Ashli Streeter entered truck driving school with high hopes of the open road and a well-paying job.
The 27-year-old from Killeen took out a $7,000 loan for school and received her commercial driver’s license in May. After months of filling out applications, she was disappointed and confused. She couldn’t land a job.
“I didn’t have anything hindering me,” Streeter said. “I didn’t have tickets or DUIs. I wasn’t understanding why it was so hard for me.”
Streeter frequently received the same response to her applications, she said. Upon hiring, Streeter would need several weeks of training by a seasoned driver — a common industry standard, the potential employers said. However, she was told she was only allowed to train with a woman and that because there was no woman trainer available, she would be placed on a waiting list. Weeks would pass and Streeter couldn’t get off the waitlist. Meanwhile, she said, she watched freshly-graduated male drivers get hired immediately.
Fed up with the struggle, Streeter shared her experience on social media. When other female driv