Ellen Voie (Voy-a) is an internationally recognized speaker and authority on gender diversity and inclusion for women working in non-traditional careers in transportation. She has been invited to speak to audiences in Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, France, Mexico, and Canada, in addition to being a popular speaker at conferences throughout the United States. Voie founded the Women In Trucking Association in 2007, and currently serves as the nonprofit organization’s President & CEO. The Women In Trucking Association was formed to promote the employment of women in the trucking industry, to remove obstacles that might keep them from succeeding, and to celebrate the successes of its members. Voie also currently serves on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) to provide recommendations and advice to the FMCSA on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety regulations. Voie’s background in the trucking industry began as the assistant and later Traffic Manager for a steel fabricating plant in the upper Midwest. She then worked as a dispatcher for a grain hauling carrier before becoming co-owner of a small fleet. After starting a family, she used her background to become a freelance transportation consultant to carriers in Wisconsin, licensing and permitting trucks for more than 16 years. Voie also served as the Executive Director of Trucker Buddy International, Inc., a pen pal program between professional drivers and elementary students. Voie holds a Master’s in Communication degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, where she completed her Thesis research on the complex identities of women married to professional drivers. She also hold a degree in Traffic and Transportation Management from LaSalle Extension University. Voie has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, the leading authority in association management.

Columnists,Industry News,Uncategorized |
April 13, 2016

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was created in 2000 with the goal to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. If you’ve visited their offices in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) building in Washington DC, you might have noticed a poster depicting accident victims who died in commercial vehicle crashes. The poster was presented in 2009 from the Truck Safety Coalition (trucksafety.org), an organization representing three safety advocacy groups that focus on truck safety issues.

The trucking industry, led by the American Trucking Associations, Inc. (ATA) approached the U.S. DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to suggest a more positive depiction of the industry.

Ellen Voie
Ellen Voie

The idea of a commercial motor vehicle safe driver recognition poster was suggested and the FMCSA agreed to consider the proposal.

The ATA, along with The American Bus Association, United Motorcoach Association, Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, National Private Truck Council, American Moving & Storage Association and the Women In Trucking Association, Inc. (WIT) joined forces to create a Safe Driver Recognition Poster.

The criteria to be considered was stringent and was based on miles driven, years of experience, crash free history and adherence to FMCSA regulations. Drivers must hold a valid commercial drivers license without any recent suspensions or out of service violations. Each of the truck and bus related organizations submitted driver’s names along with their background information and photos.

Women In Trucking Association provided more than two dozen potential drivers for consideration. Both men and women’s names were submitted and their driving histories were examined and verified. Each driver was asked for approval to be depicted on the poster. The process took months to complete, but the final design was a group effort and is dedicated to the professional truck and bus drivers who have achieved millions of accident free miles.

Acting FMCSA Administrator Scott Darling accepted the poster on behalf of the FMCSA on March 14 at their headquarters in Washington DC.

The final poster includes 76 professional drivers for their years of accident free service. Fourteen of the drivers on the poster are members of Women In Trucking Association.

  • Felicia Berggren, Werner Enterprises, Inc.
  • Ingrid Brown, Rollin B’ LLC
  • Linda Caffee, Leased to Landstar System, Inc.
  • Allyson Hay, Walmart Transportation
  • Wyzeena Heeny, Covenant Transport
  • Cindy Kaps, Rocking Double K, Inc.
  • Stephanie Klang, XPO Logistics
  • Deb LaBree, leased to Landstar System, Inc.
  • Carol Nixon, Walmart Transportation
  • Dick Pingel, Finally Trucking
  • Guadalupe Potter, Bennett International Group
  • Goldie Seymour, National Carriers
  • Dianne Shook, J.B. Hunt
  • Darla Williams, Walmart Transportation
  • Brown, Hay, Heeny, Klang and Nixon are also members of the Women In Trucking Association’s Image Team.

ATA’s Vice President of Communications, Sean McNally presented the poster to Darling. “There are 4 million professional drivers on the road and these men and women are the pinnacle of their profession,” said McNally. “We hope this will hang in the foyer so visitors and staff of FMCSA can be reminded that they have many safety partners here, but none more important than our professional men and women who are behind the wheel of our trucks and buses,” he added.

“Although women comprise less than six percent of the driver population, the number included in this poster is significant and we are proud to highlight these amazing professional female drivers,” said Ellen Voie, WIT’s President & CEO. “We appreciate the opportunity to ensure that women are included and featured in this prominent display at the FMCSA headquarters,” Voie added.

The poster will include the month and year it was presented to FMCSA and specify the time period for which the drivers are recognized. The poster will be updated and replaced annually by the industry organizations.
Women In Trucking Association’s mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

FMCSA driver poster

About the Author
Ellen Voie CAE, President/CEO
Women In Trucking, Inc.
P O Box 400 Plover, WI 54467-0400
Ellen@WomenInTrucking.org
888-464-9482 920-312-1350 Direct
Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | You Tube
Women In Trucking Association’s mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

About the Author Ellen Voie CAE, President/CEO Women In Trucking, Inc. P O Box 400 Plover, WI 54467-0400 Ellen@WomenInTrucking.org 888-464-9482 920-312-1350 Direct Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | You Tube Women In Trucking Association’s mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

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Ellen Voie (Voy-a) is an internationally recognized speaker and authority on gender diversity and inclusion for women working in non-traditional careers in transportation. She has been invited to speak to audiences in Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, France, Mexico, and Canada, in addition to being a popular speaker at conferences throughout the United States. Voie founded the Women In Trucking Association in 2007, and currently serves as the nonprofit organization’s President & CEO. The Women In Trucking Association was formed to promote the employment of women in the trucking industry, to remove obstacles that might keep them from succeeding, and to celebrate the successes of its members. Voie also currently serves on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) to provide recommendations and advice to the FMCSA on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety regulations. Voie’s background in the trucking industry began as the assistant and later Traffic Manager for a steel fabricating plant in the upper Midwest. She then worked as a dispatcher for a grain hauling carrier before becoming co-owner of a small fleet. After starting a family, she used her background to become a freelance transportation consultant to carriers in Wisconsin, licensing and permitting trucks for more than 16 years. Voie also served as the Executive Director of Trucker Buddy International, Inc., a pen pal program between professional drivers and elementary students. Voie holds a Master’s in Communication degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, where she completed her Thesis research on the complex identities of women married to professional drivers. She also hold a degree in Traffic and Transportation Management from LaSalle Extension University. Voie has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, the leading authority in association management.