WASHINGTON — This week, 18 women trucking leaders from 10 states met with their members of Congress and White House officials for the American Trucking Associations’ (ATAs) inaugural Women In Motion (WIM) Call on Washington.
The WIM members represented a wide variety of backgrounds and ranged from truck drivers to trucking executives, according to an ATA news release.
Over the course of two days, they participated in multiple events, including: a roundtable with members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee; a roundtable with staff from House Republican leadership offices; a breakfast meet and greet with Members of Congress; a White House meeting; and a multiple one-on-one conversations with trucking champions on Capitol Hill, including Congressman Rick Larsen, D-Wa., the ranking member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Throughout their meetings, WIM members shared their personal experiences in trucking and made the case for Congress to pass bills to foster safe and productive workplaces, reduce financial barriers to join the industry and preserve pathways to entrepreneurship.
Some examples of the legislation for which WIM members advocated include the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act and a resolution to overturn the U.S. Department of Labor’s independent contractor rule, which would protect the more than 350,000 truckers — including many women.
The WIM members provided a booklet to policymakers that contained the testimonies of dozens of women truckers from across the nation explaining why they decided to work as independent contractors and demanding that Congress protect their livelihoods.
“Women In Motion was founded with the purpose of promoting the role of women in the trucking industry, highlighting their unique perspectives and bringing about positive change. By leveraging ATA’s deep relationships on Capitol Hill and in the Executive Branch, we were able to deliver WIM’s message directly to our nation’s top policymakers,” said ATA COO Sarah Rajtik, co-chair of WIM.
“We are grateful that so many women leaders in the trucking industry took time out of their busy schedules to participate in our inaugural Call on Washington, which will be the first of many,” she continued. “The major strides we made to advance our legislative priorities will help create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment for all.”
Iowa Motor Truck Association President Brenda Neville, co-chair of WIM, said the event encouraged her on the progress being made on certain initiatives that are designed to create more opportunities for women in the trucking industry.
“Last year, I testified before Congress about the severe truck parking shortage, which is one of female truck drivers’ top concerns and a major barrier to more women joining and remaining in the industry,” she said. “The series of impactful conversations we had with influential policymakers this week provided a powerful platform to continue our advocacy to solve this longstanding problem and address other serious challenges.”
ATA established WIM to promote and support the advancement of women in the trucking industry.
WIM provides access to training, mentorship and networking programs; advocates for policies and practices that create a level playing field for women in the industry; and fosters communication and collaboration among women and their allies.
“The trucking industry has provided me with a rewarding career and supported my family for many years. That is why I am so passionate about growing the ranks of female drivers so that more women can benefit from the same opportunities that I have had,” said Dee Sova, a professional truck driver for Prime Inc. “Joining Women In Motion has enabled me to connect with and empower other women to make an already great industry even better. I enjoyed sharing my perspectives from the driver’s seat with Members of Congress and White House officials to give them firsthand insights on how they can more effectively support women in our industry.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
My Aunt Edie Mussi was one of the very first female truck drivers that hauled steel from Pittsburgh to Indianna. It was back in the late 70’s. Congratulations ladies for still breaking the male dominated fields.