Lauren Townley
TCA SCHOLARSHIP
$2,725
CRST Malone, Inc.
Trussville, Alabama
The trucking industry has influenced my life since I was born as my mother has worked for a trucking company for thirty-two years. Through her work I learned about the regulations drivers deal with while delivering the products America needs. From this connection I have witnessed the dedication and work ethics exhibited in the trucking industry and I try to emulate these traits to complete the challenges that I face while working and going to school. The truck driver must show up for deliveries to keep customers happy, just as I must be on time for my classes and two part time jobs to be successful. Teamwork, communication skills, and persistence are evident in the trucking industry allowing the office staff and drivers to keep freight efficiently moving across our country. As difficulties arise such as a maintenance delay, or bad weather the industry works through to deliver the freight. I try to model this persistence when a course is particularly hard and there are many demands on my time. I am pursuing a civil engineering degree through which I hope to gain skills to improve our nation’s highways and infrastructure. I completed a class in transportation engineering which taught me how important cycle lengths of signal timings are for truck drivers. For example, if a driver is on an eight hour trip, it is estimated that if the signal timings are not accurately set, the driver may lose more than fifteen minutes on their trip. When building a highway it is important to keep in mind the service regulations that the trucking industry faces. In my career I hope to give back to this industry by minimizing costly delays through better roads using durable materials; this will aid with safety and maintenance issues which challenge the trucking industry.