Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/833076
June 2017 | Overdrive | 27 next stage, I was earning, and now I am returning." She's still driving full time but relishes opportunities to represent CFI and the industry in charity, business and commu- nity events. Her positive attitude stands out in an industry sometimes known for its nega- tivity. "I've learned over the years that a lot of drivers look and act angry," Klang says. "I tell them, 'Sweet pea, if you don't like your life, change it.' I say it with a laugh, and usually, I can get them to lighten up." During a recent CFI monthly safety meeting, Klang was presented with a bouquet of pink roses. Then, in an unplanned moment, she handed out one of the long-stemmed roses to each woman in the room. "I want to honor all of the hard- working, beautiful women here," she explained. That gesture sums up Klang's gener- ous nature, says Katlin Owens, senior communications coordinator for CFI. "She has the experience, dedication, grace and heart to be an example for the industry," Owens says. "Even with her accolades, she is humble and continues to deliver freight safely and on time. She has the right personality mix of warmth and outgoing that also makes her a joy to work with." Learning At 21, Klang married a truck driver. She missed him when he was on the road and convinced him to teach her how to drive. "He was not the most patient of train- ers," and she recalls crying a lot during her education behind the wheel. Nevertheless, she was grateful for the challenge, and in 1979, she got her CDL. They drove team for 15 years. However, because of his temper, he kept getting fired, and they had to start over with different companies. Finally, they landed at Con-Way (now CFI). When her husband had a falling-out with the company, Stephanie was told that she was welcome to stay and drive solo. Klang says the encouragement created a strong bond of loyalty to CFI, and she continues to pull a dry van for the company over the lower 48. In 1985, Klang and her husband divorced, splitting everything down the middle. He got the paid-for 18-wheel- er. She kept the home in Diamond, Missouri, a former one-room school- house, circa 1922, they'd renovated and expanded. "When we went before the judge, he tried to encourage me to ask for sup- port," Klang says. "I politely declined. I had my home and my career and didn't need anything further from my ex-hus- band." Earning Driving solo for CFI included a steady supply of miles, plus perks such as health care benefits, vacation and sick leave. "Trucking is one of the few profes- sions where women earn the same as men," Klang says. "When you are paid by the mile, there's no gender discrim- ination." She went on to be CFI's first woman driver to achieve three million safe miles. Once Klang was on her own, she felt the freedom to work hard and have only herself and her cat, Fred, to care for. She loved traveling the country, listening to NPR and devouring mystery, science and forensic novels on her downtime. During her earlier years, she put in serious mileage, staying out five weeks at a time and away from home 285 nights per year. The independence she has enjoyed is a major emphasis of hers when she speaks to women interested in trucking. When she met Greg Klang, a CFI driver, she admired how careful he was with his finances – and how he loved his cats. Greg Klang says he's proud of his wife's achievements. "I definitely mar- ried up," he says with a laugh. Since their marriage in 2006, they've continued to add on to the house and Klang's 17-year-old cat, Fred, rides shotgun with her. Stephanie's husband, Greg Klang, also drives for CFI. Carolyn Magner Mason Carolyn Magner Mason "I loved sitting in the truck, honking the horn and seeing where she and her cat sleep," says Girl Scout Ashlyn Hayworth, 8.