Female truckers have become TikTok influencers, and they’re changing the transportation game

Female truckers have become TikTok influencers, and they’re changing the transportation game
April 12, 2021 Matt Fernandes
Clarissa Rankin behind the steering wheel in her truck.

This article originally ran on CNN.com on April 10, 2021. 


Before Clarissa Rankin goes out on a job, a few things need to be in order. First up, a morning meditation. (“Dealing in transportation, you have to be calm to be a great driver,” she says.) Then, she heads to the yard to hitch up Sparkle, her 2019 Freightliner Cascadia. Sparkle’s a big girl: With a full load, the truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.]

In the back of the spacious cab, Rankin has set up what she calls her “mommy getaway apartment:” a twin bed, a stash of food, some decor, cleaning supplies, and a few wig stands. She occasionally likes to switch up her style on long hauls — maybe long and wavy one day, and bright green or deep, curly red the next.

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