Changes coming

In March of 2007, the Women In Trucking Association was formed by a group of focused and passionate women whose goal was to change the trucking industry. We created a mission statement to guide us to this purpose: To encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Today, after more than 15 years, we can point to this group of visionaries whose efforts launched dramatic changes in the (trucking) world! In our first year, we reached our goal of five hundred members. Now, we represent more than 7,000 members in 10 countries. We represent all women in transportation careers, from the professional driver to the CEO and everyone involved in the supply chain. I am especially proud of the inclusion of men who become members because they are allies who support our mission to increase the ranks of women in trucking. Now, more changes are coming. We currently are in the process of identifying a new President and CEO to lead the Women In Trucking Association into the coming years. Our goal is to have this person identified and ready to dig in before the end of the year so you can all meet my successor and welcome her (or him) to our organization. Change can be hard, and I will miss working with our members, our team, and our board of directors. However, it is time for me to step aside and watch the organization grow beyond my wildest dreams. Fifteen years ago, I could not have imagined the impact the Women In Trucking Association would have on our industry and the people whose lives we have touched. We’ve shared your stories, honored our members and colleagues, and provided thousands of dollars in tuition grants as well. Personally, I have traveled nearly 2 million miles on commercial flights, spoken to hundreds of thousands of you over the years, given countless interviews and more speeches and webinars than I can imagine. Even though I am giving up the title of President and CEO, I will always be your Founder. I hope to see you at events and celebrations in the coming years. In the meantime, thank you for believing in our mission, for believing in me and for sharing my passion to increase the presence of women in the trucking industry. I look forward to the changes ahead. n

From the early days, WIT has worked with key influencers and decision-makers to explore ways to remove barriers for women in transportation. Here WIT founder Ellen Voie (center) met in 2010 with then U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro.