The Salute to Women Behind the Wheel celebrates 5 years!

Five years ago the Women In Trucking Association kicked off the first annual “Salute to Women Behind the Wheel.” The goal then, which continues now, was to honor the women who travel the highways as a career. Whether she drives an 18-wheeler or a bus full of children (or tourists), the reason for the Salute is to honor the women who have professional licenses and earn a living while driving.

On Saturday, March 29 at 11 am, the celebration will begin in rooms C201-204 (South Wing) at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville. Drivers and their families, as well as members of Women In Trucking Association, will have the opportunity to meet with event sponsors, be entertained by Terry Wooley, and enjoy a special birthday cake to celebrate our Salute’s 5th year. The event will also include WIT’s signature chocolate fountain! Attendees can register for the Salute at the WIT booth #40557 in the North Wing Lobby at the show on Thursday or Friday, or outside rooms C201-204 in the South Wing on Saturday.

This year’s speaker is Rebecca Brewster, President and COO of the American Transportation Research Institute, who is also the 2013 recipient of the “Influential Woman in Trucking” award sponsored by Navistar. She will be riding to Louisville from Atlanta as a passenger in tractor-trailers driven by our members, Stephanie Klang of Con-way Truckload and Monica Abdul-Rashid of Schneider. She will stop at Nashville TA/Petro along the way and have lunch with her drivers before heading to the Mid- America Trucking Show.

In addition to honoring female drivers, Women In Trucking will be announcing its first, “Best Recruiting Ad” contest winner, sponsored by Arrow Truck Sales. The contest resulted in three finalists, Prime Inc, Republic Services, and Walmart, whose ads were chosen as the best by driver consensus. The winner will be announced at the Salute.

The celebration will end with a group photo of all female commercial drivers in their red Salute t-shirts compliments of the event sponsors: Gold Level: Walmart Transportation and Truck Bucks, Bronze Level: Arrow Truck Sales, FedEx Freight, Republic Services, , Trimac, and . Copper sponsors are Airtab®, J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., TravelCenters of America/Petro Stopping Centers, LLC, and Waste Management. Nickel Sponsors are Brenny Transportation, Inc and Brenny Specialized, Inc., J.B. Hunt, Landstar, Meadow Lark Companies, Rand McNally, and Transportation Data Source.

Women In Trucking was 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 sixteen 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 Truck NA, Frito-Lay North America , , Hyundai Translead and Walmart. Silver Level Partner is C.H. Robinson. Inc. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. For more information visit http://www.WomenInTrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.