This story is an excerpt from a longer post at TruckingTruth.com.  The opionions expressed herein are those of the author, not necessarily of The New Agenda. 

Many women truck drivers and I have talked about the problems we face when trying to get served a meal at a truck stop…  When I enter the For Professional Drivers Only section in my uniform no less, and take a table, a waitress almost always comes to me and asks me to leave because it is for Professional Drivers Only… 

After this is done to you several times you pay attention and watch what happens to others as you sit there and wait…  One day I decided to stop again at a fast food joint on I80 in Illinois on my way to Chicago.  It’s a good place to stop since they have parking for tractor trailers.  On this day I followed two other truckers in who had been talking on the CB and the comments they made implied they were new to this area and they decided to stop at the same place.  At the counter they placed their order and I placed mine. 

As I reach for my money so that it was ready when my food arrived, I hear their waitress say, “Here is your order, and with your trucker discount your bill is __.”  I looked at my server and asked, “Does this price include my trucker discount?”  Again I get the, “Are you a truck driver?”

No, I just wear this uniform for everyone’s amusement.  Why did you give these two strangers a trucker’s discount when you have no proof they drive a truck, and I’m in uniform and you ignore me?  And on top of that, I’ve been stopping in here at least three times a week!

While I was having my tantrum, I see that the fry person is bagging my order and she filled that sack half full of fries for me to make up for the treatment I was given.  I got my discount, the extra fries, and out the door I went.

I do not understand this kind of treatment.  I always wear a clean uniform to be professional and this is the treatment I get?  Does the public not understand that women drive trucks too??