DAY DREAMER - Kim Weisinger
DAY DREAMER
Legend Nominee: Kim Weisinger
This Legend driver is a Kentucky native, brought up in a suburb on the outskirts of Bullitt County. Raised by her mother with the help of grandparents, she received the best of both worlds. Virginia Prather, a single mom working as a full-time registered nurse enjoyed spending time with her only daughter, Kim Weisinger on her off days; making every opportunity they had together memorable. When Virginia was working, Kim stayed with her parents, William and Elsie Edna Brown.
The Brown’s owned a small farm, home to goats, ducks and chickens. Kim described her second home tiny in size but overflowing with love. Not too far from home, even after she was licensed to drive, Kim always retreated to her grandparent’s place to unwind. The country setting offered a peaceful stillness that Kim often searches for today when in need of a break from every day life. She recalls holidays shared with her family under their roof and how any special occasion requiring a new outfit was quickly made by the hands of her grandmother. There was an undeniable bond between Kim and the late Ms. Brown, along with many fond memories at their country home.
“My grandmother helped raise me and I am who I am because of these two strong women. I remember the little things, like my grandmother playing the organ and her teaching me how to play when I was ten. She had two greenhouses where she raised plants to sell, I would go in there with her and help water them. And she had this big, mean billy goat that hit me one day and knocked me down. I’ll never forget it! Mostly, I just remember being a tough kid. I was a big-time tomboy, playing sports with the local boys and climbing trees. I enjoyed doing things that pushed me physically.
I knew as young as six years old that one day I was going to drive a big truck. The large semi-trucks that I’d see driving by on I-65 from my grandmother’s house. There was just something about them that fascinated me.”
Kim joined Pegasus Transportation’s company fleet of professionals in 2012 and is currently hauling refrigerated freight over the road in a 2016 Freightliner Cascadia Evolution. Based out of Louisville, Kentucky, Kim has built great relationships with the office personnel, as well as her fellow drivers. Known to never meet a stranger, Kim’s upbeat personality and direct tone are just a few of her recognizable characteristics. Her strict work ethic supports her reputation as an independent powerhouse. An ambassador in her own right, representing women in an industry prominently led by men, her background proves that she has more layers than grit alone. Stating, “My dispatch knows that they can trust me to get the job done and do it correctly. I’m not the driver to turn down many loads. Whatever my company asks of me, I do… without complaints, just to my full capability.”
When drivers are in search of a trucking company to align themselves with, Kim suggests reviewing how a business acts with regard to their drivers. How a driver is treated speaks volumes to the trucking community. Kim adds, “Anywhere a driver goes there will be ups and downs and changes are bound to happen, but if a driver can find their happy medium and truly be treated respectfully, then in return that driver will go out of their way to provide great service for that company. That’s me all day long. Pegasus is one of those companies.”
Kim initially came on as a team driver running long-haul with her fiancé. December of their first year, her partner suffered a stroke while on a run to California, two weeks later he passed away. It was the day before Christmas Eve; Pegasus purchased Kim a plane ticket home. “They wanted me to be with my family for the holiday, especially considering what had just happened. I made it home on Christmas Eve. They also told me that I could return to work, but only when I was ready. Things like that stick with a person,” she said. With 29 years of trucking experience and over 3-million lifetime miles, Kim has never failed to give anything other than her personal best, demonstrating why she is an asset to the company.
At age 16, Kim landed her first job at a local fast food restaurant as a cashier. On the days she couldn’t afford gas money to get to work, she walked. Her senior year, she attended regular classes half a day, the remaining time were spent in specific career-focused programs at a vocational school. Her trade of choice was culinary arts; training in cooking, baking, pastry arts and more. Growing up and sharing the kitchen with her mother and grandmother, the kitchen space is where she felt at ease. Cooking brought her comfort, her patience and keen eye for preparation were the makings of a culinary artist but aspiring to become a professional chef fell second in line.
As soon as Kim turned 18, she enrolled at a truck driving school located in Lebanon, Tennessee to earn her chauffeur license. After months of training courses, she was eager to hit the road. For Kim, the biggest challenge of driving school was learning how to conduct every step of pre- and post-trip inspections properly. However, she explains the importance that comes with the two steps and how crucial it is that every truck driver understands how safety hinges on the accountability of the driver to preform their inspections thoroughly.
Once Kim graduated with her chauffeur license in pocket, more regulations came down the line raising the age restriction to 21. Steadily waiting, Kim found work with a construction company impatiently buying time. She spent six months on a paving crew and operating dump trucks. When the owner discovered Kim had possession of her CDL he turned her loose hauling heavy equipment. Any time spent behind the wheel of large machinery would suffice.
In 1991, Kim joined her boyfriend who happened to be a truck driver running over the road. For weeks, he added to her training with a more hands-on approach, reminding her that she couldn’t give up on her dream of driving a truck on her own. When the opportunity became available, Kim went to work for the same trucking company running solo transporting general freight to various distribution centers throughout the central U.S. and further out east. She continues, “It was my first real trucking job and I kept thinking, I hope I don’t mess this up!” They put her in a 1990 International, returning every two weeks for a couple of days off, then back out again. She had finally made it.
Three years later, she and her partner leased on with a company out of Minnesota as owner operators running team. They soon realized the distinction between the two roles: company driver and owner operator. One came with less stress as the other called for many hats, such as; business owner, mechanic, financial advisor, etc., and each title had its share of responsibilities. But the duo pushed forward determined to see it through. Their first truck was a 1990 Peterbilt cabover. Two years later, the couple each took a truck, as they purchased a Freightliner conventional for Kim. Not slowing down, they took on their third truck and put a driver in it. In 1996, they added another challenge to their operation. A baby boy.
Come 2000, the pair split and went their separate ways. Kim came off the road, settling for local work hauling gravel and rock with belly dump trucks. In search of a job with good benefits, a fresh start had arrived at the perfect time. For the better part of a year, she worked as an administrator in the count room working for the State of Texas in the department of Criminal Justice. Soon after, she moved up to human resources. Then came Hurricane Katrina…
In an effort to be of use, she quickly joined a recovery unit. Due to the driver shortage, CDL holders were in high demand. For the following year and a half she hauled freight in and out of the Huntsville, Galveston and Houston areas that were severely impacted with damage. When her assignment was complete, she returned to the four walls of the office with a promotion to boot. Shortly after, she relocated home to Kentucky and got on with the county health department. It wasn’t long after that, she found her way back to trucking.
A local outfit was needing drivers to pull dry van and roller bed trailers. She and her fiancé ran over the road for two years as solo drivers but teamed up during the Christmas rush. April of 2012, the two spoke with a mutual friend that was driving for Pegasus Transportation. She explained the established trucking company offered better pay and newer equipment. They were sold, and Kim hasn’t looked back since. Loosing her partner, so abruptly was devastating but ultimately pushed her to dig deeper.
“The one thing I’ve learned about myself on this journey is that I’m now comfortable on my own. I actually like being by myself. I did team and I just don’t care for it anymore. I’m too much of a perfectionist, I’d rather do everything alone. And I feel that any woman can do this if they put their mind to it. Right now is a good time for men and women to work in harmony as equals. Women are much stronger than we’re given credit. I learned that as a young girl.”
Kim was once a shy girl, yet very outgoing in her ability to prove herself. Now a well-known favorite among her peers, she uses her knowledge and experience to share with others to help them grow in their own trucking careers. A few pointers that she stands by is punctuality and communication. Be early and on time, when you’re late it’s unacceptable. -Kim’s motto. She also firmly believes in the use of CB radios. Stating, “I tell all drivers, get a CB and keep it on. That way they know what’s going on around them at all times. Communication.”
Back when Kim drove belly dumps, at least once a week as she left out of the rock quarry each day, she managed to miss her exit, earning her the CB handle: Day Dreamer. The name is quite fitting as she was once a small girl standing in her grandmother’s yard staring into the distance, wishing to one day drive a truck similar to the ones passing her by. Kim had made her dream a reality.
To recharge on those not-so-fun days, she either goes to her mother’s for some quality time together; eventually making her way to their front porch at night to take in the peaceful sight of the stars above. Other times, she parks near her airport and watches the planes come and go. “It’s how I disconnect from the world. I relax, destress and just let everything be, if only for that moment. Then, when I’m ready to get back at it, I’m good to go. I believe we all need to find a way to take a break and breathe easy. Life can get crazy, but if you just stay focused all dreams are possible.”