Updated March 2025
Though trucking is often viewed as a man’s job, there are more women in trucking than ever before – and for good reason! When it comes to hitting the road as a CDL driver, it’s never been easier for women to enter the field, thanks to the women who have paved the way! Throughout history, women have showcased how gender means nothing when it comes to trucking.
Luella bates
Luella drove a Class B truck for the Four Wheel Drive (FWD) Auto Corporation from 1918 to 1922 in Clintonville, Wisconsin. When she started with FWD, she was a test driver, and the corporation used her and other women to help fill the gap for men who were called to military duty. After WWI was over, Luella was one of the few women who kept her job and continued driving. In 1920 Bates was the first woman to receive her commercial driver’s license in New York, starting the movement for women in trucking.
lillie elizabeth mcgee drennan
With her husband, Lillie founded Drennan Truck Line. After their divorce, she received sole ownership of the business. Lillie was licensed in 1929, but not without a fight. Though the official reason was accredited to her hearing impairment, she argued that the real reason was because she was a woman. She succeeded in getting her commercial drivers license and continued her career, sometimes driving up to 48 hours at a time! People often credit Lillie as the first female truck driver because of this.
Adriesue “Bitsy” Gomez
Bitsy Gomez is one of the many women who have fought for women’s right to be in the workplace, specifically in the world of CDL. Truck driving always fascinated Bitsy, even at a young age, and she later pursued her dream of becoming a driver. However, once she started in the field, she realized that women were mostly unwelcome by men in this career. Bitsy decided then that it was time to change that, and founded the Coalition of Women Truck Drivers, which started out with just 150 women.
The goal was to fight against discrimination and sexism in the industry and raise awareness of the lack of accessibility for women in the trucking field. Bitsy continued throughout her life to continue to fight for women’s rights and educated the public on the disadvantages that women faced in the trucking industry. Publishers featured her quote: ‘When a woman gets into a semi, it makes up for all the crap women take in our society.’
Rusty Dow
Rusty was one of few women to drive trucks for the U.S. Army Engineers in the Alaska Defense Command during World War II. She gained fame as the first woman to drive a fully loaded truck across the entire Alaska Highway in 1944. This was a seven-day haul that, once completed, was 1,560 miles.
Women in Trucking Today
These women paved the way for modern women in trucking. The space for women in trucking careers has grown exponentially and the Woman in Trucking (WIT) organization recognizes women and businesses that are breaking barriers in the industry. This group highlights the best trucking companies to work for, women to watch, and even truck driving awards. If you want to start in the industry, we will gladly help you find the resources you need!
Your Time is NOW!
While they have always been on the road hauling freight, more women are in trucking now than ever before! The American Trucking Association (ATA) is expecting a severe shortage of drivers over the next few years. As baby-boomers retire, jobs continue to increase. Many companies are working to recruit more women to their team! This is why the ATA has started their “Women in Movement” program – to help women find the right fit in their trucking career!
Join the amazing group of women who are already a part of the trucking industry and start your training at United Truck Driving School!
