In The News

Frito-Lay female driver reaches milestone

BELOIT, Wis.— Once she took the wheel, Deb Davis knew it was meant to be.

Frito-Lay’s over-the-road driver called her 34-year career with Frito-Lay a dream come true. Davis said her late mother only dreamed of being a truck driver herself, and was thrilled when her daughter had the opportunity to take to the road.

As one of only two females out of the 88 drivers at Beloit’s Frito-Lay plant, Davis has pulled ahead of the pack. She was recently honored for having driven 2 million miles without an accident, roughly the equivalent of nine round trips from Earth to the moon.

It’s a rare accomplishment for any over-the-road driver, but especially for a woman in an industry that is only 12 to 15 percent female. Davis’ co-workers, however, aren’t surprised with her performance.

“She’s extremely professional, and she’s just so much fun to be around,” said Linda Burns, traffic manager for Frito-Lay.

“Her personality enables her to stay relaxed. She’s a very conscientious person,” said Carl Griffin, distribution manager. “Frito-Lay runs through her veins.”

Davis was the only woman working at a Frito-Lay warehouse in Illinois 34 years ago. When she decided to get her truck driving license, she borrowed various tractors and trailers from friends and her father’s workplace for practice.

After she got her license, Davis began traveling all over the country, from to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan to North Dakota, Texas and beyond.

Over the years she’s seen a few tornados, but acknowledges she enjoys watching the weather.

“If I wasn’t a truck driver, I’d be a storm tracker,” Davis said.

She never let being a woman get in her way, and luckily most of the men didn’t give her any problems about it.

When she first started out in Iowa, for example, she couldn’t get her truck doors open. She went to a gas station filled with men, a little nervous to ask for help. But she said the guys opened the doors without teasing her much.

She got even more hesitant when pulling in a parking lot stuffed with Harley-Davidson bikers in Michigan. But as soon as she started backing up, they got on their bikes and left.

These days Davis travels from Beloit to Coon Rapids, Minn., five days a week from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Although raccoons, deer and cell phone-toting drivers may pass her way, she doesn’t get in accidents. She attributes it to good common sense and taking her time.

She doesn’t mind lending fellow drivers a hand either. One snowy Thanksgiving weekend she ran into a carload of stranded girls. After she called a tow truck for them and sent them on their way, she was later commended by the girl’s mother, who sent a thank-you note to Frito-Lay.

Although co-workers say Davis is pretty easy going, she got a little worried in December of 2008 when she was close to reaching her 2 million mile mark. After almost 26 years without an accident, she didn’t want anything to keep her from her milestone.

Unfortunately, she said it snowed 22 days this past December, especially the final two days of the month.

Now that she’s earned her victory, however, she is looking toward the future. She figures she can easily truck at least 10 more years and reach 3 million miles.

On average it takes a Frito-Lay OTR driver about 10 years to reach the one million mile mark. The company now has more than 500 active “Million Milers” on the roads daily. Through the “Million Milers” program, and the company’s extensive safety efforts, Frito-Lay has seen a 64 percent decline in collisions over the past 10 years.

Other Beloit Frito-Lay drivers honored this year included the following people: Chris Zanoni, 1 million miles; Todd Gabower, 1 million miles; Dave Wells, 1 million miles; Darrell Zettle, 1 million miles; Dave Rickel, 2 million miles; and John Ross, 2 million miles.

As a company, Frito-Lay recognizes its “Million Mile” drivers annually. The nearly 90 drivers who have logged one million or more accident-free miles were honored at a recognition ceremony at Frito-Lay Headquarters in Plano, Texas, with a trip to South Fork Ranch. Davis received her 2 million mile ring she wears and a crystal truck.

Davis lives in Beloit with her husband, Jeff, and with her two schnauzers. They have two grown stepsons, Jesse and Jake Davis.

Dorothy Cox of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at [email protected] .