Erin Reilly, HTrans Driver, joined Houston’s in April 2017. For going on six years, she has been a reliable and valued member of the HTrans team – and a unique member at that; currently, she is the only woman on our roster of professional drivers.
According to a 2022 demographic study, 84.3% of professional truck drivers in the U.S. are men. That means Erin is among the distinctive 15.7% of women in the profession.
With International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, it’s important to shine a spotlight on women who are represented within the industry, and we’re grateful to have an individual like Erin as part of our Driver Team.
Driving with HTrans is Erin’s first professional driving position – though her interest in driving was sparked from an early age.
“I was inspired by the movies when I was a kid,” Erin said. “Movies like ‘Convoy,’ ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ and – believe it or not – ‘BJ and the Bear.’ I have always had a passion for big trucks.”
Erin handles HTrans delivery routes that connect Houston’s to Northern California. Her stops include the cities of Yreka, Redding, Chico, Yuba City, Stockton, Modesto, Merced, Fresno, Santa Cruz, and San Jose, among others.
She also picks up product from some of our vendor partners to bring into stock, including Torani, Franmara, Blossom Valley Foods, and HP Hood.
Erin’s week typically starts at 5:45 a.m. on Saturdays, when she arrives at Houston’s Wilsonville facility. Once her truck is ready to go, she departs for California by 7 a.m.
It’s a five-hour trip from Wilsonville, OR to the California border. She makes three stops to deliver orders to customers, and then heads to Chico, CA for the night.
On Sunday morning, Erin is on the road again by 7:15 a.m. to make more customer delivery stops as she heads further into California. Monday scheduling can fluctuate based upon Houston’s customer needs.
“If I have stops Monday morning in Stockton or Modesto, I usually stay near there Sunday night,” Erin said. “If I have no stops Monday morning, I head (further south) to Madera for the night. Mondays, my day can start really early, 4 a.m., it just depends on what customers I have.”
In addition to Houston’s general sales customers, Erin also delivers to some of our Merchandising partners.
“I have three new US Foods CHEF’STORES in Visalia, Santa Cruz, and Merced,” she said.
Tuesday usually includes completing any remaining customer deliveries on her week’s schedule, as well as a Torani pickup, and a pickup of almond and oat milk from HP Hood – all products which are among the top sellers for Houston’s.
Erin listens to a lot of music as she logs the miles. She also brings an iPad for her off-time while she’s not driving or delivering.
The Northern California Coast
“Over nights, I have Netflix to watch, and I do social media – TikTok,” she said.
Erin also says she enjoys the Northern California environment, and the scenery and views her route provides.
“I’m originally from Northern California, so my route is my backyard,” Erin said. “I get to go to the California coast every week – I love the ocean.”
San Francisco is on Erin’s list of favorite places, too, and her pickups from Torani take her into the Bay Area.
“Unfortunately, I cannot take my big truck into the city itself,” she said. “It is too big, and I don’t want to get stuck.”
Anyone who has visited San Francisco can agree that the city’s famously steep hills, network of one-way roads, and crowded streets would certainly present a challenge for operating a tractor-trailer. From Erin’s perspective, there are other challenges that come with the job, too.
“The first was being a mom to a young child,” she said. “My daughter was seven years old when I started driving professionally; she is now 13. HTrans was great at working with me when I had to change my schedule around.”
Other challenges come in the form of hazards on the road, including the unpredictability of unsafe drivers.
“There are a lot of crazy drivers out there,” Erin noted. “Since I started driving a semi, I’m more aware of speeding cars, fog, and other bad weather.”
Challenges such as these are mitigated by Erin’s experience, skill behind the wheel, and the support of the HTrans office staff.
“Working for HTrans has been great, and Houston’s is a great company,” she said. “Any time I have a problem, it gets handled pretty quickly.”
The steep streets of San Francisco
Though being a professional driver has its challenges, especially being a woman in a predominantly male-dominated industry, it’s a rewarding career path.
“My advice for any woman who wants to have a career in this field: this is a way of life,” Erin said. “You have to have a backbone to do this job; you have to be able to work in the worst of weather, from very hot to very cold. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
“I can proudly say that I am the only female driver for HTrans, though I’m not the first,” she said. “I know my job and I do it to the best of my ability.”
Houston’s and HTrans are proud to have you on the team, Erin. Thank you for your dedication, and all that you do to successfully connect us with our customers and vendors.
Read about our other recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.
