Drivers can often point to a friend or family member who motivated them to pursue a driving career. For Krista Celano it was her grandfather, who drove a box truck in New York City. Both grandfathers and her father worked with diesel machinery at a power plant. “I’ve always wanted to drive a truck,” she said. “Everybody in my family is a mechanic, in one respect or another, so I always thought it was cool.”
But she didn’t go down the road toward a driving career right away. She went into education and pursued a PhD in history, eventually working in the human services field. But driving a truck was “always in the back of my head.” One day she realized there was nothing stopping her from pursuing her dream, “…and it was the best, crazy decision that I ever made.”
Krista earned her Class A CDL and joined Shaffer Trucking in 2017. She drove over-the-road and helped out at the Walmart DC in Cheyenne, Wyoming before taking a position as a recovery driver at the Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania terminal. She also runs local freight and puts her education experience to use by teaching the defensive driving course. She enjoys the variety but says she loves getting behind the wheel. “There is nothing else like driving a truck. There’s nothing else like it in the world.”
And she encourages those like her who may have put their driving dreams on hold. “Just do it. Research how you’re going to get your CDL. Make sure you find a good school. Do not be shy about asking questions. There’s something to learn every day,” she said.
And when it comes to asking questions, Krista says she’s glad to be part of the Crete Carrier family. “I can go to my fleet manager or assistant fleet manager. They’re approachable, available and everybody really is willing to help one another out. That’s really important to me and it’s part of the reason why I’m going to retire from this company.”