I quit my job as a math teacher to become a long-haul truck driver. The job is challenging and I miss my students, but I don't see myself going back anytime soon.

Sat, 03/04/2023 - 06:45

Vanita Johnson, a truck driver based in Atlanta, Georgia, takes a selfie with her white truck. — Vanita Johnson got her commercial driver's license in November 2020, after 13 years working in the education industry in various roles, including substitute teacher, administrative assistant, and sixth grade math teacher.
Courtesy of Vanita Johnson

Vanita Johnson had just turned 50 when she quit teaching to become a long-haul truck driver.
She says the market was great when she first started, but rising costs are making things difficult.
Despite the challenges, she says trucking makes her feel "free as a bird."

This as-told-to essay is based on two conversations with Vanita Johnson, an independent long-haul truck driver based in Atlanta, Georgia, and a member of the nonprofit Women In Trucking Association. It has been edited for length and clarity.