In meetings on Capitol Hill and in the White House, Women In Motion members advocated for policies to support women in the trucking industry
This week, 18 women trucking leaders from 10 states met with their Members of Congress and White House officials for the American Trucking Associations’ inaugural Women In Motion Call on Washington.
The WIM members represented a wide variety of backgrounds and ranged from truck drivers to trucking executives. Over the course of two days, they participated in multiple events, including: 1) a roundtable with members of the House Education & the Workforce Committee; 2) a roundtable with staff from House Republican leadership offices; 3) a breakfast meet & greet with Members of Congress; 4) a White House meeting; and 5) multiple one-on-one conversations with trucking champions on Capitol Hill, including Congressman Rick Larsen, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.
Throughout their meetings, the 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, which would create a dedicated funding stream to build safe and secure truck parking; the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, which would allow lower-income individuals to access CDL training programs; 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—who choose this employment model because of the economic opportunity it creates and the flexibility it provides. To drive home this advocacy, 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 Women In Motion. “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. The major strides we made to advance our legislative priorities will help create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment for all.”
“It was a pleasure to join my colleagues on Capitol Hill and in the White House for Women In Motion’s first Call on Washington, where we made encouraging progress on a number of our initiatives designed to create more opportunities for women in the trucking industry,” said Iowa Motor Truck Association President Brenda Neville, co-chair of Women In Motion. “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. 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.”
“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.”
ATA established WIM to promote and support the advancement of women in the trucking industry. WIM provides access to robust 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 diverse membership spans various roles, from truck drivers and technicians to HR professionals and CEOs.
FedEx is a founding sponsor of WIM. Two FedEx employees, professional driver Tina Klein and FedEx Ground Managing Director of Finance Megan Melichar, participated in WIM’s inaugural Call on Washington.