Women In Trucking Association Gives FMCSA Deputy Administrator a Glimpse of Life on the Road
Plover, WI (PRWEB) April 30, 2015 -- When Daphne Jefferson was appointed as Deputy Administrator at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), she had never been inside the cab of a truck. The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association arranged for her to take a two-day trip with female drivers so she could learn about their jobs as professional truck drivers.
The ride-along began at an inspection station in Virginia where Ms. Jefferson met her first driver, Angela Jordan, a 19 year employee at U.S. Xpress Enterprises. They chatted en route to a Petro Stopping Center, where they had lunch and took a tour of the facility. The day ended with a delivery of the load of batteries to a customer in eastern Maryland.
Day two began with an introduction to April Young, who drives for J.B. Hunt’s Intermodal services. Lunch included a visit to a Pilot Travel Center in Maryland.
“My ride-along this week helps illustrate that barriers are rapidly falling for women in the field of commercial driving,” said Jefferson, “and I'm proud to see the commercial motor vehicle sector welcoming women into rewarding careers that also help strengthen our nation’s economy.”
“Our goal in providing ride-along opportunities to regulators and legislators is to help them get a first hand look at a driver’s challenges on the road,” said WIT President/CEO, Ellen Voie. “We are so pleased that Ms. Jefferson took time out of her busy schedule to spend two days riding with these highly qualified female professional drivers so she could better understand their experience on the road,” Voie added.
You can read Deputy Administrator Jefferson’s Blog on the DOT website at http://www.dot.gov/fastlane/women-big-rig-drivers-seat.
Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 16 percent of its members are men who support the mission. Women In Trucking is supported by its members and the generosity of Gold Level Partners: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Daimler Trucks NA, GE Capital Transportation Finance, Great Dane Trailers, J.B. Hunt Transport, Ryder Systems, Inc., U.S. Xpress, and Walmart. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.womenintrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.
Ellen Voie, Women In Trucking Association, Inc., http://www.womenintrucking.org, +1 920-312-1350, [email protected]
Share this article