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UEENS
Page 48
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OF DE ROAD
A group of women truck drivers have joined together to fight for better treatment — something they aim to win by attracting more members.
• Four years ago two women truck drivers, appalled by the sexual discrimination and disgusting truckstop conditions they had to face every day, decided to form an association. Today, the Lady Trucker's Club has more than 100 members.
Club founder Ilona Richards says many truckstops lack separate toilet and washroom areas for women. And when they do have them, they are often unclean: "We are not women libbers," she says. "although we expect to be able to work in the same conditions as men, we like to be treated as women."
Because its members are scattered throughout the UK, (it even has one in Holland), the club has established its own network of domestic overnight stops. Every member who pays an annual fee of 25.00, is Oven a list of fellow participants' addresses. From this they can arrange to stay or meet with one another on long distance journeys.
'rhe club's biggest attraction is the social side, says Richards. A monthly newsletter is sent to members, and charity events are organised. In fact the club evolved from what was originally a pen pal arrangement: "It's nice to be able to communicate with other women, who have the same love of driving. They definitely don't just want to talk about their children and husbands," she says.
Richards, an HGV 1 driver for Coalvillebased Leicester Heavy Haulage, has been in road haulage for more than 10 years. She hopes the publicity the club has been getting will help people accept women truck drivers more readily.
She appeared on breakfast television last month and has been Oven a free space to exhibit at this year's Commercial Motor Truckfest Exhibition, at Peterborough on 6 to 7 May — where she hopes to attract more recruits.
"I want the club to change people's attitudes. I keep hearing truck driving is a man's job, but it is anybody's job, it is my job. It is wrong to judge people by appearances, and not give women a chance," she says.
"I look forward to the day when everybody is equal. When people will treat me as a driver first and as a woman second," adds Richards.
EXTREMELY KEEN
She believes employers will lose out if they do not recruit women drivers. Women have to be extremely keen on driving to pursue a career in it, because of discrimination against them. Men find it much easier to get the same job, even if they do not have such an attraction to it, she believes.
The club is encouraging girl school leavers to join as associate members and so far 12 have signed up. They will qualify for complete membership once they have their HGV licences.
Richards, who also holds a PSV licence. hopes to see more female school leavers filling transport management roles: "It is wrong that girls are discouraged from following a career in transport, if more women take on management jobs, we will be given more respect," she says.
If her ambition to increase membership to 500 is fulfilled, Richards believes the club will be able to take the women drivers' cause even further. She is sending out 100 letters to HGV training schools and sending more club business cards for club members to distribute.
However she insists even if the club does grow, the members attitudes will not change: "We are not crusaders. But we know the only way we are going to get anywhere, is by showing anger to the way women drivers are treated."
0 by Juliet Parish