The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Melissa Bencivengo as its September 2021 Member of the Month. She is a professional driver for Carbon Express.
Melissa’s love for trucking began at six years old. She was introduced to trucking by her uncle, who drove a big sleeper truck. When he would stop by the house to visit family, he would always take Melissa out to his truck. Uncle Rebel and his truck won her heart and set her life path. Melissa was so small she had to stand up on the seat to pull the air horn. Growing up, she was consistently told trucking and heavy machines are not a job for women. Those comments only made her more determined to pursue her dream. Melissa’s enthusiasm is front and center when she talks about her trucking career.
Her career began in 1999 with driving dump trucks and operating big equipment including well rigs and pile drivers. Ultimately, Melissa earned a CDL Class A license and joined Carbon Express in 2019.
Melissa is more than a truck driver, she holds many labels; wife, Mom to six children, a certified nurse’s aide in the State of NJ and a tree arborist. Melissa is a driven, talented and knowledgeable woman who loves her family and driving her truck.
One of the few women in the trucking industry driving liquid bulk trucks, Melissa says, “Control the tanker, don’t fear it. Driving a liquid tanker is like driving with a dance partner, only you have to be the dance lead and control the movement of the product in the tank.” Customers often comment that they are surprised to see a woman get out of the truck.
Melissa loves Carbon Express; she has found her forever work home. Carbon is well suited for women drivers. They only have day cab trucks, so overnight drivers stay in hotels and not sleepers. Carbon Express does this to give their drivers respect and a better quality of rest, making them safer drivers. This summer Melissa’s time on the road has afforded her to take the family on a free vacation with rewards points earned from those overnight stays.
Melissa knows she is unique being a female in the male-dominated liquid bulk business, but that has never discouraged her. At Carbon Express she is part of a team and is respected by her male counterparts. She is quick to point out how the other male drivers have gone out of their way to support, encourage and provide her the information to make her successful. She knows she can ask questions about directions, equipment, and even which are the best hotels to stay at. Melissa does her part to help keep Carbon Express the leader it is today in bulk liquid transportation. Carbon is always looking for great female drivers like Melissa in various parts of the country.
