Female Truck Driver Opens Up About Life As A Trucker, Gains Following On Social Media

Jan 11, 2022 by apost team

While jobs in and of themselves are inherently genderless, there are some positions that draw in more men and others that draw in more women. Anyone can have any kind of job they want, so long as they have the proper education, training, experience and other requirements needed, but some people just seem to gravitate toward specific jobs over others. However, one female truck driver is changing the game.

Clarissa Rankin is a bubbly, energetic and hard-working woman who has taken a keen interest in her job as a truck driver, so much so that she has started using her popular social media platform to inspire others to follow suit. Encouraging more people to get behind the wheel of 18-wheelers similar to her own, Rankin has shared her personal experiences on TikTok, detailing everything from her family life to life on the road. Despite having a job that keeps her from being home at times, she still gets to spend an ample amount of time with her family, especially her husband Joey.

Rankin is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and a mother of two. She has become overwhelmingly successful on TikTok, earning more than 1.5 million followers and fascinating them with her job, which is more often than not done by men. According to the Women in Trucking Association, currently, fewer than one in 10 truck drivers are female. Since 2010, there has been an 88% increase in female drivers, and Rankin hopes to keep that number moving forward by making it her mission to get more women into the industry.

Using Her Platform To Empower Women

According to CBS News, Rankin is currently known as being one of the most popular truckers on TikTok due to her huge fan following of more than 1.5 million followers. The North Carolina woman first got into the field as a necessity, as earning her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice put her more than $50,000 in debt.

In just her first year of being a truck driver, Rankin obtained her Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and raked in $50,000, according to CBS News. As of December 2021, Rankin’s annual earnings as a trucker are well over $150,000, along with an additional $12,000 per month from her social media endorsements.

“I love the road,” Rankin said. “And it’s a break away from life, cause the only thing you’ve got to worry about is driving the truck.” She explained that her husband Joey was the one who inspired her to apply to become a truck driver, and he now acts as her dispatcher, helping the family spend even more quality time together.

Speaking with CBS News, Rankin explained that she was originally turned down by the first six jobs she applied for, and that one male employer in particular said he would only hire her as his assistant. “A woman actually was the one who gave me my first CDL job,” she said.

Now, Rankin is inspiring others to follow suit and get behind the wheel themselves. Michelle Locke is one of these drivers, and told CBS News, “If she can do it, I can do it.” She added, “I can retire from this.”

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Were you inspired to learn about this trucker’s story, and see how she’s using her social media platform to encourage others to pursue a similar career? Let us know, and feel free to pass this on to your family and friends, too.