Peterbilt’s Model 579 combines bold, aerodynamic styling with the integrated PACCAR Powertrain for maximum fuel economy and outstanding performance. Innovative technologies like the 15-inch digital dash display and advanced driver assistance systems improve driver productivity and safety, while the spacious cab interior and UltraLoft sleeper surround the driver in unparalleled comfort for a best-in-class working and living environment. The Model 579. In a Class of its Own.
Group
brian@WomenInTrucking.org
Production
Brian
Bobbi
Advertising
Design/Production
Todd Pernsteiner 952-841-1111 todd@pernsteiner.com
Amy Pinkston amy@pernsteiner.com
Accounting/Administration/
Karen Everett 952-442-8850 x203
karen@WomenInTrucking.org
I recently read a quote by Abraham Lincoln that resonated with the work our volunteer leaders and staff team have been engaged in as WIT transitions to the future: The best way to predict the future is to create it.
Ellen Voie created Women In Trucking Association (WIT) with a vision that women should be supported, celebrated and championed within the trucking profession. As the idea grew, so did the network of people and companies surrounding it, creating a thriving and dedicated organization that currently stands at approximately 8,000 members.
Jennifer Hedrick, CAE President & CEO
It’s an exciting time at WIT as we honor and celebrate Ellen’s retirement as President & CEO and build on WIT’s strong foundation as we prepare for the future.
Building the future has been the focus of WIT leadership and staff over the past year, culminating in the recent release of our 20232025 strategic plan, a two-year road map that focuses on the heart of WIT: our people and programs.
The plan emphasizes WIT’s ongoing commitment to increasing gender diversity in transportation: creating opportunities for women, removing obstacles and celebrating successes.
Additionally, it outlines specific goals for the next two years:
• Grow and expand our (already) extensive group of program offerings
• Enhance the member experience, including more opportunities to volunteer with WIT
• Create new opportunities for partner engagement
• Expand the presence of WIT at events
• Grow the WIT membership base
The goal for growth and expansion is not simply to become a larger organization, but to continue to demonstrate and expand the value, reach and impact of WIT - resulting in more opportunities for women throughout the transportation sector.
While we’re focusing on the next two years, we’re looking further into the future as well, to include these 10-year aspirational goals:
• WIT will be thriving with accelerated growth and engagement in corporate and individual membership numbers
• WIT will influence the industry to increase female employment across all roles— from driver to C-suite executive
• “25 by 25”: 25,000 members by our 25th anniversary in 2032
These are exciting and ambitious goals that build on WIT’s storied foundation and create a future with boundless opportunities for women in transportation. I hope you’ll join us as we continue this adventure.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Angela Eliacostas is the Founder and President of AGT Global Logistics. AGT has nearly three decades of specialized service to the nuclear, fossil and power industries
AGT and Angela are proud to be recognized by the Women In Trucking Association as a top WomanOwned Business for the sixth consecutive year.
"This is a huge honor, and I want to share this continued success with my wonderful team," said El iacostas
In the early '90s, Angela was a stay-at-home mom; she found herself single and knew she needed a career to support herself and her family
"I saw a help-wanted ad for a clerk at a local trucking company I come from generations of transportation professionals and felt this was a sign "
Eliacostas worked her way up from clerk to general manager She asked her boss if she could pursue some accou nts on her own. He agreed, which led to the start of what is now AGT Global Logistics
Angela says that 2009 was when she knew she had made it after beating out major competitors and landing her largest contract This was the start of many long-standing client and project relationships.
Angela and AGT carved out a niche in the energy and utilities sector. This took several years of overcoming multiple c hallenges to establish best practices
"In the beginning, I thought about giving up several times But I know myself and that I'm not a quitter When things get hard, I feel it's a bigger challenge and how I have always gained my strength," said Eliacostas
Angela has reached a stage in her career where she is established Top associations and publications have recognized her as a logistics and transporta tion leader.
Angela and AGT Global continue to grow and evolve with the changing times. Angela is still juggling family, career, and work-life balance. She continues paving new paths for others to follow
In the coming year, Angela will offer her unique perspective on succeeding in logistics Look for tips and stories on the AGT Global Logistics website blog https://www.agt3pl.com/blog/
I remember one of the first times I witnessed unprofessional behavior by a male executive toward a female colleague at work. I was young (early 20s), relatively new to the company, inexperienced and even somewhat naïve to mixed-gender relationships in the workplace. It happened during a business meeting, and the vice president leading the conversation made some clearly derogatory comments to our female colleague who was visibly annoyed and even angered by them.
Brian Everett, Publisher and Editorial Director Redefining the Road magazine
But no one said anything – predominantly I’m sure because he was our superior. Eyes rolled but the mutual understanding was “that’s just who he is.” Because I had built a relationship with this colleague, and truly cared and respected her, after the meeting I privately asked her if she was okay. She proceeded to give me real-life perspective on her experiences as a female sales executive in the highly male-populated transportation industry.
I learned so much from her vantage point through conversation. She told me about how women oftentimes can be at a disadvantage in the workplace – whether it’s driven by intentional actions behaviors or unconscious bias or social norms not in their favor. Women can lack credit for their contributions, experience roadblocks to promotions, form relationships with colleagues that can be rooted in bias. However, my colleague was a strong woman who knew how to play the game at the time – and fortunately she had a long-lasting, successful career and ultimately became a highly respected executive in our industry. Years later, I’m amazed at how far our industry has come. Just a peak at the 2023 WIT Index percentages of women in positions in the trucking and transportation industry for evidence (see page 26). Yet
we still need to make progress. While I see organizations genuinely trying to address unique issues women face in their careers and our industry, too many genderinclusion initiatives focus on how women themselves should respond, reinforcing the perception that these are women’s issues and that men— often the most influential stakeholders in an organization—don’t need to be involved.
Enter the “male ally.” This is man who recognizes and celebrates the different qualities women can bring to any organization, understands how those qualities are not always being valued equally, and perhaps most importantly publicly advocates for fairness and an inclusive workspace where all people are valued equally.
A male ally needs to be empathetic and understand that the reality of their female colleagues can be different from their own. While many males in the workplace are vocal about gender parity, their commitment to the cause isn’t necessarily reflective in action. Guys, what can you do to be an ally? Be good at listening. Credit female colleagues when credit is due and even empower them in front of others when you naturally can. In addition, you should let other men know when they said something inappropriate and provide suggestions for handling differently next time.
When men act and visibly support women, it can make a substantial impact. Years ago, I was too young and inexperienced to know better. Now I know better — and I do better.
“For me, a male ally is a man who actively supports establishing and maintaining gender equality. It is someone who believes all genders should be able to access the same opportunities, make contributions and develop themselves with the same ease.”
– Andrew Coldrey Vice President: APAC C.H. Robinson
In 1920, Luella Bates became the first female truck driver, as well as one of the earliest truck drivers anywhere. She traveled across the country delivering her best for the industry, maneuvering flooded roads and other tough terrain.
It was a great honor for Kenworth to present a new T680 truck to the 15-year combat veteran and winner of the 2022 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award. Ashley Leiva represents the best in trucking today. And thanks to the passion and commitment of women drivers like her, we’re excited about driving the next 100 years.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) has become a common catchphrase in American culture, but what is it? While it can mean different things across companies in transportation, DE&I involves these three closely linked values to support different groups of individuals that can include people of different genders, races, ethnicities, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.
There are compelling advantages to building a corporate culture grounded in DE&I, ranging from attracting top talent, creating a welcoming environment, and making employees feel valued, to fostering a more collaborative and creative workplace, producing new ideas, and enhancing productivity.
More than ever, companies involved in the freight transportation industry are placing energy and resources toward becoming DE&I-centric. In fact, according to the 2023 WIT Index, 56.4% of 350 participating
companies report they have DE&I policies currently in place – an increase of 10.9% from last year. While 19.3% reported they do not currently have a formal DE&I policy in place (which is down 11.7% from last year), another 19.3% reported they are in the process of developing a formal DE&I policy (which is close to the same percentage reported last year).
DEI Case Study: Bridgestone Americas
Bridgestone Americas is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs more than 50,000 people across their
continued on page 10
continued from page 9
worldwide operations. Redefining the Road (RTR) magazine turned to Sara Correa, Chief Marketing Officer for Bridgestone America, to give her perspectives about how DE&I has shaped the company’s corporate culture.
RTR: What’s Bridgestone Americas’ DE&I Story?
Correa: We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they are allowed to bring their authentic selves to work and know they are supported. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve and we think about our DE&I journey through a framework that considers our workplace, our workforce, and our marketplace.
RTR: With competition for talent so intense, why is DE&I important?
Correa: DE&I is a part of our culture and DNA at Bridgestone. Since our inception, our founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, instilled a belief that what is good for society is good for business. DE&I is a great example.
To advance this work, we have created a dedicated DE&I office integrated into our HR function and reporting directly to our Chief Human Resources Officer, with strong linkages to our talent and organizational strategies and processes. We have adopted this structure because we believe having a diverse team with diverse capabilities built through developing, promoting, retaining and recruiting great people is absolutely essential to our success, not just for today but for years to come.
This past year, we introduced our Bridgestone E8 Commitment representing eight values or areas of focus that guide our decision-making as we build a more sustainable society for future generations. One of those core values is Empowerment: increasing accessibility and dignity for all people by promoting DE&I, solving social issues through support of our local communities and creating a corporate culture that empowers our teammates.
RTR: Tell us how DEI is part of your business strategy?
Correa: It all started with our teammates. Bridgestone’s first Employee Resource Group (ERG) was established seven years ago and set the stage for teammatedriven leadership in DE&I. Today, we are proud to have six thriving ERGs, united by shared identities and interests that provide a community of support, as well as opportunities for personal, professional and philanthropic development.
Our DE&I Center of Excellence is now leading the charge across the enterprise. To help teammates understand, embrace and rally around DEI, we have an anthem built on three simple words: Free to Be. Impactful new initiatives and results followed the Free to Be campaign, including:
• Launched first DE&I Annual Report and subsequent second Annual Report to serve as benchmarks for progress and to hold Bridgestone accountable in our journey moving forward.
• Created an annual “Free to Be” Week, a week-long celebration that provides an opportunity to reinforce the DE&I strategy, discuss the challenges and celebrate the triumphs.
• Encouraged honest feedback from teammates that led to open dialogues where Bridgestone discussed numbers and action plans.
• Expanded alliances and impact on community, including sponsorship of diversity-focused initiatives and organizations to educate and engage teammates in DE&I activities (including National Society of Black Engineers, Women in Technology, Society of Women Engineers)
• Improved needs-based benefits.
RTR: How do you measure ROI generated by your DEI strategy?
Correa: Bridgestone’s DE&I Center of Excellence measures our progress and holds us accountable. It produces our DE&I Annual
Report which features quantitative and qualitative results that determine the impact of our efforts, while setting bold goals that will be closely tracked. The report recently outlined momentum and energy to integrate DE&I across all areas, with a focus on three priorities to anchor our DE&I commitments: The workplace, the workforce, and the marketplace.
To be fully transparent, we also created clear scorecards that track and report our DE&I data by job level, including gender and race. The report found that women in leadership roles increased by 3% and there is 33% combined gender and racial diversity on Bridgestone’s Board of Directors. While there is significant room for improvement, the scorecard shows Bridgestone has made progress over the previous year and sets a tone of transparency for future years’ comparisons.
RTR: Any advice for other companies looking to establish or enhance their DE&I?
Correa: Transparency is vital. To make a meaningful impact, we believe it is important to be honest about where your journey begins. For Bridgestone, this is why we released a DE&I annual report early in our journey. The data serves as the foundation that we return to in order to measure our progress.
Creating a culture that advances equity, embraces individuality and helps teammates, customers and communities thrive is an intentional journey that requires equal parts persistence and patience.
At Bridgestone, we feel it is important to bring DE&I front and center to the boardroom, to the hallways and to the field for more than 50,000 teammates. n
C.H. Robinson hosts employee resource groups (ERGs) that are company-supported, employee-led groups such as Women, B.L.A.C.K., LatinX, and Pride.
Daimler Truck North America regularly and strategically engages its suppliers, partners and customers to support DTNA’s diversity and inclusion vision and mission.
FedEx operating companies recently participated in five enterprise-wide recruitment events - partnering with such organizations as the Society of Women Engineers and the National Black MBA Association.
Michelin hosts all-inclusive Business Resource Groups (BRGs), including the Michelin Women’s Network and New Hire Network, which has executive sponsors to support business strategies and to meet the needs of members.
Navistar has spent over $2 billion with diverse suppliers and is the first U.S. truck original equipment manufacturer with a formal supplier diversity program.
PACCAR understands the importance of developing women leaders. The Peterbilt Women’s Initiative champions the empowerment of women through education, networking and development.
At Bridgestone, you are always Free to Be. Free to be honest. Free to be curious, free to be proud. Free to be an introvert, an extrovert, or anything in between.
Free to be whoever you are, even if you’re still discovering just who that is.
This is a place that listens. A place that celebrates our people and who they are— in all their complexities. A place that unites behind the idea that everyone should be free to stand out, speak up, and be their whole selves. A place where you can thrive.
So show us what you’re made of. Show us the smart stuff, the tough stuff, the bold, beautiful, and brave stuff. Because who you are is what we need.
Schneider National leaders all completed unconscious bias training in 2022 and all remaining associates will complete the training in 2023.
TQL maintains a Diversity & Inclusion task force, which is an 18-person committee created to keep D&I on the radar at an executive level and drive strategic focus for the company.
UPS recently conducted a Tier 2 Diverse Supplier Summit which brought together 420 diverse businesses with 39 large majority suppliers for UPS, Home Depot, and Cox to help facilitate growth in their spending with diverse businesses.
XPO invests in ally training through discussions, videos and courses that teach its team to strengthen awareness, challenge perceptions and step up as allies.
Yellow actively engages in WIT’s programs. For the past four years, 33 Yellow professionals have been named to WIT’s Top Women to Watch and in 2022, and driver Peggy Arnold was named WIT’s Driver of the Year for her commitment to safety, standards and service.
Want to share your company’s own DE&I story? Contact Brian Everett, Editorial Director for Redefining the Road at 952-442-8850 x201 or brian@womenintrucking.org.
Supervising a team has its challenges. That’s why industry leaders have come together to identify ways to ease these issues for female leaders everywhere. Strong leadership takes drive, focus, determination, compassion, and much more to be successful. Here’s advice from a few top female entrepreneurs running their own trucking and logistics businesses today.
Aria Logistics founder and CEO Arelis Bonilla describes the most challenging situation she has faced as a woman in the trucking industry: Adapting and managing all the organizational culture shifts.
“After going through a generational leadership and ownership transition last year, my answer is very different today than I expected it to be,” Bonilla says. “I think the most challenging for me right now is the culture shifts and the culture changes, and what’s expected of me versus what was expected of my father before.”
Bonilla says learning from her mistakes was key. The expectations put on her, answering her large team’s messages, and maintaining the best open-door policy she can while keeping the operational process in place is challenging. She says the hard part passes with the unfamiliar beginnings that have come and gone.
Nicole Glenn, founder and CEO of Candor Expedite, says running a remote team during the pandemic was a challenge she had to face with changes coming about continuously.
“We did see some success from [remote work],” Glenn says. “We were based in Illinois and I had just opened an office in Plano, Texas, in October of 2019. And then by March of 2020, the world had shut down. We had very limited time of having myself as the owner out of the main space, and expanding, but then continuing to want to double the size of our company revenue, profits, customers, and employees.”
Glenn says Candor Expedite saw the ability to start finding additional employees in different states, which really kickstarted the company’s expansion.
“I think we got to seven additional states that have people,” Glenn says. “But it’s really keeping that culture alive and thriving while you have people who are across the country, to keep those connections and trying to keep the people learning and moving forward in their careers–while having empathy for people being remote, and going through the lockdown status.”
Glenn says the remote work concept led her team to focus on engaging more with the employees and asking more questions to ensure consistent communication at all times.
Behnke says pivoting business is critical when you come to a crossroad. You have to be able to see what’s working and what’s profitable, all while keeping your core values the same and trying to grow.
Glenn says her work in operations and coaching people has led her to bring more mentorship into Candor Expedite. She makes a point to speak with employees regularly to gauge the next step they want to take in
their careers. She also has created a podcast outside of her company called US Leadership Coalition. She works with five other business leaders in logistics to bring additional resources to their employees.
“Listeners can hear stories of people making strides in their careers, as well as listening to different women on their journeys,” Glenn says. “Key take-aways resonate with listeners to really take those next steps in their own careers.” n
Choose
Jennifer Behnke
President and CoOwner Jennifer Behnke, having no background in trucking was a challenge when she and her husband decided to start their business, and creating an entirely upgraded business model was part of the process. It led the team to start a new company.
“We were primarily [driver] teams nationwide for the first six years of being in business, and with COVID you have drivers who don’t want to ride with anybody. And then, the newer generation of drivers–they have families, they have responsibilities at home. So we had to switch to local and regional routes–that way we could tap into the changing driver market,” Behnke explains.
How Schneider supports female truck drivers:
› Equal pay, benefits and earning opportunity.
› Comprehensive driver training.
› Safe and comfortable conditions during driver orientation, including separate sleeping arrangements when same-gender training isn’t possible.
› 24/7 support from training engineers, leaders and maintenance team.
› Industry-leading equipment with safety features.
› Nationwide facility network with secure parking, private showers, free laundry, gyms and more.
› Award-winning benefits package.
3 SISTERS LOGISTICS LLC
3sisterslogistics.com
Leslie Tarble, President
3 Sisters Logistics LLC provides specialized hauling services for aggregate materials, dry commodities, and wholesale delivery of crushed limestone, gravel, and sand for the Central Illinois region.
AGT GLOBAL LOGISTICS
agt3pl.com
Angela Eliacostas, Founder & President
With more than 30 years in business, AGT Global is a leader in the nuclear, fossil, and power industries. Since the pandemic, AGT has diversified and expanded into heavy haul and building projects, mentorship programs, and hiring.
ANDY TRANSPORT, INC.
andytransport.com
Andreea Crison, President & CEO Andy Transport is a privatelyowned, asset-based transport company based in Montreal, QC, but with operations all over Canada and the US. The company has evolved from a single-truck operation to approximately 400 trucks and 800 trailers over the last decade.
ARIA LOGISTICS, LLC
arialogistics.com
Arelis Bonilla, CEO & President Aria Logistics is a privately held asset-based logistics company customizing in final mile delivery, specializing in B2B, appliance installations, and white glove home delivery services.
BENNETT FAMILY OF COMPANIES
bennettig.com
Marcia Taylor, CEO
The Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC)certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its fourteen affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide.
BRENNY TRANSPORTATION, INC.
brennytransportation.com
Joyce Brennt, Founder & CEO Brenny Transportation, headquartered in Central Minnesota, is your premiere transportation and logistics company that specializes in the safe and efficient delivery of goods to businesses and individuals across the country.
CANDOR EXPEDITE, INC.
candorexp.com
Nicole Glenn, Founder & CEO Candor Expedite delivers creative, fast, effective, and sustainable solutions for time-sensitive and white glove shipments. Candor is privately held and operated with headquarters in Plano, Texas, and offices in Joliet, Illinois and Kansas City, Kansas.
GARNER TRUCKING, INC.
garnertrucking.com
Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, President & CEO
Garner is a dry truckload asset-based carrier located in Northwest Ohio and is a trusted provider of trucking services including transportation, warehousing, logistics management thirdparty services and equipment repair.
hassettlogistics.com
Michelle Halkerston, Owner & CEO Hassett Logistics focuses on its core strengths of industry experience and safe, reliable transportation while supporting its customers’ changing needs through new technologies and processes.
LINEAS 1O DE MAYO, S.A. DE C.V.
t1mayo.com.mx
Blanca Mondragon, President
Lineas 1o de Mayo, S.A. de C.V. has 25 years of experience, support, and continuous work with more than 70 collaborators that today are part of a great team. Since its inception, the company has provided a door-to-door service with its main business partners in Mexico.
TRANSPORTATION
powersourcetrans.com
Barb Bakos, President & CEO
Powersource Transportation is a power-only trucking leader in a diverse array of industries including industrial freight, over-dimensional loads, liquid bulk tankers, entertainment industry freight, and heavy machinery delivery, as well as local, state federal, and military.
rihmkenworth.com
Kari Rihm, President & CEO
Rihm Family Companies, Inc. includes Rihm Kenworth, the 2nd oldest Kenworth dealership in the world; RMC Truck Parts, a private label parts company; Rihm Leasing, a truck lease, rental, and maintenance company; and Rihm Global Sales, which exports trucks and parts to more than 60 countries.
s-2international.com
Jennifer Mead, Founder & CEO
S-2international LLC specializes in time and service sensitive freight management including ground expedite, white glove, and air freight in addition to providing LTL and truckload management.
starshazmat.com
Wendy J. Buckley, President & CEO STARS HazMat Consulting helps companies that manufacture, transport, store, and dispose of hazardous materials with regulatory compliance, safety, risk management, and industry best practices.
tuckerfreight.com
Saunya Tucker, CEO
Tucker Freight Lines offers a wide array of transportation services including open deck, dry van, dedicated services, and spotting. Within each division, the company offers different fleet types that help drivers and customers to find the right fit including local, flex, and regional over-the-road fleets.
UFL SERVICES, INC.
DriveUFL.com
Jennifer Behnke, Co-Owner & President UFL Services provides linehaul services to other shippers, including Amazon, focusing on working with solo drivers and regional, typically home daily or every other day, routes.
YOUMANS TRANSPORT, INC., EVANS DELIVERY AGENT
evanssoutheast.com/savannah.html
Sherry Youmans, President & Owner
Youmans Transport, Inc. is an agent partner of Evans Network, domiciled in Savannah, Georgia. Youmans Transport provides drayage service to international customers moving cargo through the Port of Savannah.
Note: These descriptions are provided by the listed companies and not to be considered formal endorsements by Redefining the Road magazine or WIT.
The Top Woman-Owned Businesses program is part of Redefining the Road magazine’s goal to support WIT’s mission to recognize accomplished women in the industry. Criteria used to identify qualified companies include verifiable status as majority ownership by a woman or women, demonstration of financial stability and growth, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the female owner.
One thing is clear: this year is not like the last two. Transportation companies are feeling the effects of an unpredictable freight environment. Some have seen these cycles before, while others are navigating them for the first time.
Scan the QR code below to listen to a conversation between three long-time leaders at Triumph:
Kim Fisk, Executive Vice President of Operations - Factoring Division
Amy Walker, Senior Vice President of Equipment Finance
Julie Parker, Assistant Vice President of Sales - Insurance Division
During this discussion, the trio level set about the state of the industry and share insights about how to excel through relationship building, staying marketable – now and in the future.
Scan this QR code to hear the conversation between Kim, Amy, and Julie.
Julie Parker AVP, Sales Insurance Division
Kim Fisk EVP, Operations Factoring Division
There are 185 new women-owned businesses created since 2017 - and counting – due to a partnership between Expediter Services (ES), a leader in capacity solutions and ownership opportunities, and the Women In Trucking Association (WIT). The program’s goal is to change the game for female drivers interested in becoming business owners. This commitment to help generate women-owned businesses has sparked a movement that continues to pick up steam.
According to the 2023 WIT Index, female drivers comprise approximately 12.1% of the total driver workforce. When you look inside the ES Community, nearly 40% of the members of the ES Community are women – entrepreneurs who have embraced the opportunities that exist within the trucking industry.
In 2017, ES partnered with WIT, accepting the challenge to help establish 150 women-owned businesses. Backed by an extensive vendor network that includes industry experts in vehicle financing, insurance, support services, and more, the expectations were high.
Many, including Jason Williams, CEO of ES, thought that once the 150 Women-Owned Business Challenge got started, it wouldn’t take long to accomplish. Despite the pandemic and the economic downturn, the program flourished.
In early 2022, ES celebrated reaching their initial goal of creating and supporting 150 women-owned businesses. Given the program’s success, the leadership at ES made the decision to continue this important work as the Women-Owned Business Initiative from ES. Today, the number of women-owned businesses with Expediter Services approaches 200 participants, a testament to the resilience and fortitude of those in the program and the ES team.
The Women-Owned Business Initiative utilizes the ES Path To Ownership™ model, which includes matching program participants with motor carriers in the ES Community as well as offering competitive market-rate financing and relationship lending through ES Equipment Finance. But no two paths are the same. Drivers that become business owners come from all walks of life, and it is their attitude, aptitude, and work ethic that ultimately determine success.
Take DeShawn Henry and Russell Jones, for example. Like many others, the trucking industry is a second career for them both. Their path to success might look and sound familiar, but the story is uniquely their own.
Making the leap from the medical field and managing Fortune-500 companies might not be the traditional path to truck ownership, but it made perfect sense to DeShawn and Russell. As the pandemic ramped up, both saw the need for a career change that would allow them to maintain control while also reducing stress. The road was calling, and they were ready to run.
After a couple of years behind the wheel as company drivers, they were introduced to the ES Path To Ownership™ program by a friend. When asked about their immediate impressions of the ES team, DeShawn smiled and described it with a single word: Family.
As team drivers backed by years of experience in the business world, they knew that they had the skills to strike out on their own, but also understood that they needed to have a support network in place to help get their business off the ground.
The ES Women-Owned Business Initiative “just felt right,” according to DeShawn.
Like others in the Path To Ownership™ program, DeShawn and Russell were given the opportunity and support needed to make sure that ownership was right for them. Instead of just handing over the keys and hoping that they succeed, ES works diligently alongside their operators to provide guidance and support when needed.
After a few short months, it was evident that DeShawn and Russell had the skills and mindset to build their business. With the help of ES, they secured funding for their first truck and the rest, you could say, is history.
Today, DeShawn and Russell are a shining example that you don’t have to be born into trucking to make it in this industry. With the right tools, a thirst for knowledge, and a solid support system, anyone can thrive.
To learn more about the many advantages provided by ES and the Women-Owned Business Initiative, visit ESSuccessInTrucking.com. n
The financial stability and independence a career in trucking can provide are behind many women drivers’ decisions to enter the field. To be sure, women drivers, who make up over 10% of the driving population, can face some skepticism their male counterparts likely don’t. Yet, they can overcome this, excel at their jobs, and reach new professional goals.
The 2022 Accelerate! Conference & Expo featured a panel discussion in which four women discussed how they got into the field, tackle challenges, and why trucking is a great career for women.
Jessica Olson, who drives a boom crane truck and operates the crane for SRS Distribution, had been a waitress at a truck stop, where she would ask truckers about their jobs. “It was just so exciting to me,” she says.
With a baby to care for, however, the idea of driving felt out of reach, Olson says. Then Olson lost her job during the pandemic and decided to give trucking a try.
“The best decision ever,” she says.
For about a decade, KayLeigh McCall, a driver training engineer with Schneider and a WIT Driver Ambassador, had been a pastry chef and a stay-athome mom. After a difficult divorce and in need of an income, McCall got her Class B commercial license and drove school buses
Meet
for about two years. She loved the job but needed a better income. McCall earned her Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and drove locally for a concrete company.
After several years, again it was time to try something different: “I wanted to get in some over-the-road experience,” McCall says. “I applied to Schneider and it has been an absolute chaotic, crazy, just wonderful time ever since.”
Managing family life can get complicated when a driver is on the road and away from home. But women drivers can make it work. Peggy Arnold, a driver trainer with Yellow Freight, had been driving over-
Driving with Air Products since 2018
“I Love being a truck driver for Air Products. This is truly a great place to work. I am looking forward to retiring from here. Also, if you really love what you do, which I do, then it’s not a job.”
Air Products is a global industry leader, known for safety, professionalism and commitment to its employees, offering stable employment, competitive pay and benefits. Here, we put safety first and everyone belongs and matters, so we can build tomorrow together. Our drivers are vital in helping us achieve our goals—and as we continue to grow, you can too.
Start
the-road. When the time away from home proved to be too much, she eventually shifted to the less-than-truckload freight business, where she could be home more frequently. “You can come into the trucking industry and make a good living and take care of your family,” she says.
Angelique Temple, who’s been in the business for 20 years, is now an owner/ operator with Tornado Transportation. When her kids were younger and she was a single mom, she might find herself pulling up to the school in her truck and then changing outfits to attend a meeting or a game. After that, she’d finish her run. It was strenuous, she adds, but you can “make it work.”
Plus, Temple’s kids knew that because her work didn’t involve sitting behind a desk where she could easily come to school, they had to stay out of trouble. They couldn’t just be sent home, and she couldn’t just swing by to get them. As a result, they learned independence and to take care of each other, she says.
Driving can present challenges. Driveways and landscaping are among them, Olson says. “It’s like every property is a different puzzle and there’s one best answer,” she says, adding that finding that answer, is “such a good feeling.”
Earning Respect
Are women drivers taken as seriously as their male counterparts? When Olson started in her role, some bet how long she’d last. “A couple weeks later they were like, ‘Dang, she’s serious,’” she says.
If a woman is concerned about balancing family and work as a driver, or the fact that she may be smaller than most male drivers, Olson lets them know a career in trucking remains an option. After all, Olson raised her
kids while driving, and she’s a little over five feet tall and weighs about 110 pounds. “I’m doing this,” she says. “You can do this too.” What’s more, trucking offers multiple avenues for professional growth. In addition to driving, women can go into dispatching, brokering, or accounting, among other paths. “There are so many options in the trucking industry for women that aren’t just driving jobs,” McCall says.
At the same time, trucking companies could do more to attract women. Olson suggests
including more women in marketing materials. Temple recommends including women in orientation sessions.
Women also need to support each other, Arnold says. “We have to talk to women, and we have to reassure them,” she says. It’s also important to let women know about the resources and training that are available to help. “You can come into the trucking industry and make a good living and take care of your family,” she says. “The field of trucking is wide open for women.” n
From professional driving, safety training and HR/talent management to engineering, managing distribution centers or other operations, there are many career opportunities for women in the trucking industry. The key is to find the right opportunity for you and one that you can get passionate about. Read on for several stories shared with Women In Trucking by Member of the Month honorees.
Growing up, Alicia Wilson’s father would take the family on long road trips, usually an 8-hour trip to the Rockies or drives from Colorado to California. Wilson learned to drive on one of the trips to California driving across Donner Pass. These cherished experiences served as her driving force to pursue a career in the transportation industry.
In 2018, Wilson started her professional driving career in the tanker division at a large logistics company. From there, a truck breakdown in Houston, Texas, led to some unexpected friendships and a big career change.
In 2020, Wilson became a professional tanker driver at Highway Transport, and in 2022, she transferred to her current role to remain closer to home. As an equipment cleaning technician, she is responsible for performing all aspects of tank trailer and International Standard Organization (ISO) cleaning, including inspecting trailers for residual product and conducting post-cleaning inspections. Wilson is one of the few women to have held this position at Highway Transport.
“Understand what you yourself can do, plan your day with that in mind, and ignore the words of people who don’t think you can do it,” advises Wilson.
Cara Howes has worked at PACCAR for nearly 15 years and has held key positions, including Assistant Director of Customer Service and Assistant Director of Materials
before switching to the operations side of the business.
The way stuff moves has always fascinated Howes. She loves coordinating the movement of truck parts from point A to point B and takes pride in getting things where they need to be, when they need to be there. She motivates herself and her team with the mantra that a truck is a driver’s home, and it’s critical they have access to the parts they need to stay on the road.
Howes also serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Supply Corps Officer and was recently selected for the rank of commander. She serves as officer-in-charge for the Fuels
Detachment supporting Fleet Logistics Center San Diego. Cara deployed to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012 as part of a Logistics Mobile Training Team focused on training the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police on logistics best practices across the country.
“Just do it,” says Howes about how to approach your career. “Take your comfort zone and smash it because growth comes from new challenges!”
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During her 15 years in the military, Ashley Leiva was a Sergeant First Class, E7 and worked as a Culinary Management NCO. Then Leiva’s mother died in February 2021. She was a professional driver for more than 20 years and Leiva decided to take over her mother’s trucking company with her brother, Johnny Leiva. Additionally, she obtained her CDL to continue her mother’s legacy of hauling crude oil. Since then, Leiva and her brother have co-owned what is now Noemi Trucking, named in honor of their mother.
In 2022, Leiva received the annual “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” award during a special ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., as part of an overall effort to inspire the hiring of more service members in the trucking industry and to recognize their contributions to the workforce. This award included a Kenworth T680 Next Generation, equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and PACCAR Powertrain featuring a PACCAR MX-
13 engine, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission, and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles.
“Hauling crude oil is definitely a tough job and it requires a lot of training and knowledge of your truck and trailer,” says Leiva.
As a lead employee engagement ambassador of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Angelika Mangino celebrates drivers across the company and is an active participant in all seven employee resource groups at Clean Harbors. Last year, at the 2022 Women In Trucking Accelerate! Conference & Expo, Angelika had the honor of presenting the first female truck wrap to Cathy Spencer on behalf of Clean Harbor’s Employee Resource Group, Women Advancing our Values in Environmental Services (WAVES).
Additionally, she leads and manages the company’s Commercial Driver’s License Sponsorship Program and supported more than 200 employees in receiving their CDL in 2022.
A mentor and advocate, Mangino continues to champion and promote change across the industry for females by being an active member of the Women In Trucking Association and company liaison. Her leadership and dedication to females across the transportation and logistics industry is evident through her ongoing efforts and work.
“Continue to strive for change within our industry and aim to improve the perspectives of females behind the wheel of a truck,” says Mangino. “We are making strides and seeing change as the percentage of females in the transportation and logistics industry increases each year.” n
Other company types participating were intermediary companies (including thirdparty logistics companies, truck brokers, and intermodal marketing companies); and technology companies offering transportation management systems (TMS), warehousing management systems (WMS), and enterprise-wide technology solutions.
The transportation industry has long been described as a male-populated industry but are things changing? With the famous quote in mind, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it,” the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) continues to conduct what it refers to as the WIT Index, the industry barometer to benchmark and measure each year the percentage of women who make up the following roles in the transportation industry:
• Leadership (C-suite roles, boards of directors, and supervisory roles)
• Functional Roles (Operations, Technicians, HR/Talent Management, Safety, Marketing, Sales, etc.)
• Professional Drivers who hold CLDs
From January through April of this year, WIT conducted a survey to gather percentages of the workforce who are women. Respondents were asked demographic questions (company type and employee count), and the percentages of roles identified above.
There were a total of 350 companies in trucking and transportation that participated in the 2023 WIT Index. There were 350 respondents authorized to report their organizations’ gender diversity statistics in the 2023 WIT Index survey. A majority of participating companies have for-hire fleets or private fleets as part of the organization’s operations, along with manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and other company types with private fleets.
A significant number of respondents represented major transportation companies with more than 10,000 employees (14.2% of respondents) or large companies with 1,000 to 4,999 employees (13.4% of respondents). However, small and medium-sized companies also are well-represented in the 2023 WIT Index. In fact, 23.1% have less than 50 employees and another 33.8% have 50-499 employees.
Workplace cultures that are strong in diversity, inclusion, and belonging have been linked to increased organizational productivity – and this is definitely applicable to companies in the transportation industry.
“Workplace diversity” is an umbrella term for strategies that recognize and accommodate the differences in ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, disabilities, family responsibilities, life and work experience in the workforce.
What should be included within a diversity and inclusion policy? Typically policies provide diversity and inclusion definitions for company culture. It should connect diversity and inclusion to a specific mission, vision, and values, and demonstrate what living a D&I policy looks like in real life (including everyday policies and procedures that all employees and associates are expected to abide by). A good D&I policy also includes the current state of diversity and inclusion for the company.
When asked if their company has a formal D&I policy, 56.4% reported they have such policies currently in place – an increase of 10.9% from last year. Another 19.3% reported they do not currently have a formal D&I policy in place (which is down 11.7% from last year), and 19.3% reported they are in the process of developing a formal D&I policy (which is close to the same percentage reported last year).
See article “DE&I: Driving Corporate Culture and Business Results” on page 9 to see how Bridgestone Americas is leveraging their policies to create a powerful corporate culture.
To see full details on average percentages of women in various roles in trucking and transportation companies, you can download a free Executive Summary of the 2023 WIT Index at WomenInTrucking.org. n
56.4% YES
19.3% NO
19.3% IN PROCESS
5% DO NOT KNOW
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) held its 12th Annual “Salute to Women Behind the Wheel” on March 31 during the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Ky. Each year, the event celebrates female commercial drivers for their successes and dedication to the industry. It is free for all female CDL holders and their families, friends and industry supporters.
“This year’s ‘Salute’ allowed us to honor nearly 150 female commercial drivers with fun giveaways, food, music, and our annual group photo of women CDL-holders in their red shirts,” says WIT President and CEO Jennifer Hedrick. “This year’s event had so much excitement as we paid tribute and celebrated so many women driving our freight – and our economy – every day of the year.”
During the event, the Women In Trucking Foundation hosted a “Door Prizes for Donations” fundraiser with proceeds going to scholarships for women interested in pursuing a career in the trucking industry. Following the Drivers at the Expo which featured 16 exhibitors, the Salute program was hosted by WIT founder Ellen Voie as she welcomed the drivers. During this program, WIT presented a special video honoring Voie’s successes and impact prior to her retirement in July. In addition, WIT announced Mary “Candy” Bass, a long-haul professional driver for 50 years and 6 million accident-free miles accumulated, as the 2023 WIT Driver of the Year.
Following the program, Angelique Temple was announced as the winner of the 2023 Truck Giveaway and the annual female professional driver group photo was taken. A special thank you to Arrow Truck Sales, Pilot Flying J, Walmart Transportation as Diamond Sponsors; Bennett International Group, Cyber Armada, and WM as Ruby Sponsors; Howes Products, TravelCenters of America, Trinity Logistics, and TruckSuite as Emerald Sponsors; and Brenny Transportation, Total Transportation of Mississippi, and the United States Postal Services as Sapphire Sponsors. n
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The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) held its second truck give-away in the last five years at the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event March 31 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. The 2018 Volvo VNL670 truck, which includes a Volvo VED13 engine and a double-bunk sleeper, was donated by Kansas City-based Arrow Truck Sales, which is a Gold Partner of WIT. The winner of the truck give-away was Angelique Temple, owner-operator of Virginia-based Tornado Transport LLC. “I’m still in shock that I won this truck,” says Temple. “Having this truck will expand my capabilities in my business and also will give me the ability to regularly talk with women about getting into the industry through events, my social media accounts, radio interviews, and conversations about new opportunities in trucking.”
Temple has more than 20 years’ experience in the trucking industry. She began her career in the industry in 1999 as a HAZMAT driver and trainer for Oil Transport before transitioning to a HAZMAT driver and certified trainer for Atlantic Bulk Carrier. In 2021, Temple started her own company which hauls dry foods, medical supplies, and items that do not require refrigeration.
Temple has been an active member of the WIT Image Team since 2015, regularly giving interviews, speaking at events, and offering ride-alongs when needed. She recently was inducted into the Howes Hall of Fame and has been selected to be one of the new voices of safety for FMCSA’s Our Roads, Our Safety Program. She also is active in her community feeding the homeless and securing Christmas gifts for local families. The truck give-away package included enhanced features thanks to the generosity
of the following donors: Fuel-efficient tires from Michelin, keyless entry unit from Irdeto, one-year supply of Howes Products, extended warranty from National Truck Protection, TND 750 GPS device from Rand McNally, six free truck washes from Blue Beacon, one-year subscription to Drivewyze preclear driver essentials kit from Imperial Supplies, and $1,000 gift cards from ExxonMobil and Mobil Delvac. n
Mary “Candy” Bass has been a longhaul professional driver for 50 years, accumulating six million accident-free miles. In 2016, she was awarded the TA Petro Citizen Driver award for her citizenship, safety, community involvement, and leadership. In fact, a Nashville, Tenn. TA truck stop is named the “Candy Bass Travel Center” in honor of her. In addition, Bass was named a 2023 Top Woman to Watch in Transportation by Redefining the Road magazine. Today, she’s a professional driver at Transport Designs.
Bass is a lifetime member of WIT and Owner/Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). She is involved in numerous charities including St. Christopher Foundation, Hats for Heroes, Special Olympics, Trucker Buddy, and charities for troops. At 78, she is still driving long haul across the United States while encouraging and mentoring other women in the trucking industry.
For all these reasons and more, Bass was named the Women In Trucking Association’s 2023 Driver of the Year. Bass is the fourth recipient of this annual award and one of three finalists in 2023. The other finalists were Ally Cooper, Professional Driver for Penske Logistics and Ann McFarland, Company Driver for Leonard’s Express. The announcement was made during the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event, hosted by WIT at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Ky.
“Candy Bass has given extensively to the trucking profession, not only during her time on the road and commitment to safe driving, but through mentorship and her desire to be a guiding star for women at all stages of their careers,” says Jennifer Hedrick, WIT’s President and CEO.
Sponsored by Walmart, the annual Driver of the Year award was established to promote the achievements of female professional
drivers who lead the industry in safety standards while actively enhancing the public image of the trucking industry. n
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Jenny FallThe Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has named Jenny Fall as its new Director of Driver Engagement. She will be responsible for deploying and managing programs and services that enable WIT to encourage more women as professional drivers, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles they face.
Fall will be responsible for managing existing programs that engage new and existing driver members of WIT. She also will oversee the association’s Girl Scout Patch Program, the Driver Ambassador Program, the WITney® Educational Trailer that encourages career awareness of professional female drivers, the WIT Image Team, and orchestrating ride-alongs of key stakeholders in government policymaking and the overall industry.
Fall has more than eight years of experience in the trucking industry at Garner Trucking where she served in many capacities such as safety, administration, and marketing and communications. While at Garner Trucking, Fall created a four-year employee professional development program with a broad focus on safe driving, dispatch, maintenance, recruiting, human resources, and leadership. She also formed a driverfocused incentive program that recognized and rewarded safe and efficient driving habits.
In addition to those accomplishments, Fall directed a community-based financial literacy program, teaching classes to local middle school and high school students. She also taught similar classes for underserved community members.
Fall holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toledo and has 20-plus years of experience in marketing and communications. She currently lives in
“Throughout my time at Garner Trucking, I recognized my passion for trucking, and sharing that it is a truly lucrative career to consider,” says Fall. “I have learned so much
from listening to professional drivers tell their stories and concerns and creating programs and solutions to help them succeed. I recognized I could do that on a much larger scale with WIT, and my goal is to help eliminate barriers to women getting into the industry.” n
She’s a transformative leader who brings passion, creativity and heart to everything she does. Her colleagues say she identifies and attacks issues with careful precision and leads with grace through adversity and triumph. She has nearly 30 years’ experience with Schneider National, a major multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services. And she was named the 2023 Distinguished Woman in Logistics by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT). Meet Erin Van Zeeland, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Group Senior Vice President and General Manager of Logistics at Schneider National. This year’s award was sponsored by the Transportation Intermediaries Association and Truckstop.
“We’re pleased to recognize Erin with the honor of Distinguished Woman in Logistics,” adds Jennifer Hedrick, WIT President and CEO. “Throughout her career at Schneider, as well as in her volunteer work, she has shown exceptional talent and leadership – key characteristics of this award.”
The Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award (DWLA) is an annual award from WIT that highlights the crucial roles of influential leading women in the dynamic field of commercial transportation and logistics, which encompasses logistics service providers as well as motor carriers. Van Zeeland was selected for her outstanding contributions to supporting women in the workforce and demonstrated exceptional leadership in logistics across North America. Van Zeeland is one of the most high-ranking women in one of the largest transportation
companies in North America. She is responsible for the strategy, execution and growth of the company’s fastest growing segment, Logistics, which has become a nearly $2 billion offering and includes brokerage, supply chain and distribution management and power-only services. She also oversees the company’s sales and marketing strategy and capability enablement in her capacity as CCO. She began her career at Schneider in 1993 as a service team leader and has since held several roles across the company in Logistics, asset-based divisions and leadership focused on customer growth and business transformation. Her leadership extends beyond day-to-day business, as Van Zeeland also co-leads the Schneider Women’s Network, an organization developed with the intent to attract, develop and retain the best talent, and ensure nothing stands in the way of women growing their careers at Schneider.
“Looking back on my 29 years at Schneider, I feel so blessed to work at an organization that uplifts diverse points of view and experience in the workplace and provided me with a resilient skill set to get me where I am in my career today,” says Van Zeeland. “The DWLA reflects my commitment to empower the next generation of leaders, and I’m excited to continue serving as a role model for others building careers in transportation and logistics.”
“Erin is a strong role model across the logistics and transportation industry and continually reinforces the importance of mentorship and inclusivity, especially supporting opportunities for women and empowering her teams. “I’ve seen first-hand the profound impact she has had on our business,” says Schneider President and CEO Mark Rourke. n
Casey Stone Vice PresidentIt has become one of the most incredible conferences to attend in the transportation industry – and you don’t want to miss it! The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) will host its ninth annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo Nov. 5-8 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. This unique event works to elevate the issue of gender diversity, develop women leaders, explore how to leverage a diverse workforce for company success, and engage and retain more females in the industry. And it’s a whole lot of fun mixed in.
Professionals who are looking for best practices, case studies, professional development, and solid peer networking (with a focus on how to achieve gender diversity) should attend this unique conference. Attendees are transportation decision-makers in the roles of managers, directors, VPs, and presidents of companies ranging from motor carriers and 3PLs, to manufacturers, retailers, truck driving
schools, financial and insurance providers, and health and fitness services.
This four-day gathering includes more than 60 educational sessions on critical transportation issues and trends, along with perspectives of women in the industry. These sessions will be based on six areas of focus: leadership, professional development, HR/talent management, operations, sales and marketing, and professional drivers (which is new this year).
The Expo will comprise of more than 200 exhibitors and sponsors, helping attendees to find valuable solutions from companies showcasing their capabilities and brands. The Truck and Technology Tour will offer the opportunity to see first-hand new trucks and the latest innovative
technologies in the industry. WIT anticipates approximately 2,500 professionals to attend. If you’re looking to position your brand in front of the WIT community and decision-makers or be recognized for supporting gender diversity, reserve your spot today!
Registration is now open and the hotel room block is selling fast. Visit WomenInTrucking.org for full conference details and to register. n
Industry non-profit associations like the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) rely heavily on their volunteer boards of directors to set the organization’s strategy and goals. WIT recently announced its new officers and board of directors.
“This year’s board of directors is comprised of highly talented industry executives who represent a diverse mix of company types, including motor carriers, third-party logistics companies (3PLs), original equipment manufacturers, equipment leasing
companies, and companies with for-hire fleets,” says Jennifer Hedrick, WIT’s President and CEO. “WIT is well-positioned to deliver on the value of its mission through the depth of talent on this impressive leadership team.” Hedrick and other members of the WIT staff team have been collaborating with the board of directors to develop a longterm strategic plan to bring WIT to the next level of industry influence.
The new officer team is comprised of WIT’s Chair Kary Shaefer (General Manager of Marketing and Strategy, Daimler Trucks – North America); Treasurer Jim Taber (National Accounts Manager, Arrow Truck Sales); and Secretary Lori Taylor (Director Carrier Administration, C.H. Robinson).
Current board members include:
• Domenica Farmer, Area Vice President, WM
• LaTres Jarrett, Executive Director of Commercial Sales, Bridgestone Canada
• Lesley Kerr, Vice President of Human Resources, Ryder System
• Debra LaBree, Independent OwnerOperator, Castle Transport
• Jennifer Macalaguin, Vice President of Engineering, Navistar
• Ryan McDaniel, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, Walmart
• Trina Norman, Feeder Transportation Operation Manager, UPS
• Jennifer Plumlee, Vice President of Transportation, J.B. Hunt Transport Services
• Laura Roan Hays, Regional Sales Manager, Great Dane
• Michele Rodgers, Engineering Section Manager, Peterbilt Motors Co.
• Sara Smith, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Penske Transportation Solutions
• Bonnie Voldeng, Vice President, FedEx Freight Direct.
With the growing number of meaningful accomplishments, new programs and services, and overall value to members provided by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), the organization has published its inaugural annual report. This document highlights all that was achieved last year:
Several initiatives encouraged the employment of women in trucking, including the launch of the WITney® Educational Trailer, a record-number of attendees attending the seventh annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas, Salute to Women Behind the Wheel events in both the United States and Canada to celebrate female drivers, the launch of the WIT Professional Driver Hub on the website, and several events tied to the WIT Girl Scout Patch Program.
WIT also supported many initiatives to help minimize obstacles faced by women in the industry, including our advocating for same-gender training solutions during White House Listening Sessions, publishing of a Whitepaper Series covering safety and harassment issues faced by females, a variety of webinars that address challenges for women in our industry, and educating government officials and other stakeholders through truck ride-alongs via the WIT Driver Ambassador Program.
In addition, WIT recognized significant accomplishments of individuals and companies through such programs as Top Women to Watch in Transportation; Member of the Month Program; Top Woman-Owned Businesses in Transportation; the Influential Woman in Trucking; the Distinguished
Woman in Logistics; the Driver of the Year; Top Companies for Women to Work For in Transportation; and the inaugural Technology Innovation Award.
To download your copy of the 2022 Women In Trucking Annual Report, visit WomenInTrucking.org. n
The Women In Trucking (WIT) Foundation scholarship program changes lives. It breaks down barriers, facilitating opportunities for women in the male-populated trucking industry.
By offering financial support through its scholarship program, the WIT Foundation allows women to overcome financial barriers to access education and training programs, empowering them to pursue successful careers in trucking. Recipients also receive a one-year membership to the WIT Association, which comes with access to mentorship, networking and education resources.
Nearly 100 applications were received as part of the fall 2022 application cycle, from which 23 recipients in the Leadership, Driving, Safety and Technical categories were selected.
Congratulations to These Scholarship Recipients
The Foundation’s scholarship recipients, through their success and achievements, become trailblazers, inspiring future scholarship applicants to pursue their aspirations. Congratulations to these deserving women:
Driving: Theresa Byers, Joan Cowell, Ahleea Dantignac, Phyllis Harris, Brittany Ives, Ericka Jackson, Turajha Moore (MOTOR), Charlotte Sherwood, Shannon Starr, Iyawnna Still, Chantal Taunton, Renatta Warren, Kimberly Williams, and Susan Wolfe.
Leadership: Brianna Glowinski (MOTOR), LaDonna Milton, Tiffany Thomas, and Katie Woodworth* (MOTOR).
Safety: Kristin Gomez, Lori Hanganen, Brittany Holbrook, Kim Hurley, and Tara Lawson.
*WIT Foundation is grateful for support received for Fall 2022 scholarship awards, including MOTOR Information Systems, Ryder and Marathon Petroleum Foundation. Supporting the Women In Trucking Foundation
The WIT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds for scholarships, which are distributed in a way that supports women in the trucking industry. In turn, the trucking industry benefits from a diverse and well-trained workforce that has continuous opportunities for development.
The WIT Foundation depends on the generosity of individuals, foundations and corporations to fund scholarship awards, whether it’s a gift of $10 or $25,000! The Foundation is grateful for its sponsors and donors, who truly are making its work possible! You, too, can support women in the trucking industry. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent of current law and a receipt will be provided. n
Visit the Women In Trucking Foundation website at WomenInTruckingFoundation.org
Learn about Fall 2022 Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Support the Women In Trucking Foundation
Join the Women In Trucking Foundation email list to receive information about upcoming scholarship application cycles.
Women in Trucking ’s 2023 Top Women to Watch in Transportation
At Navistar, we’re proud to have Candace as part of our team. She’s helping drive our Advanced Driver Assistance Systems projects. Candace is also a member of Women in Navistar and Navistar Young Professionals, and was recently elected the Vice President of the International Community of African Americans at Navistar. Through her volunteer work, she was involved with Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry Black Creativity Showcase to talk with middle and high school students about opportunities in STEM, something she considers her biggest passion.
Brooke Weeks, one of WIT’s 2023’s Top Women to Watch in Transportation, has been a leader in Walmart’s initiative to create a more sustainable future and eliminate all emissions by 2040. We’re proud of Brooke’s contribution to Walmart and the world!
Walmart is proud to deliver the best jobs and rewards in the industry! Associates enjoy premium pay, flexible schedules, 401k match, growth opportunities & more to help you live better. Visit careers.walmart.com to learn more.
