FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Daimler Trucks and Frito-Lay launches Women In Trucking Association’s Salute to the Women Behind the Wheel.
Plover, WI: Although women comprise less than six percent of the professional driving force, many have reached commendable levels of safety and experience. The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) plans to recognize these women and their accomplishments at the first annual "Salute to the Women Behind the Wheel." The event will be sponsored in part by Daimler Trucks North America and Frito-Lay North America, and will be held at the Mid-America Trucking Show (www.truckingshow.com) in Louisville, KY, on March 27, 2010.
"Our goal is to reach out to the 180,000 female professional drivers and invite them to a celebration in their honor," said Ellen Voie, WIT’s President/CEO and a CDL holder herself. All women with Class A licenses are invited to attend, and will be provided with a t-shirt and lots of tokens of our appreciation. "We will take a group photo of the largest gathering of female CDL holders in the world," Voie added.
Daimler Trucks and Frito-Lay will be the primary hosts of the celebration. "We support diversity in all areas of transportation and are especially excited to be able to honor these women and their families for their contribution to the trucking industry," said Trudy Houghton, Daimler Truck’s Manager of Recruiting & Diversity.
"Frito-Lay is committed to strong diversity and inclusion programs as evidenced by being a Charter member and Gold Partner of WIT, among many other company-wide programs," said Mark Rousseau, Frito-Lay’s National Logistics Manager and member of the WIT Board of Directors. "Events like this one are important to support the Women that are now in Transportation and to encourage others to become a part of the industry."
Participants do not need to be a member of the Women In Trucking Association. Families are also welcome to accompany the woman driver. The event will be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center and pre-registration is required (online at www.salute2women.com or at the WIT booth during the Mid America Trucking Show). Doors open at noon and the photo shoot is scheduled for 1:00 pm. Still in the planning stages are entertainment and refreshments as well as special gifts from corporate sponsors.
Daimler Trucks North America (www.daimler.com) with headquarters in Portland, Oregon is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America.
Frito-Lay North America (www.fritolay.com) is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana.
Women In Trucking Association was formed in March 2007 as a nonprofit corporation dedicated to encourage women to explore career opportunities in the trucking industry, to minimize any obstacles that might keep women from succeeding, and to celebrate the success of those already working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, but anyone who supports WIT’s mission. Visit www.WomenInTrucking.org for more information or to become a member.
