Dreams have the power to change not only individual lives, but entire industries. In trucking, where women have long faced barriers to ownership, those dreams are now transforming into thriving businesses at an unprecedented pace.
When Expediter Services (ES) launched the Women-Owned Business Initiative in 2017 with the support of the Women In Trucking Association, the mission was bold: to create 150 women-owned businesses in the trucking industry. At that time, the vision of women taking the wheel not just as drivers, but as business owners, was still an uphill climb in a male-dominated space.
By August of 2022, that original goal was achieved. The milestone was more than a number; it represented a shift in the industry, proving that with the right support and resources, women could confidently step into ownership and thrive. Earlier this year, ES proudly celebrated another landmark achievement: 300 established women-owned businesses.
Behind each one of those businesses is a story of perseverance, vision, and courage. Few embody that spirit more than Lisa Fagin, who, in March 2024, turned a childhood dream into reality by launching her business through the ES Path to Ownership program.
Lisa’s dream of trucking wasn’t born in adulthood. It started as a little girl on her daily rides with her father during his lunch break. “Being a truck driver has been a dream since watching my father as a little girl,” Lisa recalls.
Her father’s work in trucking fascinated her, and while she didn’t see many women in the driver’s seat, she never doubted her place in the industry. “Nobody told me I couldn’t do it, even though at the time I didn’t see women doing it,” joked Lisa in a recent episode of the Success In Trucking Podcast.
What began as wide-eyed rides with her father during lunch breaks has now grown into a life on the open road, only this time, Lisa is in the driver’s seat of her own business.
Lisa eventually found herself on the road as a team driver alongside her husband, where they built a life around trucking before settling with Forward Air in 2024. Driving was rewarding, but Lisa admits that business ownership wasn’t always on the horizon. “I loved the lifestyle, but ownership wasn’t in the initial vision,” she explains. “That didn’t happen until ES came into the picture.”
Like many professional drivers, Lisa knew the leap from company driver to business owner came with challenges, not just financial, but operational. The risks felt significant. The leap from driver to business owner can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff. For Lisa, ES was the bridge, steady, supportive, and built to carry her dream forward.
“ES gave me the confidence to take the first step,” Lisa says. “They walked us through the paperwork, the revenue, everything we needed to know to be successful.”
The transition involved more than simply securing a truck. The ES team walked alongside Lisa and her husband through the process of setting up the business, offering detailed revenue projections, careful attention to costs, and a steady reminder that they weren’t alone in the journey.
“You have to be careful,” Lisa notes. “Mistakes can be costly, especially if you’re new to the business side of trucking. But ES helped us watch our overhead charges with quarterly statements, and that made things much easier. They showed us how to make small adjustments that have a big impact.”
For Lisa, the difference between company driving and ownership was especially clear on the administrative side. “The back office is very different,” she says. “As a company driver, you don’t think about all the details. But when you’re running a business, those details matter. ES helped polish my plan and gave me the tools to avoid costly mistakes.”
With their business launched in March 2024, Lisa and her husband quickly began to feel the rewards of ownership. While the road isn’t without its challenges, Lisa is proud of how far she has come. “This is my dream job,” she says with a smile. “I’m living it.”
Lisa’s journey is proof that the dreams we carry as little girls can grow into the realities we live as women. Her story is not only about finding her own freedom on the road, but also about showing other women that the path is wide open for them too.
Her story is one of breaking barriers, but it’s also a story of partnership. ES’s promise that their community members Never Stand Alone isn’t just a tagline, it’s the safety net that allows women like Lisa to step into ownership with confidence.
Lisa’s success is just one chapter in a much larger story. With over 300 women-owned businesses now thriving through the initiative, ES is helping to change the landscape of trucking. Each business represents a ripple effect, creating more opportunities for women, providing more role models for the next generation, and proving that trucking can be a place where dreams are realized.
“From the very beginning, our mission was to open the doors of business ownership to women who might not have otherwise had the opportunity,” says Jason Williams, President and CEO of Expediter Services. “We knew that by partnering with Women In Trucking and creating a framework of support, we could empower women to take that next step.”
The model has proven effective: offering not just access to equipment and financing, but also hands-on business support, mentorship, and guidance on day-to-day operations. For many women, that has been the difference between dreaming of ownership and actually living it.
As ES reflects on the journey from 150 businesses in 2022 to over 300 in 2025, the road ahead feels wide open. Lisa’s story is a reminder that dreams don’t just happen overnight. They take time, courage, and the right partners along the way.
The heart of the Women-Owned Business Initiative is women bringing their passion and determination, and ES providing the tools, resources, and safety net to turn those dreams into reality.
The future of trucking is being written every day by women like Lisa, women who dared to believe their dreams mattered. And with ES standing beside them, there’s no telling how many more lives, families, and communities will be transformed by the businesses they build.
As we look forward to the next milestone, one thing is certain: there are countless other women who are ready to take the wheel, chase their dreams, and build businesses that will last for generations.
Lisa’s journey proves the road to ownership is wide open for women in trucking. Take the first step with ES and see how far your dream can go. Visit https://essuccessintrucking.com/women-in-trucking/ or call (877) 349-9303 today.
As a member of the Women In Trucking Association, stay on top of emerging trends and business issues impacting transportation and logistics; learn the importance of gender diversity in the workplace and the need for more women drivers; and see best practices in encouraging the employment of women in the trucking industry. Join today! Learn More