Women's History Month: UPS' Jacqueline Johnson marks 40 years behind the wheel
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — After 100 years in business, UPS continues to drive home the point that their playing field is more level than ever before.
"We provided resources and training to more than 100,000 business women and small business owners—helping them expand their reach and achieve their goals," UPS CEO Carol Tome told CNBC.
Tome is the first female CEO in the history of the company, and is most likely not the last.
From Jesse Bell (the company's first female employee) to Mazie Lanham (the company's first female package carrier), countless women have followed their path to success—including Dallas' Jacqueline Johnson.
"Women are moving up and that is a good visual for me," Johnson said.
The potential to turn a job into a life-long career is what led the Kimball High School graduate to get behind wheel and leave the world of retail behind.
"It looked overwhelming in the beginning, but if [you] made up your mind [and] you said, 'This is something that I wanna do,' it can definitely be accomplished," she said.
Before Johnson could ever dream of stepping foot on a truck, though, she had to pass an interview test that seemed improbable.
"I weighed 93 pound soaking wet and I was told there was no way in the world I would be able to do it," Johnson recalled. "Back then, the lifting requirement was 50 pounds."
Nonetheless, when it came to her turn, Johnson carried those 50 pounds successfully.
"Most of the men said, '[You] barely look like you're old enough to drive. You don't even don't have enough weight to be lifting these packages. How do you do it lady?'" she said. "I used to tell them, 'Determination.'"
Now, Johnson is just months away from completing her 40th year of service, making her the longest tenured female driver in Dallas.
Along her journey, she's seen the many positive ways in which things have changed for women in the workforce and has one piece of advice to offer them.
"Don't be self-defeated," she said. "This [is] one of those things where you give yourself a chance."
Johnson doesn't know how long she'll keep her foot on the gas. But for now, her plan is to keep on truckin'.
"I saw a customer last week that I haven't seen in 15 [years]. He said, 'Jacqueline, you're still here.' I said, 'Yup! I'm going down with the ship,'" she said laughing.