Debora Hass puts more than 100,000 miles on her truck each year, but it isn’t your average pickup – it’s a freightliner. Hass is a Meijer truck driver supporting our Newport, Mich. distribution center.
Hass, who has two college degrees, decided to pursue driving as a career 6 years ago because she wanted to spend more time outside and likes the idea of getting the job done herself without the need for supervision. After driving by our Newport facility every day and watching it expand over the years, she decided that Meijer was the company she wanted to join. She’s been on our team since 2018.
Hass was right to notice the fleet. Not only does Meijer have one of the largest standalone fleets in the state of Michigan, it’s also recognized as an industry leader in sustainability, having received the Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay Excellence Award four times.
What really grabbed her attention was realizing that our fleet consisted of daycab freightliners, meaning the drivers go home at the end of each day. Don’t let the term “daycab” fool you though – Hass does most of her driving at night because she prefers the open road and less traffic.
While she knows being a woman truck driver is uncommon, Hass isn’t phased by it.
“To me, being a woman truck driver is really no different than doing any other job. Onlookers might have a different opinion, but for me it's no big deal,” Hass said. “The physical aspect of it can be challenging at times, like getting stubborn reefer doors closed on the trailer, or manually uncoupling the truck from the trailer if the automatic 5th wheel release fails. But women are smart and strong and are able to work though these challenges.”
Hass says that she really enjoys what she does and the control she has over her own success by determining how many loads she delivers.
“What I like most about driving for Meijer, is that we provide a service to the public that is a necessity, which in turn, provides job security,” she said. “Also, Meijer provides the drivers with a newer fleet of trucks and that keeps drivers happy!”
For more information on the Meijer fleet and its recent environmental accomplishments, click here.