Trucker tells her story in public television series on work

Laura Hathaway is a mom and a former teacher turned professional truck driver. The Stillwell, Oklahoma woman is also the subject of a profile in the PBS series American Portrait.

In the Jan. 12 episode of the “I Work” series, Hathaway talks about the dilemma of making a good living on the road, but at the same time being away from her family. In an interview with the Tulsa World, Hathaway said she makes about three times the amount of money as a trucker than she did as a teacher.

However, she was also reluctant for others to know she was a professional driver.

“I didn’t want anyone to know that I had come back to driving, so I kind of kept it hush-hush,” she told the Tulsa World. “I didn’t tell very many people that I had come back to driving, the reason being I felt like people would think I am a horrible parent for leaving my son to be over the road for such long periods of time.”

Check local listings to see when Hathaway’s story airs on your public television station.