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For Immediate Release
Contact: Brynn Everett, Women In Trucking
Association
952-442-8850
ext.220, brynn@WomenInTrucking.org
Women In Trucking
Association Honors Professional Female Drivers at the 10th
Annual Salute to Women Behind the Wheel
Plover, WI – April 9, 2019 –
Although women comprise just under eight percent of the driver population,
that number is steadily increasing as more females are getting behind the
wheel. Part of the Women In Trucking Association’s (WIT) mission is to
encourage and support these pioneers and celebrate their success and
achievements.
Ten years ago, in honor of this mission,
WIT created the “Salute to Women Behind the Wheel” ceremony to recognize
and honor female drivers for their service and commitment to the industry.
This year’s event took place Saturday, March 30 at the Mid-America Trucking
Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Between 115
female drivers, they tallied nearly 1,700 collective years of driving and
several women were recognized for driving careers spanning forty years or
more!
“The annual Salute event shows that women
can thrive and enjoy a career as a professional driver,” said Ellen Voie,
president and CEO of WIT. “Whether they are industry veterans or newcomers,
they are paving the way for women to participate and succeed in a
male-dominated industry. We want them to know we see them, and they are
valued.”
The celebration included valuable
self-defense demonstrations by Debbie Gardner of SURVIVE Institute and
LIFELITE’s PepperBall Launcher, a live broadcast of the Women In Trucking show
on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Channel 146, a high-energy performance from Jayne
Denham, an award-winning singer and song writer from Australia, delicious
chocolate fountains, and the iconic truck-shaped cake.
The Women In Trucking Scholarship
Foundation gave away numerous prizes and raised $2,443 in donations from
the attendees, which was matched by UPS. In addition, the Women In Trucking
Foundation received a $5,000 donation from UPS and a $25,000 donation from
Ryder to support its efforts in bringing more women into the industry
through their scholarship program.
Landstar took home the Driver Participation
award with the most female drivers present.
The event also included the annual group
photo of the women in their WIT red t-shirts and ended with the distribution
of goodie bags filled with items from the event sponsors.
This year’s sponsors of the event were:
Gold:
Arrow Truck Sales, Uber Freight, Walmart Transportation
Silver:
Design Transportation
Bronze:
Brenny Transportation, Landstar, LIFELITE, Michelin, Oberg, PACAAR Parts,
TA Petro, Total Transportation of Mississippi, Trinity Logistics, UPS
Copper:
J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
Nickel:
Tri-State Motor Transit, Rand McNally, J.B. Hunt,
Photo by Paul Hartley, AddMedia
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About Women In Trucking
Association, Inc.
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 17 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: Peterbilt Motors
Company, Michelin North America, Arrow Truck Sales, Bendix Commercial
Vehicle Systems, Daimler Trucks North America, BMO Transportation Finance,
Expediter Services, Great Dane, J.B. Hunt Transport, and Walmart. Follow
WIT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.womenintrucking.org
or call 888-464-9482.
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