Jo Lynn Kelley, or JJ as she likes to be called, is an over-the-road long haul trucker with a not-so-hidden talent that goes beyond her CDL credentials.
JJ enrolled in a FastForward CDL training program at Eastern Shore Community College and graduated from the program in January 2020. By March, she was sitting in an orientation session for the national trucking carrier Schneider, and by April, she was on the road for her first solo ride.
And while JJ loves what she does on the road, she also loves storytelling and sharing her adventures with family and friends – and strangers, thanks to her YouTube channel.
“I became a truck driver because I love driving,” JJ said in one of her YouTube videos. “I love adventure, traveling and over-the-road long haul trucking really appealed to me. The other thing that was key, is the field is really non-age discriminatory. You can enter at any point in your life.”
While she’s on the road, JJ likes to put her photography, editing and publishing skills to work. In addition to her YouTube channel, she also has written a book about her experiences on the road.
In her videos and her book, JJ talks about the industry and debunks preconceived notions that people may have. For example, you can be a trucker and still be home every night. Or, if you want to be on the open road, you can be a long hauler and drive for weeks at a time.
Wherever you land, if you’re interested in earning your CDL, JJ has one piece of advice.
“Don’t quit. If you got into this, you got into it for a reason. Just don’t quit no matter what. You can do it.”
If you want to pursue your CDL or other career training at your local community college, reach out to a career coach today to get started.