OOIDA tabbed among top transportation companies for women to work

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is among a group of companies nominated as one of the top places for women to work in the trucking and transportation industry.

The annual award, handed out by the Women in Trucking Association, aims to highlight companies that “embody important attributes” when it comes to being a “Top Company for Women to Work in Transportation.”

According to the Plover, Wisc.-based group, some of those attributes include:

• Corporate culture that’s supportive of gender diversity
• Flexibility in hours and work requirements
• Competitive compensation
• Quality benefits (i.e. paid maternity leave)
• Training, continued education and development
• Career advancement opportunities
• Well-maintained/safe equipment and facilities for drivers

“OOIDA has fought for the rights of all truckers for more than 50 years and looks forward to seeing more and more women join the industry as drivers and small-business owners,” said Norita Taylor, the Association’s director of public relations. “At the heart of OOIDA’s mission as an organization is to improve conditions for all small-business truckers, which only makes it that much better for women to enter and remain in an industry traditionally dominated by men.”

Taylor said that OOIDA has advocated for the rights of all truckers with a “commitment to fairness and what is right for those that make personal sacrifices to move goods and essential needs throughout the United States.”  She added that this approach is reflected in the Association’s staff.

“OOIDA also exemplifies this dedication in its approach to building and maintaining a workplace that respects and acknowledges the unique contributions of its female staff,” Taylor said. “By integrating women fully into its ranks, OOIDA leads by example, showing that a more inclusive industry is possible and preferable.”

In total, 143 companies are on the ballot for this year’s honor. According to WIT, the top 30 companies with the highest number of votes will earn a spot in “The Elite 30″ and will be acknowledged on stage during the group’s 2024 Accelerate! Conference & Expo held in November in Dallas.

The public has through June 28 to vote online for the award and can select up to 10 companies to receive the top honor.

This is not the first time OOIDA has been connected with one of WIT’s awards. In March, during the group’s annual “Salute to Women Behind the Wheel” held at the Mid-American Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., OOIDA life member Carmen Anderson was among three truckers selected to split WIT’s Driver of the Year award. The year prior, Mary “Candy” Bass, another life member of the Association, took home the honor. LL