. This woman right here is a real lady. Not just outside but the inside, too. She’s got the best heart. She’s always willing to help anyone, and as everyone knows being a trucker sometimes you come across someone that needs help. Whether it be a stranded family or a hungry broke man. She finds a way to help. So don’t pick her because of her looks pick her because she’s really beautiful on the inside too. When I first heard about this I knew I needed to enter my mom in. She would be so surprised and shocked if she got noticed. Because like all women sometimes we feel we don’t get noticed enough. So thank you for taking the time to read this, I appreciate it. Even if she doesn’t win she’ll still be most beautiful to me.

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Name: Lisa McAlpine: Commodity Hauler
Company: Owner-operator, leased to Dart Transit for past 3 years
Years in trucking: 9 years
Hauls: Van, various commodities; 48 states
Truck: 2006 Freightliner Columbia

Lisa McAlpine was born to be a professional truck driver. “I love trucking. I’ve wanted to be a truck driver since I was a little kid standing on the street watching the trucks go by and trying to get them to blow the air horn for me,” she says.

Asked if she ever thought the dream would be out of reach, because she was a girl, she responded immediately in her Maine accent.

“No. Never. My mom raised me to be a self-sufficient, strong-willed woman. And that’s what I am.”

But Lisa did have to put her dream on hold, working a series of local jobs — from the factory floor to the pizza parlor — to take care of her young family. A daughter nominated her for Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest, writing that Lisa is “an amazing woman that taught her children to never give up on your dreams, no matter how long they may take.

“I raised my four children on my own. I worked and tried the best I could, on my own,” Lisa says. “When they were grown, I decided to come out here and do something for myself.”

She admits to being a “backwoods country girl” who had seen very little of the country before she started trucking.

“Since I started driving I’ve been to all but four states. It’s absolutely beautiful. I would miss the freedom now. It’s like the songs they sing about trucking, the ‘white line fever.’”
Lisa offered a shout-out to her dispatcher, also a woman, and credits their relationship for Lisa’s trucking success.

“I’m a runner. I keep that left door closed and those tires are always moving.”

She’ll have her truck paid off this year, and plans to hang on to it because it’s been reliable — and because she’s had to learn how those pennies per mile add up (and disappear) for an owner-op. But her next dream is to own a 379 Pete, one of which she drove early in her career. “I didn’t cry because I left that company, but I cried because I had to leave that truck!”

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter the contest?

Lisa: My youngest daughter actually entered for me. I was okay with it. What the hey?
Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Lisa: There’s the kind of beauty, obviously, that’s on the outside. Look at all the other girls and they’re absolutely gorgeous, and I don’t put myself in that category. On the inside, it’s how you are as a person: how kind you are, how loving. It’s your personality. As far as on the road, when I deal with my customers, coworkers, I’m the same person. When it comes to truck stops, I really don’t hang out inside or out in the parking lot. I usually hibernate in my truck.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the Top 10?

Lisa: My daughter was ecstatic. I on the other hand was really, really shocked. My friends and family weren’t, but I was. I don’t think I’m beautiful, inside or out. Everybody else ‘yes, you are,’ so I’m like, ‘okay, whatever.’ It’s kind of weird.

Overdrive: So is there a sisterhood—a camaraderie — between the women in trucking?

Lisa: We like to wave. I’ll drive by a woman and she’ll be waving like crazy and smiling. We all help each other, we socialize. If I see another female driver at the truck stop, or a customer, we’ll usually talk. Even the girls at the company I work for, we usually sit there and shoot the stuff. It’s pretty cool.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women in trucking?

Lisa: It’s hard for a lot of women. There are a lot of women that are not as strong as the [Overdrive Most Beautiful] Top 10 girls. I was talking to a female guard and her husband’s a driver. She said she could never do it, it would stress her out. That’s what I hear from a lot of women: ‘I don’t how you do it.’ It takes a special kind of woman to deal with what we have to deal with here: being gone a lot, not seeing our family, working in a man’s world.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Lisa: (She laughs, and laughs some more.) Oh, I have seen some things I wouldn’t normally have if I was driving a car! There’s a lot things out here I would rather not see. But, on the positive side, there are the compliments I get on the dock after I’ve backed into a tight spot in record time, whereas some guys take forever. I’ve always been a good driver, and I’ve gotten better. I’m more attentive, more cautious. Driving these big rigs, you basically have to drive for everybody else. A lot of people don’t realize we can’t stop really quick. I have to drive for the person in front, the person beside. I’ve learned a lot. It’s for the safety of everybody.

Overdrive: Is there one thing you wish you would have known before you started trucking?

Lisa: Trucking is addicting. I’ve tried to quit numerous times to get a job at home. Every single time, trucking calls me back. My dad told me it’s because I have diesel in my blood. My dad, actually he’s my step-dad, was a truck driver. And my youngest brother was a truck driver. But I’m the only over-the-road truck driver in my family.

Overdrive: If you could fix one thing about the trucking industry, what would it be?

Lisa: The arrogance of other truck drivers and the people that we have to drive around. There’s a lot of arrogance out here. What happened to common courtesy? When I first started trucking, there was always courtesy. Other drivers would always flash you in, or say thank you if you flashed them in. Nowadays, they just cut you off. They don’t wave. There’s so much rudeness out here it’s unbelievable. The veteran truckers are dying out. Now you’ve got the new age. These schools and some big trucking companies don’t teach common courtesy.

Overdrive: If you could say one thing to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs, what would it be?

  Lisa: We women truck drivers are out here, doing our job just          like the men are. We are no different. It’s like working in an office or a warehouse. We’re all doing the job. It’s no different.

Do you like Finalist Lisa McAlpine: ‘I have diesel in my blood’? Share your choice on Facebook!

I am nominating my Mom. Not only is she beautiful on the outside she is beautiful on the inside as well. She has the biggest, kindest heart. She sacrificed all of our lives to make sure my brothers and sisters (4 of us) were well taken care of all on her own. Now that my youngest brother is in college at Florida State my mom is living her dream and driving over the road as a trucker. She has been through a lot to attain her goal but she is now doing what she loves and we are so proud of her.

Do you like Kathy VonHatten? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’m a driver that believes in the true value of the transportation industry; delivering products that people need everyday.  I also believe in the true meaning of safety behind the wheel.  Myself and as well as my company take great pride in delivering the customer’s products on time.

Drivers are very misunderstood on so many levels.  One being credits that we’re due which motivated me to become a Tax Preparer specializing in Trucker’s Taxes. In my nine years of experience I’ve trained drivers which I found to be very rewarding. Women truckers are growing in rapid numbers, I’m the first lady driver to be hired at my company and since then there has been a great increase of lady drivers to be hired within our company.

I’ve traveled all states except two which has allowed me to travel and have a fun filled vacation for many years. In trucking there are so many choices. This is the first company I’ve ever worked local and it’s a close family oriented company. Which allows me  time home at work and home. This is what my General Manager Amy, would like to submit as well:

I have had the privilege of working with Darcell for almost 2 years.  I am putting in my two cents with her submission to say why I believe she should be chosen to be the winner of Overdrive’s Most Beautiful Campaign.  Darcell has the beauty inside and out and carries that to wherever she goes or whomever she deals with.  Transportation is a tough industry and Darcell handles everything with class and ease.  She is so great at what she does and goes above and beyond.  We have customers that request and ask specifically for her!  Having such a knowledgeable, dedicated, reliable driver in such a gruff industry is priceless and this beauty Darcell possess is shown inside and out and makes it a pleasure to work with her.  Any company would be proud and fortunate to have Darcell as their driver and that’s why I believe Darcell couldn’t be a better choice as Overdrive’s Most Beautiful!

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I’m nominating my wife, Angie. Because in my eyes she is the most beautiful truck driver inside and out. Four years ago I was diagnosed with heart disease and scheduled for immediate open heart surgery. Without a 2nd thought she left her job of 20 years, went to truck driving school and took over my business as an owner-operator with UPS Freight. Although I know the transition wasn’t an easy one, she sat in that driver’s seat never complaining. She is 44 years old, a business owner and operator, wife, mother, grandmother and full-time college student. She is my saving grace, my best friend, my wife and the “Most Beautiful Truck Driver Inside And Out.”

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Hello, I’m Amy, and have been driving for my families Logging/ construction company for 13 years. I currently drive one of our 86′ 359 ext hood Peterbilt logging trucks. I love my truck so much. It’s not only a classic but a beauty to look at. Maybe that’s why people tell us were the perfect pair, I’m not only a beauty but a classic kind of person to. I also drive our transfer truck, water truck, 8 axle lowbed and run equipment at our logging jobs and construction jobs. I have to say that I’m so blessed to be able to raise my beautiful little boys around hard work ethics and the beautiful country God has gifted us with. They love going with mom in the logging truck. I’m a very hard working, loving and devoted person. I love my job, there’s not one job in this world l would rather have than getting to watch the beautiful sunrises and mountains I get to work in. You truly find the beauty in this world and all it has when you get to be in it everyday. Thank you for this opportunity to be the most beautiful trucker. Xoxo

Do you like Amy Gladen? Share your choice on Facebook!

My wife is beautiful inside and out!!!  A proud hard working “YOOPER”, funny, fun, and always trying to help those around her.  She drives an 18 wheeler to Boston and Rhode Island. We live in Vermont. These are some crazy mountain roads. She never complains.

Do you like Dawn Gebroe? Share your choice on Facebook!

My mom is 46 years old. She came from Mexico 26 years ago and has 20 years driving as a truck driver, is a trainer in Crete Carrier Corp, and was one in J.B Hunt and has 1 Million miles without accidents.Has won Driver of the Year in Texas, and twice Driver of the Month.Her life has been the road since she migrated from Mexico at the age of 20. She always told me she wanted to be a truck driver because she wanted someone  to pay her to drive; and after i was born she went to driving school and after that started applying to companies. No one wanted to hire her at first because she was Mexican…and a woman with no experience. But she took a chance and applied at J.B Hunt where she drove and trained for ten years. After Mr. Hunt retired she went to work with Crete and the rest is history.

She’s had to face many challenges for doing what she loves, from sexism to racism, and being a single mother, too, but that hasn’t stopped her from becoming an amazing and beautiful human. She is a great friend and trucker, and the best mom there is. That is why I nominate my mother for Overdrive’s Most Beautiful. If she isn’t chosen it’s OK, because I know my mom is the most beautiful inside and out.

Do you like Isabel Solorzano? Share your choice on Facebook!

Just take a look, not many truck drivers like this!

Do you like Christina Case? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’ve been driving for 32 years and I could really use a makeover.

Do you like Tammy Hudson? Share your choice on Facebook!

I am a 42 year old Owner Operator in Wasilla, Alaska. I bought my first truck when I was 29 years old. I was a single mother of 3 who needed to find a better way to support my boys than the minimum wage jobs I was working. I used the last $3000 I had to my name for a down payment on a truck and jumped in with both feet! I have hauled all over the nation and Canada and have hauled a vast array of loads. I have hauled gravel, aphalt, heavy equipment, glass panes for highrise buildings, drilling platforms for the oil rigs on the slope, hay, and for 9 years I hauled live fish for The Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You name it I have probably hauled it. I was among just a handful of women drivers in Alaska and worked hard to get respect from the men who thought I was taking a job away from a man. Those same people are some of my best friends now! I have taken jobs driving for JB Hunt, Georgetown Transportation  and many others when in the beginning when I could not find work for my own truck. I worked hard to raise my boys and make my equipment payments. I wouldn’t say I am the most beautiful but I am proud of what I have done and how far I have come!

Do you like Debbie-Jo Bennett? Share your choice on Facebook!

My mother raised four children on her own for 20+ years, always putting her own ambitions aside to work in a factory, at Family Dollar, House of Pizza, and various other jobs to put food in our stomachs, clothes on our backs, and everything children could ever need, while putting her own needs last. She has always put her children first, and we have watched her struggle over the years, though she never let on how much she was hurting. When we were old enough to care for ourselves she finally got to pursue her own dreams. She has wanted to be a truck driver for many years, and was finally given the chance in Sept of 2004. And she has loved trucking every since. It is her dream to own a beautiful Peterbuilt and to be able to travel the United States, to see what she once never though possible. She deserves this opportunity because she has done her job as a mother. Words cannot describe what this opportunity would mean to my mom, and I want this for her. She is an amazing woman that taught her children to never give up on your dreams, no matter how long they may take.  As her children go out into the world striving for their dreams, I would love to see her achieve hers as well. She is beautiful both physically and spiritually, and she is my hero for all she has accomplished in life.

Do you like Lisa M. McAlpine? Share your choice on Facebook!

I don’t think there is any difference between men or women truckers. We both get the job done. I love trucking, and there is just something about being on the open road that makes me feel free. No limits, and I can go anywhere. There are so many places I never thought I would see and so much more to discover, the possibilities are endless. I truck with my two dogs and it’s always nice to be able to escape the winter weather in N.Y. too! It’s almost like getting a paid vacation when I get a load to Vegas. I didn’t always want to be a trucker but there is so much more to trucking than just sitting and driving all day. And there are plenty of ways to stay healthy. I keep an electronic stepper in the truck and it definitely keeps me in shape. I also stop and walk my dogs at least three times a day. I never thought I would be a trucker when I grew up, but now, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else!

Do you like Jessica Samko? Share your choice on Facebook!

I think my wife, Laura, should be considered for Overdrives Most Beautiful because she has been in trucking for over 20 years and not only can she “truck” with the best of them, she remains a dynamic, beautiful and fun loving person.   When we are on the road, not only is she driving but keeps us fed with healthy meals she prepares in the truck, and keeps up with all the.paperwork and maintains all the bills from the house.  When we do get home, she tirelessly entertains my family which live nearby.
It’s hard to believe that after doing all of this, when she “gussies” herself up, she can still knock your socks off !  I am honored to be able to nominate my beautiful wife !  Thank you so much for your consideration.

Do you like Laura Allen? Share your choice on Facebook!

I am a 48 year young woman, who realized several years ago, I have more gypsy in my blood than anything else… who decided to change my life from working out of my home based stationary office, to my home based rolling office, aka, my chick fort…  Out here, they call me Daisy Mae
I am submitting myself for Overdrive’s Most Beautiful Contest for four reasons….

First, I truly am a good person, with a big heart, helping others whenever possible. It makes me feel happy inside.

Second, because I choose to enjoy life to its fullest!    I love adventure, laughing, playing, my motorcycle, and mostly singing.  My kids tell me I’m not allowed to sing in public, so I drive alone, (With the exception of  my trusty, 4 legged copilot,  Marlie Mae)….and I sing….loud…and lousy…but oh man!! I have fun!

Third, I have to be honest here….. A make-up session and photo op in front of a really sexy pride and polish truck is a very exciting thought for me!
And lastly, but most important…. because even though I’ve only been out here for about 5 1/2 years….  I truly understand and value the importance of each and every person I have met along my journey.

I know working hard is essential to surviving out here, we are all aware of this…., but not so many are aware….that “as important”, or perhaps even “more important”, then hard work…. is the eclectic network of acquaintances and friends built along the way. .   I’m talking about the mechanics, bums, colleagues, agents, hitch hikers… we cross paths with every day … the list is endless.

I guess my thought process is this;  Hard work ensures money ; but my acquaintances, friends and family have ensured my survival.  It’s because of who I am, and who they are…..that I truly feel beautiful.

Do you like Diana Deborah Webb? Share your choice on Facebook!

It would be awesome if I were selected, I know that I’m very dependable, hard-working, and a safe driver.  Currently I’m the only female company driver at KTI.

I’ve been around trucks all my life and have yet to attend The Great American Trucking Show.  Good luck to all entering.

Do you like Susan Weddle? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’m a dynamic and successful team player with a proven record of aggressively developing a profitable client base.

Pull an end dump with my Peterbilt so work construction and train derailments.
Personable and professional with a strong customer service orientation and problem solving skills.

Do you like Cynthia Sommers? Share your choice on Facebook!

Canadian by birth , trucker by choice !
44 yr old mother to a beautiful daughter and grandmother to two handsome little boys who call me trucking nana .

I’ve accomplished so much in my driving career that I’m very proud of ,I
Began career in 1991 as an owner op running the day to day activities of running five trucks then later on to driving across Canada and the USA hauling general freight .

Always up for a challenge I spread my wings and decided to try my hand at doing the over size heavy haul , what a rush that was and I loved it . Nothing more in powering than going down the road pulling a big over sized load with escorts .
Two years ago I decided to spread my wings even wider and get into hauling cars , well let me tell you that was a challenge in itself as the company had no female car haulers , bet you can picture me grinning when I pulled out with my first load of cars . Being a stacker ( that’s what they call people who run car carriers ) is something to be proud of And I loved it , I had found my niche in the trucking world . I was fortunate and had a great teacher to show me the ropes of car hauling 101

I’ve been involved in raising money for breast cancer through Trucking for a cure doing convoys , I’ve been a mentor at high schools for profecianal Day .

Through out my career  I’ve met some amazing people in the trucking industry and formed beautiful friendships .

I’m saddened to say I’ve had to slow down as I’m once again facing a new chapter in my life I’ve been diagnosed with a rare cancer called carcinoids cancer, it’s cancer of the neuroendocrine system.

This may be one of my toughest challenges so far .Not many have even heard about this cancer so now as my battle begins to survive , I’m also going to raise awareness for carcinoids cancer .

You never know what you will encounter out there on the highway or in your ever day life but the one thing I’ve learned from my experiences , is we all have a future, and the picture of the future is made up of a bunch of tiny dots called “right now “.

Keep on trucking ….

Do you like Caroline Wood? Share your choice on Facebook!

Name: Ingrid Brown
Company: Randall Miller Inc., Boone, N.C.
Years in trucking: 31 years
Hauls: Produce reefer, solo from N.C. to Cal., turns
Truck: 2007 379 Peterbilt
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If Overdrive’s Most Beautiful top 10 had a class clown, it would be Ingrid Brown. Friendly and unreserved, Brown flourishes when she’s making people laugh.

“Life is too short not to laugh, but it’s even shorter not to have friends to laugh with,” she says.

It’s that laughter that defines her and gives her true beauty, Brown says. While she admits she may not have the pristine features of someone half her age, she says she cherishes every laugh line she has. They remind her of the love she has for her family as well as the friendship she shares with her fellow drivers.

“You could not give me a trillion dollars for somebody to take away my giggle marks. I will hold on to those my whole life, because it’s the people I’ve met—the people in this industry, in this truck—that have given me a reason for every single one of them.  That’s what makes me who I am.” She finds great joy in any opportunity to give back to the industry she loves including her long time membership with Trucker Buddy and her role as charter member and advisor for Women-in-Trucking association and as a volunteer with Trucker Charity, Inc.

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest?

Brown: Well, I don’t know. You know, everybody wants encouragement. It’s a great thing for every single one of us. And when there is something out there that I can get encouragement from and I can encourage with… it’s just a good thing.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the top 10?

Brown: There were people who said good luck and that kind of thing, but my family was really just like, ‘What are you doing?’ And really, I don’t know. My youngest daughter, when I told her about it, she was like, ‘Mama, you’re 51 years old and you’re going to be in a beauty contest?’ And I told her, ‘No, it’s not a beauty contest. I don’t want them to see the outside of me; I want them to see the inside of me.’

Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Brown: Inner beauty is the big thing, but that’s a common answer. That’s not telling anybody anything. Every single person alive has inner beauty. It’s whether you display and you use it—and you use it to help somebody else.

Overdrive: What do you like about the way you look?

Brown: I work on the way I look from the inside out, not from the outside in. I have to accept myself and like myself—everything about myself—and life’s good. I can’t be the same on the outside every day. I would say if there’s anything I would want somebody to look at my outer beauty, it would have to be my eyes. But really, I’m just happy the way I look every day—good, bad, or ugly.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women in trucking?

Brown: I’m not a man. I can’t do what a man can do, just like a man can’t do what I can do. He can’t have babies, and I sure as heck can’t throw big fat tarps and chains and bind as tight as a guy can. I don’t want to be a man. I have to find my own ways, my own niche to do stuff, so that I can do it accurately and to the best of my ability. But my steering wheel has no clue whether I am a man or a woman—it doesn’t care!

Overdrive: Would you say there is a sisterhood in trucking?

Brown: Yes. And that’s been one of my main goals. When I came out here, it was ‘Women—what are you talking about? What are you doing out here?’ There was less than 1 percent when I started driving. And now, just to see some of the newer ones out here, I just want to adopt them all and put them under my wing. That’s been a big thing to me—how I want to pay it forward.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Brown: Oh, I can get myself into the biggest messes you’ve ever seen. I’ve got all kinds of funny stories. I got stuck on a load one time when I pulling a flatbed. I knocked my own ladder off while I was up top trying to readjust some timbers on it. I couldn’t get down. It was quite hilarious—I sat there for almost two hours. Finally somebody came to the rest area and looked up and said, ‘Are you okay?’ And I said, ‘Oh, I’m great, but that ladder’s not doing a very good job right now.’ I’m sure a guy could have climbed his happy little self off the top of a flatbed, but I’m five foot one and three quarters!

Overdrive: Is there anything you wish you could fix about the trucking industry?

Brown: Nobody is listening to each other. As drivers, we need to stop and offer help, put ourselves in that person’s shoes. I know we all have to take care of ourselves, but we need to take care of each other too. Everybody is so wrapped up in stuff—life is going too fast. I want the world to slow down a little bit. I still want it to progress, but just a little slower. Be willing to sacrifice a split minute to pay attention and listen.

Overdrive: If you could say one thing to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs, what would it be?

Brown: See, that’s a tough one, because if you could get the rest of the non-driving public to listen, then that’s when it would actually make a difference with what you had to say. The first step is just reaching out and getting them to listen. But I can’t fault a lot of people—non-driving people aren’t given very many opportunities to know what it takes to protect us and to protect them.

Overdrive: Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known when you started driving?

Brown: No, because I thought I knew it all. It took me this long to realize I didn’t

Photos by: Michael Russell, russellfotography@gmail.com

Ingrid Brown is just one of the 10 women selected for the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful top 10 list. Read about the other top 10 candidates as well as all the other submissions by visiting this link.

Do you like Finalist Ingrid Brown: ‘I work on myself from the inside out’? Share your choice on Facebook!

I hope that I can adequately express just how much I would love to do this. I’m so excited over the possibility of being a part of this, and joining other ladies who have a love for trucking also.

I’m proud to be a driver, and to be part of a profession that meant so much to someone very dear to me. The only father figure in my life, my grandfather, was my mentor and role model. I grew up in a small farm town where some of my most cherished childhood memories are riding the truck with my grandfather.

I was a military spouse for twenty years, and raised two sons before I started driving. This is my seventh year pulling doubles. The company has been great to drive for. I’ve met so many terrific people since I’ve been on the road. It’s an incredible lifestyle that I’m enjoying from our nation’s roadways.

Do you like Libby Clayton? Share your choice on Facebook!

I’ve been an owner-operator since 1992. I currently haul livestock mainly hogs, for ag feed, O’Brien trucking under my own authority. (missfit trucking)

I own my own truck. I volunteer to help needy trucking families every christmas for the past 5 years, I have donated my time and money to help a charity called trucker charity inc they helped the arrow drivers get home when they closed there doors a few years back they continue to help drivers in need. I served two years in the army and I’m a proud member of OOIDA and the NRA. I don’t have a sad story to tell, I’m a hard worker and I’ve earned everything on my own. I’m proud to be an american but most of all…. I’m proud to be an American Trucker.

Do you like Maggie Stone? Share your choice on Facebook!

The daughter of a long-distance trucker, Journey was the apple of her daddy’s eye.  So, it was no surprise when she followed her heart and his example.  At the tender age of eighteen, she earned her CDL and began driving cross country.

Even after she became a parent herself, Journey took her young son along for the long-haul for a number of years.  As a single parent and her son starting school she has chose to drive local and is a valued dispatcher supporting our over-the-road drivers in their commitment to serving the public.

Why Journey?  There are few people we have known who endured such adversity yet displayed such dedication, courage, strength and integrity.  Journey is truly a most beautiful woman of character, and we are blessed to have such beauty in our lives.

Do you like Journey Girton? Share your choice on Facebook!

I am a girly girl. I like to get my nails done, and my hair, wear pretty clothes and ride horses…. I’m also a Bull hauler! My first job after getting my license 4 1/2 years ago was with Gateway Carriers in southern Alberta. After a 16 hour driver course I knew nothing. Green and scared I got in with the best group of guys around and they always took time to teach me how to do things the right way. I learned to roll up my sleeves and take pride in my ride, I’ve learned about mechanics and mist of all I’ve learned that you’ll never get an answer if you don’t ask the question.

In 2009 I married my husband (also a driver) lost 50lbs and  I left for a year and ran flatdeck, taking me all over the place to see some neat stuff! But always alone…. I’ve spent awesome weekends in Vegas, Salt Lake, Seattle.., the list goes on, usually alone.

I came back to Gateway after I learned to appreciate the caliber of the men in lucky enough to work with. There aren’t many Lady Bullhaulers up here, well really I’m the only one I know of! I love my job! It’s the best choice I’ve ever made in my life!

The pic above is a kind of celebration, I had just lost 50lbs, was driving a sweet little black midroof 05 Freightshaker Classic XL, I had just bought my first Sportscar and my first horse! Life is Good!

Do you like Maggie Wolfe? Share your choice on Facebook!

I didn’t get into a truck willingly.  I went from dispatching drivers to driving when my business was downsized.  I hated it at first, but have come to enjoy it as time goes on. I prefer to be close to home, but will venture out once and awhile.

Do you like Stacie Walker? Share your choice on Facebook!

You should select me because I am hysterical, kind, energetic, loving, talented and… beautiful woman, mother, sister, co-worker, wife, and Trucker!

Do you like Ms. Michael Wilbur? Share your choice on Facebook!

I started driving long ago when men didn’t want women out there in their domain but I changed a lot of their minds when I would just get out there and get dirty with them.  I gained a lot of their respect. I have raised 2 great children sacrificed time with them to make sure they had things I didn’t.I started driving when I was 21 I am now 51 and wouldn’t change a thing.  I love the life of driving.

My passion for the life, and drivers never goes unnoticed. I know what it takes to be out there ,the sacrifice’s, the loneliness, long hours, being disrespected  by people who share the road with us. I started driving in 1984 when they didn’t even have showers for women I had to have the attendants go in the men’s restrooms cause that’s where most of the showers were and make sure I didn’t get bothered.  Back then it was hard to convince a company to hire you being a female so they tried to make it hard for you. But I proved to them and others men drivers and earned their respect. I have trained several drivers over the years and raised 2 great children and married to my best friend I will never loose the passion for trucking it runs deep in my veins .
God Bless the American Trucker.

Do you like Cheryl Young? Share your choice on Facebook!

I strive to look lovely every day. I believe any woman no matter shape, size or level of beauty can be beautiful.  I share beauty tips with other drivers who ask about my makeup and hair products. You can still be girly and feminine and handle the big rig like a man. I always get compliments from other men a sometimes flirtations even with my husband standing there. It is a great self confidence booster. When you wake up and don’t feel your best, take a shower, put on some lotion, nice undergarments,  do your hair and makeup. Believe me you will feel so much better. It does not cost a lot to look and feel beautiful. Everything in my trucking career has been tenfold more successful because of looking my best. I get better service at shippers and sometimes the dock workers come out and offer to open the trailer doors or even back in my trailer! My husband teases me stating ” I see you got another boyfriend”. LoL
I  and my hub are owner operators with Swift  which has been a very rewarding career and we have been recognized nationwide for our success. As I travel to different terminals I like to leave other women drivers small items from free makeup kits, shampoos, perfumes, etc. It makes me feel good to know that I can share niceties with others.Women need to have good things for themselves to feel a little extra special. Being on the road is not always glamorous,  but the small things go far and have a special meaning.  I hope one day to have my own beauty line dedicated to Divas on the road.  Would be nice to walk in a truck stop and grab a bottle of nail polish or a tube of lipstick don’t you think? I love being a truck driver and looking my best. I don’t go too dressy mostly jeans and a cute top but you can always embellish and shine with confidence. I am a trucker diva!

Do you like Angel Harvey? Share your choice on Facebook!

I hope you will consider me for your “calendar-girl candidate”  simply said…I am an all-American truck-driving gal, which would make me “way-cool” (along with all the other truck-drivin gals on the planet!) who thinks custom rigs ARE the “coolest cats” around!  I would be honored to be chosen to stand along side of one!!

I have been truckin (grain hauler, by trade) since ’92 and hope to own a custom rig (or 2!) of my own oneday!
I love the freedom of the open road (oh the places I have been–a few by mistake!), splittin gears and tall miles!!

I am a sucker for a decked-out rig and LED’s!!  Oh, don’t forget the 8″ pipes!

It is true, trucking can be a hard way of life…but it is the perfect life for me!

I pray when my “travelin days” are done, my good Lord above will set me up in the hammer lane (blowing by the scales), lighting up the night with a nice long tote and my 18-wheels in His care!!

God bless America…
Roll on…
“Calendar-girl candidate”…
Sindy Staart

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Our mother would work up to five jobs at one time in order to support her three boys that she was raising as a single mother.  My brothers and I would not realize until we grew older the sacrifices that our mother made in order to provide for us, nor would we show her the appreciation that she deserved until it was too late.  In 1998 while driving through Marshall Texas on State Hwy 59, attempting to deliver a load in Houston, my mom hit five cows while traveling at what was estimated by State Troopers as approximately 70 MPH.  The collision caused horrific damage to the truck and trailer and caused it to flip over.  I remember receiving a telephone call from her early in the morning and she told me that she was in the emergency room but that she would be fine.  She later told me that she did not want me to panic and insisted that she be the one to call me and not the State Troopers.  Little did we know at the time that the crash would cause tumors to form in her right breast from the impact.  These tumors were later removed and were discovered to be malignant.  She was diagnosed with stage five breast cancer and was given very little to no chance of survival.  After receiving as many cancer treatments as her body could handle, I had come to the realization that my mother was not going to live much longer and was preparing myself for the worst. She refused any further treatment and had decided that she was through fighting and I told her that I did not want to watch her suffer any longer, that it was ok to give up.  Miraculously, on her next doctor visit it was discovered that the cancer was completely gone and she has since been in remission.  Even after all that has happened to her she has been unable to stay away from trucking and I’m proud to say that she is still driving a truck to this day and loving every minute of it.  I would like for my mom to know that her boys love her and appreciate everything that she has done for us, and I feel that winning this contest would complete her 30year career as a truck driver.

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Sandy is amazing — she’s been with our company 21+ years, her truck is spotless and she is an idol to all drivers in our fleet. She runs anywhere, throws chains when needed, always washes her truck by hand no matter what the temp is. Her truck called Sassy, has her little tornado scenes featured all over her truck. Holiday time she is always dressed up or in fashion for the holiday (as in pic attached). She is always such a joy to work with!!

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I believe anyone anywhere can do anything. Having never driven anything bigger than a U-Haul, I never considered that I would be driving a semi for a living. My husband and I worked for ourselves, he was a home builder and I was a seamstress but business was down and we were in a rut. We have some friends who drive and suggested we look into it, so I did some research, found some grants for school and talked my husband into it. Now 1 1/2 yrs later we have been to all but four of forty-eight states and we are consistently the top mileage team for our company. It’s pretty cool that I can say I know how to drive a semi, and after we pay off our house we plan on buying our own truck

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Amy Gladen was voted into the top 10 for Overdrive’s Most Beautiful.

Name: Amy Gladen
Company: Woodland Expansion, Inc.
Years in trucking: 13 years
What and where she hauls: Logging in California
Truck: 1986 359 extended hood Peterbilt
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Amy Gladen has three great loves in this world: her family, her truck, and her shoes.

Her love for her family has kept Gladen involved in their logging and construction business for as long as she can remember, and at just 13, Gladen knew she wanted to join her father and brother behind the wheel one day. She was inspired by a story in a logging magazine that told about a 19-year-old girl who got her Class-A license and started driving after her father was injured.

“She was very pretty, and she was young… I saw her driving, and I told my brother, ‘You know, I never would have thought—I mean, I know other women that have driven, but she’s young!’”

That’s when it all started, she says. A few years later, she got her license and started driving her “baby”—a 1986 359 extended hood Peterbilt. She’s still hauling with it today.

Despite being one of the few lady truckers on the road, Gladen still calls herself a classic woman. She grew up with a respect for faith and family and possesses a passionate enthusiasm for life. And while she says she may be a bit of a tomboy, she’s still a “girly-girl” at heart. She’s got the closet full of stiletto heels to prove it.

Overdrive: What made you decide to enter Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest?

Gladen: I just thought it was really neat to have the opportunity to show people that there’s more to trucking than what people usually think. And I want people to understand that it’s not just a pretty face behind the wheel. I’m out there doing my job also, the same as everybody else.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from your friends and family when you made the top 10?

Gladen: They’re really excited—really, really excited. I don’t want to say that they were shocked, because they’re my family and my friends. They’re always telling me, ‘You could do it.’ I know everybody’s really, really happy; they’re glad that I did it. They know how much it means to me.

Overdrive: What is your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Gladen: I think beauty, number one, comes from who you are inside. I mean, you could take someone who is the most beautiful person in the entire world, but if they aren’t really truly beautiful inside, then it’s not going to come through on the outside.

Overdrive: What do you like about the way you look?

Gladen: I’m so far from being conceited, so I wouldn’t want to sound like that… but I would have to say I love my arms. I have very in shape, toned arms, and I don’t ever lift weights. They’ve just always naturally been that way. My legs are pretty toned too. So that’s the two things I would have to say I like about myself—on the outside.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women in trucking?

Gladen: I think it’s good to have the diversity. I don’t think it’s to show, oh, we can do what men can do. I don’t think it’s as much of a competition thing. It’s good that they know that, hey, this lady can go out there and get in her logging truck and go haul and she can support her family.

Overdrive: So is there a sisterhood in trucking—do the few women out there have a bond?

Gladen: We definitely do. You just feel like you’re family. But I even feel like that, not just with the other women—I guess you feel a closer bond with the women— but I feel that way with all the people that we work with. I feel that way towards the men. You feel like everybody’s a family.

Overdrive: If you could say one thing to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs, what would it be?

Gladen: I might be a woman driving a logging truck, but I’m no different than anybody else. I’m just doing my job.

Overdrive: Do you have any unique experiences that have happened because you are a woman trucker?

Gladen: It’s cool for people to see us and look and smile or wave or something, but a lot of times it’s taken [too far]. There are so many people that are overboard with it. They’re the ones waving and swerving and putting their phone numbers against windows, and to me, that’s degrading. I wouldn’t come to your job or where you work and take pictures of you, so don’t come to my workplace and degrade me. Don’t overdo it. It’s not like I’m an alien driving my spaceship truck down the road.

Overdrive: Is there anything you wish you could fix about the trucking industry?

Gladen: Yeah, honestly—I wish we could fix the things that California is trying to do to us as truck drivers. It’s really sad, because it’s affecting so many small people. It’s putting a lot of people out of business. All of us that have these trucks like my beautiful truck that I love, love, love now have the risk of losing that and not being able to drive anymore because they are passing all the CARB stuff. To a point I understand getting a hold on all of that and dealing with the pollution, but not [like that].

Overdrive: Is there anything you wish you would have known before you started trucking?

Gladen: I probably wish that I had known how addicting it is. It’s so hard, because everybody says, ‘You know, Amy, with your kids, you really should have a normal job or be just a full-time mom.’ But that’s easier said than done. I have to support myself. I have to bring in money, and for me, that’s the thing that I’ve always done to bring money in is to drive. I can’t just walk away from it. There’s been times where I’ve tried, and I can’t. It’s just in my blood.

Amy Gladen is just one of the 10 women selected for the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful top 10 list. Read about the other top 10 candidates as well as all the other submissions by visiting this link.

Amy Gladen has been voted into the top 10 in the Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest.

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Idella is an awesome example of “trucking never looked so good’ Her professionalism and personality make her an inspiration to ALL.  Her truck is an example of attention to detail and shows everyone just what having pride in your profession means.  She’s currently being called a “silver” fox nowadays, but back in the day, she was definitely a “fox” — I’ve seen pictures!

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Name: Annette Dellinger
Company: Con-way Truckload
Years in trucking: 2
Hauls: Dry van freight and hazmat loads throughout all 48 states and into Canada.
Truck: 2014 Kenworth T680

Having only been on the road for two years, top ten finalist Annette Dellinger refers to herself as the “baby of the bunch.” Her daughter and son had grown and moved out of the house, and Dellinger’s husband had recently started driving. He had been solo on the road for about six months when the two decided to form a team and see the country together.

The couple drives about 6,000 miles a week. “That means we are constantly running,” says Dellinger. “He’s sleeping, and I’m driving, or I’m sleeping, and he’s driving, though we do try to make sure to spend time together every day. When we work as a team, it’s great way to watch out for each other. We count on each other.”

Overdrive: What’s your definition of beauty in relation to trucking?

Annette: I think the best way to define it in relation to trucking is how we dress up our trucks. A lot of drivers do the chrome, do the lights, and do all these things to put people in awe when they see us coming down the road. But the driver inside also represents the truck and the company. We look the best we can, and we do our best to be professional. The woman driver inside is representing her truck.

Overdrive: What was the reaction from friends and family when you made the top ten?

Annette: My friends and family nominated me. And they are ecstatic. They are very proud of me coming this far. I’m still new at this, and they have high hopes for me. I may not win, but just making it this far is enough.

Overdrive: How do you feel about the role of women truckers?

Annette: We constantly have to make ourselves known, because there are still a lot of especially older drivers who have been driving for many years, and who don’t feel that we should be on the road. It’s a hard role to fill, but we just have to get out there and say hey, we can do it along side of the men.

Overdrive: What would say to the non-driving public about women driving big rigs?

Annette: A lot of people, when they see a woman driving a truck, will back up and act more cautious, but I’d say don’t be afraid when you see us at first. We drive just as well and just as safely as a man driver would. And you know, if I can do it, you can do it, too.

I think the best way to define it in relation to trucking is how we dress up our trucks. A lot of drivers do the chrome, do the lights, and do all these things to put people in awe when they see us coming down the road. But the driver inside also represents the truck and the company. We look the best we can, and we do our best to be professional.

Overdrive: What do you wish you knew before you started driving?

Annette: Probably what to take and what not to take on the road. That takes some getting used to. You don’t really know what you’ll need when you’ll be gone for several weeks at a time. It’s also a trying experience to be away from home. My father is a trucker too, and growing up, we would always plan holiday and birthday celebrations around his schedule, but I never really understood how difficult that can be until I started driving.

Overdrive: If you could fix one thing about the trucking industry, what would it be?

Annette: I’d make more parking available to truck drivers, especially in normal shopping areas. I know we have Walmarts steadily available to all truck drivers, but if there were more places we could go into—malls, shops, grocery stores. There are parking areas around, but not enough for the amount of truckers on the road.

Overdrive: Is there a sisterhood in trucking?

Annette: Oh, definitely. Even when you pass another driver on the road, we always give that look or thumbs up. We’re extra gracious and courteous to each other when we see each other. We tend to stick together and look out for each other as far as safety goes. I drive with my husband, but there are women who drive solo, and it’s good to keep that in mind and help each other out when we can.

Overdrive: What do you like about the way you look?

Annette: My smile—I can always turn people around with my smile, and I’m grateful for that. I also like my size. I’m short, and I think that can catch people off guard. My husband is 6’3” and I’m 5’1”.

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