Celebrating women who made transportation history

From the sea, across land, and all the way to the stars, women have made an incredible difference on our world.  March is Women’s History Month and we would like to take the time to share with you some incredible women who had a great impact on transportation.

Nellie Bly: Have you ever read the book by Jules Vern, Around the World in 80 Days? The classic adventure told the story of Phileas Fogg and his desire to circumnavigate the earth in 80 days. Elizabeth Jane Cochrane was a journalist who went by the name Nellie Bly, and she was inspired by the book. In 1889, at the age of 25, she traveled around the world — and she did it in 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 14 seconds. According to Biography.com she used a variety of transportation methods to achieve her lofty goal, including: ship, horse, rickshaw, sampan, burro and other vehicles.

Anne Rainford French Bush: In 1900, cars were just starting to be manufactured and there were only a handful of people who actually owned and drove them.  According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Anne Rainford French Bush was the first woman who obtained a “steam engineer’s license,” which allowed her to operate a four-wheeled vehicle powered by steam or gas.” In an article in Life Magazine from Sept. 1952, Bush said that the speed limit was nine miles an hour, and her father was pulled over for going 12 miles an hour in his convertible.

Alice Huyler Ramsey: In 1909, 22 year-old Alice Huyler Ramsey, drover her way into history as the first woman to drive coast to coast across the United States. According the Smithsonian Magazine, her 3,800 journey from New York to California took 59 days to complete. In those days, there was no GPS and the majority of America’s roads were not fit for long distance travel. Ramsey relied on the Blue Book travel guides with directions that weren’t always accurate. Ramsey and her three women passengers had to conquer many obstacles, including car trouble, inclement weather, and the fact that there were no directions west of the Mississippi River. Ramsey would eventually be the founder of the Women’s Motoring Club.

Olive Dennis: According to TransportationHistory.org, In 1920, Dennis was hired by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to work as a bridge designer in the engineering department. Later, her role changed to a service engineer where she was responsible for engineering upgrades that would make train rides more comfortable. Dennis invented reclining seats, stain resistant upholstery, adjustable ceiling lights that could be dimmed in the passenger cars. Arguably her greatest invention was the window vents that brought in fresh air, but kept the dust out and air conditioning that was used aboard the trains and also implemented in planes and busses. Dennis said, “No matter how successful a business may seem to be, it can gain even greater success if it gives consideration to the women’s viewpoint.” She was also the first female member of the American Railway Engineering Association.

Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) During World War II, the army was desperate for pilots to deliver newly built training aircraft to flight schools. Twenty-eight women pilots volunteered to take job of ferrying these aircraft. For the next two years, 1,074 more women volunteered and they were trained to ferry, tow gunnery targets, transport equipment and personnel, and test aircraft that had been repaired. 

According to waspmusem.org, the WASP served at 120 different bases around the country and carried out a variety of aviation-related positions. The WASP asked Walt Disney if they could use a female gremlin character, called Fifinella, from an unaired cartoon as their mascot.

Although It took another 37 years before they were granted military status, these women played an important role in WWII.

“These 1,102 Women Airforce Service Pilots flew wingtip to wingtip with their male counterparts,” the site said. “And they were just as vital to war effort.”

Rosie the Riveter:  This famous icon represents all the women who went to work as the men were fighting in World War II. Rosie the Riveter was a campaign geared toward recruiting workers for defense industries. By the end of the war, one out four women worked outside the home.

The aviation industry saw the most women workers. According to history.com, 310,000 women went to work in the U.S. aircraft industry.

Rosie the Riveter is slightly based on a real-life munitions worker, and she stressed the patriotic need for women to continue working. The term is also based on a song of the same name.  The most popular illustration of Rosie was created by artist Jay Howard Miller in 1942. Norman Rockwell also created his own Rosie in 1943.

Rosie the Riveter continues to be an inspirational icon for women across the world.

Janet Guthrie: Ever since auto racing got its start, it has been a predominantly male sport. But in the early 1970's a woman with a degree in physics by the name of Janet Guthrie wanted to change that. In 1976, she became the first woman to compete in a NASCAR race, and in the following year she became the first female driver to start in the Daytona 500. She won Top Rookie honors because of her 12^th place finish in NASCAR’s biggest race. Later that year she qualified for the Indy 500. Although her racing career never saw her in victory lane, she paved the way for countless female race car drivers. In 2005 she was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Sally Ride: Nasa was formed in 1958, and it would be another 25 years before an American woman would blast off into Earth’s Orbit. Sally Ride, was born on May 26, 1951. Ride received her doctorate in physics in 1978. After she completed her studies, she applied to become an astronaut for NASA and was selected, she began spacing training that same year. On June 18, 1983, Ride took her first space flight on the Challenger. She returned to space in 1984 and continued to work for NASA until 1987 and began teaching at the University of California in San Diego to help women and young girls study science and math. She was added to the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2003.

Mae C. Jemison Nine years after Ride took her first spaceflight, Mae C. Jemison became the first African-American woman in space. Jemison was born on Oct. 17, 1956. She studied chemical engineering. According to Biography.com, Jemison also received her M.D., and worked as a medical officer for the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and Liberia. In 1985, she returned to the United States and followed her dream to become an astronaut for NASA. In 1987, she was chosen and after five years of working for NASA, she boarded Space Shuttle Endeavor and blasted off on Sept. 12, 1992. She spent eight days in space and conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness on the crew and herself.

When it comes to safety, even the pros stay on track

“Drivers start your engines!”

These four words will signal the start of NASCAR’s version of the Super Bowl, The Daytona 500, on Sunday. And at least 43 engines will roar to life as fans both in the stands and at home cheer their favorite driver on.

While these high-tech racing machines are built for entertainment, NASCAR drivers don’t take safety lightly. In fact, anyone who has ever climbed into a regular vehicle can learn a lot from these athletes. Here are a few tips on how staying safe during a NASCAR event compares to everyday driving.

Before drivers even start their engines, they are strapped in to their seats with their safety harnesses. 

Although the safety belt system in a race car is a bit different from a normal vehicle’s seat belts, you won’t see a NASCAR driver go around the race track without it. The safety restraint in a NASCAR vehicle is actually a five-point harness that is designed to help keep the driver in their seat and slow down with the car at the same time. Do what the pros do. It is important to buckle up every trip, every lap and every time.

Driving a race car requires total concentration. 

Contrary to popular belief, those are real athletes inside a race car. Being a good athlete requires total focus.  Every lap counts and at times, NASCAR events have lasted more than six hours. If a driver were to get distracted, the consequences could be life-threatening and costly. 

When you are behind the wheel of a vehicle, try to treat each trip as important as a NASCAR driver would during a race. Checking text messages or changing the radio station at the wrong moment puts your life and others at risk. Focus on driving and avoid all distractions.

Race cars need to be ready for long-haul. 

Some races require drivers to race around the track for more than 500 miles. That’s farther than a road trip across Kansas. During these long events, cars could be exceeding 220 miles per hour. That puts a lot of pressure on these racing machines. NASCAR teams have to understand what the mileage does to the important components of their vehicle such as the engine or tires. In fact, the tires are checked and changed regularly during an event to avoid devastating losses should one of the tires blow during high speeds. 

While teams do their best, it is inevitable that something could malfunction at any time during the course of the race. The same could be said for anyone who takes a road trip to a fun vacation spot, or just down the road to Grandma’s. Anything can happen and the best way to be prepared is to ensure that your car is up-to-date on fluid changes, tire rotation and checkups.

There are plenty of other lessons that can be learned from watching professional racing. But if you follow these tips, you could be well on your way to the winner’s circle.

What are some other tips that you have seen while watching auto racing? Let us know in the comments! 

For more racing fun, check out this Throwback Thursday video when Kansas native, Clint Bowyer gave a PSA for S.A.F.E. in 2014.