Only about 9–10% of CDL drivers are women. Jennifer Hedrick, former President & CEO of Women In Trucking, joins Lee Gentry and Katlyn Foulks to talk about what's actually moving that number — and what isn't.
In this episode:
- Jennifer's path from association leadership to leading WIT
- What the latest WIT Index reveals about women in driver, leadership, safety, and dispatch roles
- Why culture, properly fitting gear, and zero-tolerance policies matter more than slogans
- How mentorship through the Connect program supports both mentors and mentees
- The WIT on the Road regional events and the Engage online community
- A preview of the Accelerate Conference & Expo — October 25–28 in Dallas
- Practical advice for women considering trucking, and for carriers who want to recruit them
Bennett is proud to support Women In Trucking and the Women in the Driver's Seat program, championed by Marcia Taylor and led by Alicia Echols.
Learn more: womenintrucking.org
Subscribe to Transportation Nation for more conversations shaping the road ahead.
Timestamps
00:37 Meet Jennifer Hedrick
02:20 Inside the Women In Trucking mission
04:00 Engage platform & WIT on the Road
05:39 What the WIT Index reveals
08:31 Bennett's Women in the Driver's Seat
10:15 Culture, fit, and safety that retain women
13:12 Building internal women's programs
15:39 Mentorship through the Connect program
18:32 Accelerate Conference preview
20:41 Whitney trailer and reaching the next generation
22:52 Advice for women entering trucking
23:48 Rewriting job descriptions to remove bias