14 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 THETRUCKER.COM at the TRUCK STOP PRESENTED BY CAT SCALE. VISIT WEIGHMYTRUCK.COM As a world traveler, Carina BeeBe finds comfort, happiness behind the wheel HANNAH BUTLER | STAFF WRITER DE BORGIA, Mont. — Carina BeeBe knows the pressures of life on the road, both across the U.S. and abroad. She’s got a powerhouse of world traveling under her belt as a truck driver. As a world traveler, BeeBe said the life of a truck driver always appealed to her. Her days are filled with her sole passion — to enjoy life through travel. “I like the freedom to meet new people and to see places. I like the feeling of having a bigass truck under my butt,” she laughed. “I’ve always (traveled), and it’s a hobby as well, not only work. I really enjoy every day when I get into the truck, I’m happy. To me, it’s just enjoyable that I can see other places than a computer screen.” For a time, BeeBe worked as a CDL instructor. That’s the closest she’s gotten to leaving the trucking industry. Her stint as an instructor was short-lived, and she came back to over-theroad trucking with energy and excitement. It’s been a little over 20 years since BeeBe, a native of the Netherlands, first started her truck-driving career in Europe. She started out hauling curtain vans, then moved on to refrigerated trailers and delivered flowers and plants to Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and France. In total, Beebe’s professional driving career in Europe took her across 10 countries. Although Europe was her home and she was able to travel to many countries, BeeBe said it was a challenge to keep up with all the rules and regulations of truck driving. The typical American trucker may complain about issues such as the electronic logging device (ELD) or inadequate parking. To BeeBe, it’s a step up from what she experienced in Europe. Believe it or not, she said, it’s easier for her to find a place to park here, and truck stops are bigger and more accommodating in the U.S. “Over here, it’s an easy cakewalk compared to Europe,” she said. “In Europe, they have all kinds of goofy things, like four-and-a half hours and a 45-minute break; then they split up the hours and it’s just goofy and a pain in the butt. If you mess up, then they will fine you dearly for it.” In addition, she explained, different countries have different fine rules. If a rule is broken according to a Netherlands rule, and the truck driver is pulled over in Ireland, authority figures can fine the driver for the Netherlands regulation. “I do miss (driving in Europe in some ways; it’s a little bit less strict. For example, you can have a glass of wine in the evening, and nobody [cares],” she laughed. “But on the other hand, I’ve always (traveled), and it’s a hobby as well, not only work. I really enjoy every day when I get into the truck, I’m happy. To me, it’s just enjoyable that I can see other places than a computer screen.” — CARINA BEEBE, PROFESSIONAL DRIVER the hours and the ELD is way more complicated, and it’s a pain in the butt.” In the midst of dealing with the challenges of driving professionally in Europe, BeeBe said she had a wakeup call when one of her friends died at a young age — and BeeBe realized she wasn’t going to live forever. “And I was ready for a new adventure and driving a big-ass Peterbilt,” she laughed, adding that she sees Peterbilt trucks as an American icon. So, she moved to North America and became a cross-border driver between the U.S. and Canada for Wilson Logistics. While she enjoyed her two years with Wilson, she recently started her own trucking company and bought her own truck. She’s now the owner of Dutch Girl Trucking, fitting for her roots. While on the road, BeeBe travels with Jack, a Pomeranian-mix rat terrier, by her side. She laughingly says she got a dog to make sure she regularly gets her “butt out of the truck and walks.” “I have a tendency to get lazy and I don’t want to,” she said. “I like to stay active, so as soon as I stop somewhere I’ll go take him for a walk, and in the evenings, if it’s nice weather, I’ll go out for a longer walk.” BeeBe has traveled all around the world — and has seen every U.S. state, except for Maine — yet she’s a sucker for Montana. She can’t help it; the U.S. West is now her home, and she’s reminded as such every time she wanders out and about. “I like the weather, even though in the wintertime it can sometimes be a pain in the butt — but it’s not bad,” she said. BeeBe now lives in the tiny town of De Borgia, Montana. It’s just SEE BEEBE ON PAGE 16 Courtesy: Carina BeeBe Top: Professional driver Carina BeeBe is a native of the Netherlands and has been driving for more than 20 years. Her career has spanned multiple European countries. While she enjoyed her two years with Wilson, she recently started her own trucking company and bought her own truck. She’s now the owner of Dutch Girl Trucking. Bottom: While on the road, BeeBe always has Jack, a Pomeranian-rat terrier mix, by her side.
CA<strong>TT</strong>heTrucker051421 fullpage.qxp_Layout 1 5/14/21 3:58 PM Page 1 THETRUCKER.COM AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 15 Fast. Easy. Guaranteed. Get guaranteed, accurate weights on your mobile device without leaving the cab. You know you can trust CAT Scale for guaranteed accurate weights. You can get those same guaranteed weights even faster by using the Weigh My Truck app. Spend less time weighing, so you can spend more time on the road. 1-877-CAT-SCALE (228-7225) catscale.com | weighmytruck.com
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