FMCSA announces first Women of Trucking Advisory Board

Congress mandated the creation of a Women of Trucking Advisory Board to give the FMCSA perspective on challenges facing women in the industry and to open the door for new generations of female truckers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on Monday, Aug. 29, the board’s first 16 members.

“America needs truck drivers like never before, yet women – half the American people – have long been underestimated and underrepresented behind the wheel and in jobs across this sector,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a news release. “Getting to know women in trucking, I have heard about their passion for the job as well as the challenges they face, and this experienced Women of Trucking Advisory Board will help us address these issues directly.”

The 16 board members combine for more than 275 years in trucking and other transportation modes. In addition, the members combine for more than 80 years of commercial driving experience. Five of the members are current commercial motor vehicle drivers and four are former drivers.

“Women are significantly underrepresented in the trucking industry, holding only 24% of all transportation jobs,” FMCSA acting Administrator Robin Hutcheson said. “We anticipate many great ideas from the advisory board that will help expand equity and safely provide access to careers in trucking for women across the industry.”

The creation of the Women of Trucking Advisory Board was a provision in the infrastructure package that was passed in 2021. The board will make recommendations to the FMCSA on how to recruit and retain more females in the industry.

Women of Trucking Advisory Board members

• Anne Balay, organizer with the Service Employees International Union.
• Jerri Banks, owner of Life on the Road Recruiting and Transportation Services.
• Elisabeth Barna, executive vice president of American Trucking Associations.
• Joyce Brenny, founder and president of Brenny Transportation and Brenny Specialized.
• Enjoli DeGrasse, International Brotherhood of Teamsters deputy director.
• Marie Druckenmiller, Amazon director of transportation.
• Erin Ducharme, H&L Bloom and Bloom’s Bus Lines chief financial officer.
• Laura Duryea, Boyle Transportation manager of recruiting, retention and driver development.
• Marquita Jones, J.B. Hunt intermodal driver.
• Kellylynn McLaughlin, Schneider National driver.
• Dianne McNair-Smith, 3 Girls Trucking Academy chief executive officer.
• Sharae Moore, SHE Trucking Foundation founder and president.
• O’Sheauna Parker, truck driver.
• Emily Plummer, Prime driver.
• Soledad Munoz Smith, Munoz Trucking vice president of operations.
• Nicole Ward, African American Women in Trucking Association co-founder.

More information about each of the Women of Trucking Advisory Board members can be found here. LL