Roadrageous Podcast Interview With Jennifer Hedrick

Breaking into trucking isn’t just about driving a heavy-duty truck to deliver freight. It’s about dismantling barriers that keep talented women on the sidelines. Jennifer Hedrick, President & CEO of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), recently joined Liam Hoch and Chad Lindholm of the Roadrageous Podcast to discuss how WIT has grown to 8,000 members by focusing not just on drivers but on all roles in trucking – from technicians to executives in the C-suite. They also explore how WIT is breaking down barriers and building up opportunities.

Chad Lindholm: Well, as we oftentimes start out our podcasts, people tend to have an interesting story of how they got into the industry and no one has that straight line path. So I’m curious, how did you end up in the world of trucking and transportation.

Jennifer Hedrick: Like so many others I know, it's not a straight line and many people end up here in the trucking industry accidentally. That's a little bit of my story as well.

I've been in the Washington D.C. area for the bulk of my career working for associations and so managed a number of different associations, primarily trade associations, including the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL). I was their executive director for six and a half years. And we focused on trucking, ocean and rail issues and, and mainly looking at regulatory and legislative activity at the federal level.

And when this opportunity came up for women in trucking several years ago, I had moved on from NIT League and was doing some work with another association and really thought “You know, I love working in the transportation space.” I love the people. I have really enjoyed the issues and the fact that this touches so many industries and so many people both personally and professionally and really wanted an opportunity to get back into it.

And so this opening came up at the announcement of the retirement of Founder Ellen Voie and I threw my hat in the ring and here we are today, two and a half years later.

So it's been just an absolute joy for me and I couldn't have anticipated how much fun I'd have and the impact, impact that we're having as an organization and, and also the impact that the people in this organization and the broader industry have on me, it's just been absolutely terrific.

Chad Lindholm: Help us to better understand the Mission of WIT, the organization’s objectives, and what you are looking to accomplish.

Jennifer Hedrick: WIT was founded in 2007 by Ellen Voie. It was founded with the idea that there could be more opportunity for women in trucking through job creation, through celebration, and then eliminating obstacles and barriers as well. Those are really the key points of our mission.

The organization has grown over time from just a few hundred members to 8,000 members today. And our membership is broad. Our tagline is “From the driver's seat to the C suite.” Alot of folks mistakenly think that we are an organization that's focused on drivers only, but we aren't. Certainly professional truck drivers are a key piece of what we focus on as an organization. But we also look at folks in different stages of their careers, entry level to those who have been in the industry and in the profession for a long time, those who are in entry level management, those who are learning to drive a truck, those who are technicians and performing other types of services to the industry.

Our membership consists of a vast range of company types, including for-hire motor carriers, private fleets, third-party logistics companies, original equipment manufacturers, warehousing and distribution companies, equipment leasing, and service provides such as accountants and tax experts, attorneys, insurance, talent management and staffing, and truck driving schools.

WIT provides education, information, awards, programs to recognize women in different stages of their career, recognize companies for their success in encouraging women into entering the profession and succeeding in the profession, and then education through our annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo.

Chad Lindholm: What would you say some of the challenges are for women getting into and staying in the industry?

Jennifer Hedrick: The trucking industry obviously has been a male-populated world for a while, but it's changing. What are some of the things that are still hindering that. Alot of women think that there isn't a place for them in this industry, but there is – in so many ways.

You can look at any study out there, you can look at the work that we've done at WIT, you can look at the vast number of women that we have in our organization and across the industry as a case study. Women certainly do have a place.

And so we try to make sure that women understand that there is no limitation in terms of what they can do within trucking.

Other areas are looking at safety, making sure that women (especially women drivers) are able to drive safely or are able to have a place to stop and to rest and to not be worried about their safety.

WIT has done really fantastic work in ensuring that truck stops have better lighting and facilities that can accommodate women, individual showers, those kinds of things that seem to make a lot of common sense. Truck parking is another area that we certainly focus on. We've been advocating with a number of different organizations on the need for truck parking.

Chad Lindholm: What are some things that companies in the trucking industry can do to create an environment in which women want to work?

Jennifer Hedrick: I just mentioned the lack of safe truck parking as a major issue. The U. S. Department of Transportation Secretary Duffy’s recently announced funding for truck parking underscores that he understands that this is at a critical juncture for not only professional truck drivers, but for the supply chain at-large and making sure that freight can keep moving efficiently and as timely as it needs to.

So we've been entirely supportive of that and really pleased that he's come out with those dedicated funds—and companies themselves are working with their drivers, making sure the drivers have the tools that they need so that they're safe on the road.

I've spoken with a number of professional drivers who say drivers get into the industry largely through word of mouth. So if a driver is working with a carrier who is treating them well and ensuring that not only that they're safe, but they're given the resources that they need to do their jobs, they tell others. They tell other women and encourage them to get into truck driving and to explore it and maybe other careers in trucking as well.

So there's those kinds of things that carriers can do, not only for drivers, but for others in other jobs to provide education through various resources. Education is really key in helping not only recruit people from all areas in the trucking industry, but building community and helping the community around a business really understand what's occurring.

Listen to the entire interview on the Roadrageous Podcast with Jennifer Hedrick, Liam Hoch and Chad Lindholm. A glimpse of additional topics they discuss during the interview:

• Key challenges women face entering and staying in the trucking industry
• How for-hire and private carriers can create environments that attract and retain women drivers
• The importance of male allies in championing women’s advancement in trucking
• The power of conference in connecting isolated women professionals
• Flexible arrangements and local driving opportunities for work-life balance
• The WIT Image Team: Rock star volunteers spreading awareness at schools and industry events
• WITney® Educational Trailer: Bringing trucking awareness across the country with interactive simulators
• Essential advice for women entering trucking: Find mentors, read widely, and pick what you love

Related Articles:

• Industry Challenges & Opportunities: Freight Slumps, Labor Shortages, Productivity
• The Women In Trucking Annual Report: Advancing the Mission of WIT
• Where in the World is WITney®?

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