37 www.ortrucking.org Issue 2 | 2024 “Do what they do,” said Nicole. “Get in on the ground floor, work your way up and earn their respect. Get out there, learn the business. You need to learn what they do before you tell them what to do.” Nicole Hawks-Morse, CDS – KoolPAK As Director of Safety at KoolPAk, Nicole Hawks-Morse is responsible not only for safety, but also for overseeing the company’s maintenance shop terminal, overseeing all equipment and maintenance staff. Having spent most of her career in safety and compliance, overseeing the maintenance team came with a steep learning curve. “The key is to surround yourself with good people who know what they’re doing—sometimes those who know more than you do,” said Nicole. When Nicole started working in trucking 25 years ago, there were very few women in the industry and the “good old boys’ club was a tough one to crack.” Having come to trucking with book knowledge, not as a driver, she says she didn’t have a lot of “street cred.” “I said, if you’re not going to respect me for what I know, then I’m going to learn and do what you do,” said Nicole, who got her CDL and learned to drive. “That helped tremendously. I’ve had to work hard to gain respect from those who had been in the industry.” Nicole says she’s very happy to see so many women in trucking today, including drivers, mechanics, safety professionals, executives and more, because that was so uncommon when she first started in the industry. And while she encourages women to consider a career in trucking, she still believes that the best way to earn the respect of your peers is through hard work. “Do what they do,” said Nicole. “Get in on the ground floor, work your way up and earn their respect. Get out there, learn the business. You need to learn what they do before you tell them what to do.” Twenty-five years into her career, Nicole continues to practice what she preaches. She still has her CDL and moves equipment every now and then when the team needs an extra hand.
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