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Suzanne Carlson Found Freedom Behind the Wheel
22 Jul 2026
Most people drive past semi-trucks without giving them much thought. Suzanne Carlson used to be different. Growing up in Eugene, Oregon, she watched those trucks with curiosity. She wondered where they were going, what they were carrying, and how everything seemed to keep moving because someone was willing to drive the next mile.
Years later, that curiosity became her career.
Today, Suzanne is an experienced professional truck driver based in Oregon. She has spent years transporting freight throughout the Pacific Northwest and across the western United States. Her work has taken her over mountain passes, through coastal towns, into busy cities, and across long stretches of open desert.
“It never gets old watching the sun come up over a new highway,” Suzanne says. “Every trip reminds me why I chose this career.”
Her story is about more than trucking. It is about finding work that fits her personality and building a career through preparation, patience, and consistency.
Discovering a Different Path
Suzanne grew up surrounded by Oregon’s forests, rivers, and mountain roads. Her father travelled throughout the state for construction projects, and family road trips became part of everyday life.
“I paid attention to the trucks more than anything else,” she recalls. “I liked thinking about how they connected places that seemed far apart.”
At Sheldon High School, she enjoyed practical problem solving more than traditional classroom work. Outside school, she spent hours cycling through Eugene’s trails and quiet backroads. That love of movement has stayed with her ever since.
After graduation, Suzanne worked in warehouse operations, retail logistics support, and later as a dispatch assistant for a transportation company.
Working alongside drivers changed everything.
“I realised the people behind the wheel were solving problems all day long. They weren’t just driving. They were keeping schedules, managing weather, and making sure businesses had what they needed.”
Learning the Craft
Suzanne enrolled in a commercial driving programme in Oregon to earn her Commercial Driver’s License.
Her training covered commercial vehicle operation, freight securement, defensive driving, air brake systems, vehicle inspections, federal regulations, and route planning.
She quickly learned that trucking depended on preparation more than speed.
“The best drivers aren’t rushing,” she says. “They’re thinking ahead.”
That mindset became one of the biggest reasons for her success.
Life on the Highway
Suzanne began with regional freight throughout Oregon and Washington before moving into longer routes across the western United States.
She has hauled refrigerated food, agricultural products, construction materials, consumer goods, and industrial equipment.
Every route presents something different.
One day might involve thick fog rolling through the Columbia River Gorge. Another could mean climbing snowy mountain passes or making deliveries through heavy city traffic.
“You learn to respect the road instead of fighting it,” Suzanne says. “Weather always wins if you think you’re tougher than it.”
Her calm approach has earned respect from dispatchers and fellow drivers alike.
She is known for thorough pre-trip inspections, dependable communication, safe driving habits, and arriving when she says she will.
“People remember consistency,” she says. “That’s what builds trust.”
Helping the Next Generation
When Suzanne entered trucking, women were still uncommon behind the wheel.
She admits there were moments early in her career when people underestimated her.
“I couldn’t control what people expected,” she says. “I could control how well I did my job.”
That attitude helped her earn respect through experience instead of arguments.
Today, Suzanne enjoys encouraging newer drivers, especially women entering the industry.
“I always tell new drivers that confidence doesn’t come first. Experience does. The confidence follows.”
She believes the trucking industry has become more welcoming over the years, and she hopes even more people see transportation as a rewarding career.
Finding Balance
Driving requires long hours of focus. Cycling provides the opposite.
When she is home in Oregon, Suzanne spends her free time riding scenic coastal roads, forest trails, and quiet country highways. She also enjoys camping, photographing landscapes, reading nonfiction, listening to podcasts, and stopping at local diners during her routes.
“Cycling lets me enjoy the same places I drive through every week, just at a completely different pace.”
Her hobbies help keep both her body and mind active after long days behind the wheel.
Looking Down the Road
After years in transportation, Suzanne still enjoys the responsibility that comes with every trip.
She hopes to stay involved in trucking while eventually moving into driver mentoring and transportation safety education.
Looking back, she sees one lesson repeated throughout her career.
“Big careers aren’t built in one day,” she says. “They’re built one safe mile at a time.”
For Suzanne Carlson, every delivery has reinforced that idea. Every road has offered another lesson. Every challenge has strengthened the discipline that first drew her to trucking.
The destination has never been the only reward. The journey has shaped the person behind the wheel.
Q&A with Suzanne Carlson
1. What first inspired you to become a truck driver?
Growing up in Eugene, I was always fascinated by trucks during family road trips. Most people looked at the scenery. I wondered where the freight was going and how everything kept moving. Later, working in warehouse operations and dispatch showed me just how important drivers are. That’s when I knew I wanted to be behind the wheel.
2. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned on the road?
Preparation solves most problems before they happen. You can’t control traffic, weather, or road closures, but you can control how ready you are. That’s something trucking teaches every day.
3. What routes do you enjoy driving the most?
I never get tired of driving through the Columbia River Gorge or along Oregon’s coastal highways. The forests in Washington and the high desert east of the Cascades are also incredible. Every season makes those routes feel different.
4. What advice do you give new drivers?
Trust your training. Everyone feels nervous at first. Focus on building good habits instead of trying to impress people. Confidence comes naturally after you’ve gained experience.
5. How does cycling fit into your life?
Driving and cycling balance each other perfectly. Trucking requires hours of sitting and concentration. Cycling gets me outside, keeps me active, and lets me experience Oregon from a much slower pace.
6. What keeps you motivated after all these years?
I like knowing my work matters. Every load helps someone, whether it’s construction materials, food, or equipment. I also enjoy learning something new on almost every trip. That’s one of the reasons I still love what I do.
