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,Ellen Voie |
July 7, 2020

Do you remember when you were a child and someone would ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up?  The typical elementary school response was firefighter, police officer, teacher, doctor, pilot, or even astronaut cited by children.

For many of you reading this blog, perhaps you already knew you wanted to drive a truck or work in supply chain when you were older.  I’m guessing you were in the minority.  Most of the occupations children mentioned had high profiles and were considered more glamorous than working in the trucking industry.

Professional drivers have often been the “invisible” ones on the road.  When you do your job well and are operating in a safe and efficient manner, no one seems to notice you.  It’s only when a motorist thinks you are going too fast, too slow, or driving erratically when they seem to pay attention to the eighteen wheelers alongside them.

Folks outside of the trucking industry often tell me they don’t even think about how their products get to the store shelves.  They just do their shopping and assume the items on the store shelves just appear there each day.  When they fill their gas tanks they don’t make any connection with the tanker on the other side of the station putting fuel into the underground tanks while they fill their own car or pickup truck at the pumps.

As you go about your day and keep the economy moving, many consumers just don’t think about how the tractor trailer on the highway relates to them (and their families) in a personal way.

The pandemic has changed that, for the better.  When hysteria struck and people thought they wouldn’t be able to obtain needed provisions, they hoarded toilet paper, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. People flocked to their local stores and found empty shelves and started panicking.  The cereal aisles were empty, the refrigerated section held coffee creamer and maybe some soon to expire dairy products.  Forget the coffee and eggs for breakfast, as they were all sold out.

One driver said when he pulled into a store he was greeted by clapping and cheering when the customers learned he was carrying toilet paper.  Seriously, how many of you paper haulers thought you would be welcomed as a hero when you’re just making a delivery?

It’s about time our supply chain workers are being recognized as “essential.”  We’ve always recognized the value of our transportation workers, but now the recognition has broadened and your neighbors are a little more aware (and thankful) for the job you do.

At Women In Trucking Association, we want to extend that acknowledgement and focus on the heroes of the highway for our annual “I HEART Trucking” photo contest.  In fact, since we are focused on women in the industry, we’re calling it the HERoes of the Highway.

The theme this year is about the professional drivers who have been on the front lines these past few months.  You’ve put your own health at risk to ensure the safety of others.  You’ve made your deliveries, despite the obstacles placed in your way.  You’ve had to compromise when looking for places to eat, shower and when making a delivery.  You’ve stayed away from your families to ensure their safety because you’ve been out there doing your job.

You are truly the HERoes of the highway!

Get your cameras out and send us your photos in your best super hero stance in front of your truck.  You have until August 14 to submit your best snap shot to the Women In Trucking Association.  We’ll post them on our website and open the voting to your family and friends from August 17-28.  There will also be “Judges Choice” winners in addition to the People’s Choice leaders.  The winners will be announced at Women In Trucking’s Accelerate! Conference and Expo September 23-25. Thanks to Hudson Insurance Group for sponsoring this photo contest.

Find out more at www.womenintrucking.org.

You truly are the super heroes and we want to make sure you are recognized as the HERoes of the highway.

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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.