Luella Bates (b Luella Born, October 17, 1897 - d Luella Coates, November 25, 1985) was the first female truck driver.
Luella Bates works for Four Wheel Drive Auto Co. from 1918-1922. During World War I, he was a test driver who traveled throughout the state of Wisconsin in a Model B. truck. After the war, when the majority of women working at Four Wheel Drive were released, he remained a protester and driver.
In January 1920, Bates went to New York City, where he attended the New York Car Show. During his stay, he met New York State Minister Francis Hugo and became the first female truck driver to receive a driver's license in New York.
Bates was so popular in New York that Four Wheel Drive decided to use his skills even further. In 1920, they sent it on three transcontinental tours across the United States. The advertising scheme introduces the idea that FWD trucks are easy to drive, as evidenced by a female driver. During his first tour, he represented First Safety Campaign Francis Hugo.
He toured about 25 cities, beginning in Kansas City, Missouri, and ending in Belefontaine, Ohio. While in Erie, Pennsylvania, he flies over the city with "earoplane" and soothes Erie with information about the Four Wheel Drive and his vehicle. In May 1920, the magazine Popular Science referred to it as "exhibit A for feminine efficiency."
He returned to Clintonville, Wisconsin, in late July 1920. He embarked on the next tour of the month, traveling to state fairs throughout the eastern United States. In September, he drove his truck with a load of coal on the streets of Utica, New York. Both expert and mechanical drivers, Bates is more than capable of completing all the maintenance on his truck.
During his last tour of 1920, Bates took over the southern state by storm. He is now known as "our female driver." In Oklahoma, he challenged the police and took his truck across the flooded road, hauling meat for the packing plant. This bold attempt led to the sale of ten trucks for Four Wheel Drive and much admiration for Bates. For the next two years, Bates traveled as demonstrators, both locally and throughout the United States, modeling the newly developed Model B trucks and fire trucks.
In early December 1922, Bates moved to Milwaukee, then married Howard Coates and had two sons. Her offspring include one granddaughter and three great-grandchildren, one of whom is actress Ashley Hinshaw.
Luella Bates has been included in several books about the company's Four Wheel Drive, truck history and the history of Clintonville, Wisconsin. During the early days of the trucking industry, he played an important role in the history of women in trucks.
Video Luella Bates
References
Maps Luella Bates
External links
- Browse Ancient New York State Historical Newspaper Pages - Including January 8, 1920, New York Eve Post article about Luella Bates.
- Women on the Road by Troy Wallace - An article on the role of women in truck history.
- Career Opportunities in Trucking Industry - Discussion of truck history, including mention of Luella Bates.
- Bronx, NY video- A short video of Luella Bates is driving a FWD truck.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments