"You think I can't do it? Watch this."
That mindset has carried Melissa Pollock through more than a decade behind the wheel and into a fulfilling life as a professional driver. Today, she and her husband Daniel operate as a husband-and-wife trucking team in Anderson Trucking Service's (ATS) Department of Defense (DOD) division, hauling secure freight that supports the U.S. military.
Melissa's experience is a powerful female truck driver story — one that reflects determination, partnership, and the unique opportunities available in modern trucking. While she officially joined ATS in 2025, her connection to driving and life on the road stretches back much further.
Melissa's interest in trucking began when she was a teenager. Around 16 or 17 years old, she found herself fascinated by the variety of big rigs she saw parked in truck lots and along highways. Something about the idea of traveling across the country captured her imagination.
That interest never faded.
While raising a family, Melissa built driving experience in another way, spending 18 years as a school bus driver. Holding a CDL-B, she developed the skills and confidence necessary to operate large vehicles safely and responsibly. But even during those years, she knew she eventually wanted to move into long-haul trucking.
As it happened, her husband Daniel shared that same dream.
Early in their relationship, the two made a plan: once their children were grown and graduated, they would pursue trucking together. Years later, they followed through on that promise and began their journey as a team truck driving partnership.
More than 12 years later, neither of them has looked back.
Switching from driving a school bus to operating a commercial truck wasn't without its challenges. The equipment, the responsibilities, and the long stretches on the road all required adjustment. Yet Melissa quickly found that her previous experience helped her adapt.
Driving professionally requires:
And while those skills translated naturally from her years of transporting students safely, entering the trucking industry as a woman brought a different kind of challenge.
Although women are becoming a growing part of the trucking workforce, with recent industry data showing that women now make up roughly 9-12% of professional truck drivers in the U.S., Melissa acknowledges that not everyone in the industry welcomes women drivers.
"There are men that really don't like women out there," she explains. "They think we don't belong here — that we belong at home with the kids, cooking." Sometimes the skepticism comes in the form of surprised looks at truck stops or comments from other drivers, but Melissa has learned to treat those moments as motivation, rather than discouragement.
"If I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be driving a truck," she says.
Instead of letting stereotypes define her, she focuses on doing the job well, proving that skill and professionalism matter more than mere assumptions.
For the Pollocks, the real strength of team driving comes from how they support and balance one another out on the road.
Some tasks in flatbed trucking, like tightening down straps, require physical strength, and it's in those moments that Daniel's strength backs her. Where Melissa's strength backs him is in something equally valuable and absolutely vital:
Composure.
Long days on the road can be stressful, especially when hauling secure or sensitive freight. When a frustrating situation arises, Melissa's calm, patient approach keeps both drivers focused and clear-headed. Where Daniel might react emotionally, she brings patience and perspective — qualities that are essential when transporting high-value cargo across the country.
It's this balance that makes them an effective team and an incredible asset to the ATS Secure division.
Before joining ATS, the Pollocks worked for several different carriers. Over time, they witnessed the secure divisions shrinking at these other companies, and the loads they were being assigned no longer excited them or aligned with what they wanted to haul.
Then, they heard about ATS.
Another secure driver recommended the company (more on our referral program here) and told them about ATS's strong presence in Department of Defense freight. The opportunity immediately caught their attention. The company's reputation for handling specialized and secure cargo appealed to their experience and aspirations and "seemed to fit right in with them."
Today, Melissa says hauling secure freight brings an added sense of purpose to her life as a truck driver: "We've hauled some sensitive stuff," she says proudly. "It's enlightening, because I know I'm helping support our military."
Since joining ATS, Melissa says one of the biggest differences she's noticed is the company culture.
She describes it in one word: camaraderie.
"When you call, and you talk to any department, you're talked to with respect," she says. "You're not talked to like somebody who's 'lesser than.' Everybody's willing to help you if you've got a problem, and there's not a lot of that out there."
For professional drivers, that kind of support matters. Knowing that recruiters, dispatchers, driver managers, and other departments are ready to help makes a big difference during long weeks on the road.
Melissa's advice for women who may be interested in trucking? You will do things and see places that you'd never get to otherwise. It is, as she describes it, a "vacation that you get paid for."
While the work requires skill, discipline, and dedication, every run offers something new, and the opportunity to explore the country makes the experience incredibly rewarding. For Melissa and Dan, their travels have even helped shape their retirement plans, revealing places they hope to return to someday (Utah being chief among them).
If you're interested in checking out our fleet, or getting started with your truck driving journey, take a look at our available openings or contact us today.
Thanks Melissa & Dan for all that you do!