by Fran Bernard, on Jul 1, 2024 3:52:32 PM
Melissa Eauclaire loves being a team driver with her husband, spending time with him, and just being able to travel the country with him. Melissa is a company team driver with Boyle Transportation, a subsidiary of Andlauer Healthcare Group and transportation and logistics provider to select clients in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and government/defense sectors.
She started her career as a school bus driver in 2003. She completed 14 years in school bus transportation, four years as a driver, four years as a dispatcher, and five years in safety. In the middle of all that, she met and, in 2008, married her husband. After relocating to Tennessee, she became a motorcoach operator, traveling the United States and Canada for three years. She loved driving for the charter bus company, but then the pandemic hit she was laid off. When the pandemic shut down leisure travel, she decided to pursue a dream of obtaining her CDL-A.
Melissa and her husband used to joke around about her getting her CDL-A, but the pandemic pushed her to the point where she did just that. In the state of Tennessee, grants were available for unemployed displaced workers. She was able to use the grant for her truck driver training. She had no problems learning or participating in any of the training at school. She started looking at different companies when she graduated. Her husband was uncomfortable with her out on the road without him, so they found a company that allowed him to be her trainer. They found employment with Boyle and cannot say enough good things about the company. “They are a fantastic company to drive for,” she says. “They treat us well, pay well, and we enjoy what they do.”
She enjoys traveling the country with her husband and has visited all 48 contiguous states and a few provinces in Canada. She is currently working on a list of places to visit when vacationing. In her off time, she and her husband like to ride their Harleys; she has a Harley Trike. They love to camp, go hiking, hit the races, antiquing, and, of course, traveling.
Melissa wants women interested in trucking to know they should “go for it!” She feels that if you want a change or more out of life: “follow your heart. If you love to travel, stare out the window, and get paid for it, then do it! Women, especially as they become empty nesters, sometimes need a change. We do not all want to be homebodies anymore. If you get to a stage in your life when it is possible to make a change, take the bull by the horns and do it! Being out there on the road is so satisfying and fulfilling.”
Melissa enjoys mentoring. She and her husband both mentor teams who join Boyle. She finds mentoring to be very fulfilling and rewarding. She likes to learn and teach, and mentoring covers both of those.
Melissa sees the transportation industry as a great career choice for women as more get into leadership roles. In fact, according to the WIT Index, 34.5% of leadership positions are now filled by women. And it is not just about driving-- all kinds of careers are available to women. The more women are involved, the more women will see and want to be a part of the industry, she says. If you do not see women in the roles of recruiters, operations, safety, leadership, etc., some may wonder if women can do those roles. There are so many careers in the transportation industry that can be considered as a career after driving.
As a new WIT Image Team member, she is inspired and she wants to spread the word about trucking. “All women can be truck drivers if they want it,” she says. “Nothing should keep you from it if you want to drive and be a part of the trucking industry.”
As for this Husband/Wife Driver Team? She drives the day shift, and her husband takes the night shift. When she has a shipper come out sees her truck backed in and says, “Wow, you did that?” she has the confidence to proudly look him in the eyes and say: “Yes, I drive this truck!” She sees herself in the future, staying with Boyle until she retires. “I do not see myself anywhere else. Boyle is a great company and traveling with my husband is very entertaining.”
This article is the first installment in our Image Team series where we'll spotlight the professional truck drivers who make up the Class of 2024. Learn More
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