Breaking Barriers on Every Mile: Celebrating the Journey of our Woman Truck Driver "Dena Peters"

Today being International Women's Day, we at Bulk are proud to recognize one of our own who exemplifies the courage and perseverance to succeed in a non-traditional field. Dena Peters, a truck driver who has called Bulk Carriers home since 2010, is blazing new trails for women in the trucking industry. Dena's journey to becoming a long-hauler was an unconventional one. After two decades working in retail, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of truck driving. Dena enrolled in a trucking school in Ontario in 2008, obtaining her commercial driver's license soon after. That bold leap of faith has paid dividends - in her 14 years on the road, she has logged an astonishing 1 million miles behind the wheel.

While deeply rewarding, Dena's career has not come without its obstacles. As a woman in the male-dominated world of trucking, she has faced challenges that her male counterparts rarely have to consider. Finding suitable restroom facilities while on the road is a frequent difficulty. More seriously, Dena has had to remain vigilant about her safety in a way that speaks to the discrimination and harassment women truckers still encounter while on the open road.Despite the hurdles, Dena's passion for her job has never wavered. "When I am on the road, I live as a trucker 24 hours a day," she says. "When I get home, 24 hours a day to myself. That's what I love about trucking and seeing the rest of the world." Her zest for exploring new landscapes is evident in her hobbies - Dena is an avid photographer, capturing breathtaking vistas from the passenger seat between hauls.

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Dena's tenacity and skill have earned her the respect of colleagues who were instrumental mentors as she started her trucking career. Seasoned Bulk drivers like Kent Peters and Eldon Walker provided invaluable guidance and support during those formative years. Today, Dena is eager to pay that wisdom forward by counseling other women looking to pursue trucking.

^{"You can do it!" she insists. "As a 5-foot woman, there is no real obstacle. All you have to do is ask, and your co-workers are willing to help."}

More than just a workplace, Dena found a family at Bulk Carriers. She's so grateful for supporters like Sandra, Tracy, Kaylee, and Lisa who had her back from the very start. Their friendship and belief in her made a huge difference.

Today, we celebrate all women breaking barriers in every industry not just trucking. We are honoured to have Dena as part of our team here at Bulk. Her incredible resilience, dedication, and driving 1 million miles as a woman long-hauler make her such an inspiration. Dena proves that with passion, perseverance, and defying expectations, any dream is possible. Her achievements uplifting future women truckers make her so deserving of celebration.

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