by Fran Bernard, on Jul 16, 2024 6:53:17 PM
In 2017, Esther Parsons left her job of 15 years as an administrative assistant in the lawn care industry to earn her CDL-A and become a professional truck driver. She jumped from the cubicle to the cab to support her two children in college. She did not just spring into a truck driving career. She needed a bit of coaching. Luckily for her, she has a wonderful friend and mentor who was happy to be there for her. After about six months of his encouragement, she decided to give it a try. She got into truck driving school and even tested a little higher than her friend had when he had gone through a driving school program –which reaffirmed her belief that she could do this.
Esther had her guru. He was there for her all the way. She could pick his brain, and he could help her with all his knowledge. He knew her so well that he knew what would and would not work for her. She recalls him even helping her with the jargon that she was reading. She asked him, “What is drop and hook? Do I want that?” he replied, “Oh yeah, you want that.”
When Esther had just graduated from truck driving school, she wanted to know more about Women In Trucking (WIT). Her mentor told her about the association, and she was highly interested in learning more. WIT Founder Ellen Voie had put out an all-call looking for a female driver in her area who would be interested in being interviewed by a reporter. It was Esther’s birthday, and she was excited to do it. She did, which started an incredible snowball effect.
Yellow Corp., the now-defunct transportation company, sponsored Esther to attend her first Accelerate! Conference & Expo. She met the ladies on the Image Team and saw their role at the WIT conference – and she wanted to be a part of it. She volunteered as much as she could. Her experience was that these women there were so genuine, and she loved that there was no competition and no one was acting superficial. “Everyone was so down to earth,” she says. “They all had their little niches as professional drivers, but when they all came together, it was a sisterhood.” While at Yellow Corp., she served on the Women's Inclusion Network Employee Resource Group and was a driver trainer. She was a five-year linehaul driver for Yellow Freight before joining UPS in May 2023.
Class of 2024 and Legacy Image Team members at the 2024 Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event during the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY
Today she is a Feeder Driver for UPS at the Eastern Zone Regional Hub in Middletown, PA. When asked what she loves most about her job, she enthusiastically replies: “The view!”
She wants women interested in the trucking industry to know that it can offer a great career, but she shares practical advice, “First, you need to do your homework. Be sure to do all your research on what path you specifically want to pursue. Then find a mentor to help pursue what you seek in your career and in the industry.”
She and the first woman she mentored became friends and stayed friends way past the mentoring experience. Ester appreciates the friendship that they have built. It transcends time and miles. She is so excited to see her friend in her career now. She owns it and is willing to try different things because she grabs on to anything that comes her way, learns, masters, and moves on. Watching her success and seeing her financial freedom grow with her experience is fantastic.
Esther is an outspoken advocate for women in the transportation industry. She is a mentor with WIT’s Mentor Match program. She is comfortable in her growth and aspires to help others find their path and help decipher information for them. After all, she says, she wants others to achieve their goals. She is eager to help anyone navigate the industry during their first few years. She is also a Trucker Buddy with Trucker Buddy International, a pen-pal program that pairs professional drivers with classrooms. She enjoys giving interviews, ride-a-longs, and podcast appearances. Her most memorable interview was with Fox & Friends' Steve Doocy in Times Square for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
Pennsylvania truck driver Esther Parsons spoke on "Fox and Friends" on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. (Fox News)
In 2023, Esther was among the few drivers recognized in Women In Trucking's “Top Women to Watch in Transportation." She was also a panelist speaker during a recent WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo.
Esther loves to sleep, cook, and work with the flowers in her garden at home. She also loves networking! She "never met a stranger" and appreciates any opportunity to lend a hand or share her story, not only as a truck driver but also as a single parent and domestic abuse survivor. "If I can help at least one person today,” she says, “it’s a good day."
Cover Photo Credit: Larry Deal for Fox25 article "Shortage of truck drivers fuels supply chain woes"
This article is the second 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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