Thank You Professional Truck Drivers!

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is Sept. 15-21, 2024. It’s a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions and hard work the 3.5 million professional truck drivers make to keep the country moving forward. They have one of the most demanding and important jobs, and we thank them for their continued commitment and service to the industry. This week, we’re putting a spotlight on some of these heroes of the highway!

DEB LABREE

Deb LaBree became a professional truck driver in 2006. She is an independent owner-operator of Castle Transport LLC and has been leased to Landstar since June of 2014. She is well known for mentoring other business capacity owners (BCOs) within Landstar and has received the Bronze and Silver Star of Quality awards from Landstar for customer service and mentorship.  

LaBree has been a team driver with her husband, Del, for all her career. She has received the safety award every year since she began driving and was named the NASTC Driver of the Year in 2020. LaBree has been instrumental in growing and managing the WIT Facebook group which has more than 11,000 active members. She was also the July 2020 WIT Member of the Month and is a past WIT board member.  

LaBree has shared her experience as a guest on SiriusXM’s Dave Nemo Show and Women In Trucking Show. Other media appearances include NBC, Today with Megyn Kelley, Wall Street Journal and various industry publication interviews. She also volunteers to participate as a research subject for various college projects.

JODI EDWARDS

Jodi Edwards has been a professional driver with J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. for more than 25 years, during which she has driven more than 2 million miles collision-free. Throughout her career, Edwards has exemplified a passion for safety and professionalism and is an encouraging advocate for women entering the transportation industry. 

Among her many accomplishments, she has been named Driver of the Year for her region and has received multiple safe driving awards at J.B. Hunt. 

Edwards has been a Smith System® certified instructor for more than 10 years and has been a driver trainer at J.B. Hunt for more than 20 years, where she continues to share her wisdom and experience while driving with J.B. Hunt’s intermodal division. 

Edwards has been recognized nationally for her professional achievements, being interviewed for industry publications as well as sharing her thoughts live on the Sirius XM® radio show “Road Dog Trucking.” She is a cherished member of the J.B. Hunt family and an important voice and ally for women throughout the transportation industry.

CARMEN ANDERSON

Carmen Anderson, a company driver at America’s Service Line, LLC, has 2.5 million safe-driving miles. In 2015, she won the South Dakota Truck Driving championship and went on to compete in nationals in St Louis. Two years later, she was selected for the Wisconsin Road Team.

In August 2019, she was named the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association (WMCA) Driver of the Month. She also won the WMCA 2019 Driver of the Year, the first woman to be named the sole recipient of the award. Anderson is a lifetime member of WIT and a lifetime member of Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).

She also serves on the organizing committee for the South Dakota Special Olympics. She was named one of the WIT Top Women to Watch in Transportation in 2021. She is trained to recognize and prevent human trafficking through her involvement with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) and has appeared on TV news to speak on the topic. 

LEHUA ANDERSON

For Lehua Anderson, trucking isn’t just a profession, it’s a passion forged through years of dedication and a deep-seated love for the open road. With three years under her belt at GP Transco and 25 years of overall experience, her expertise behind the wheel is matched only by her fearless spirit.

She stresses the importance of researching and finding a company that prioritizes the safety of their drivers especially as a woman in a male-populated industry. As an example, while at her first company, she recalls a time she got stuck in a blizzard with no heat in her truck. Anderson relied on her ten years of living in Alaska to survive showcasing her ability to navigate any roadblock with finesse and confidence.

Raised in a family of towering Polynesian men, she learned early on that challenges are meant to be conquered, regardless of gender norms.

INGRID BROWN

Ingrid Brown lives by the principle that “Nothing in life is simple, it takes hard work and in the end it’s a positive journey to success.” With an impressive 45 years of professional truck driving experience under her belt, Ingrid is passionate about CMV safety education and mentoring women in the trucking industry.

She is a prominent voice within the Wnbaz, and has worked closely with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Our Roads, Our Safety campaign, along with other countless organizations, events and safety initiatives and has received numerous accolades. Through her involvement within the industry, she can be seen in numerous major magazines, radio, TV news specials, social media, podcasts and speaking engagements.

Beginning of November of 2023, Ingrid became the host of ‘Life on 18 Wheels,’ a video/audio podcast, providing a candid look into the transportation industry and life as a professional truck driver.

EVELYN VINCENZO

Evelyn Vincenzo, a driver for A. Duie Pyle, kicked off her driving career in 1987. Whenever she can, she encourages women to seriously consider a career in trucking. 

“From the time I was a truck driver’s daughter, caught up in the mystery of the big truck parked outside my window, purring with the sound of the refrigerated unit running, I knew I wanted to drive. I wanted to command one of these monsters going down the road. With no strings attached, the industry offered me an exciting way to see the country, meet all sorts of people from all walks of life, in big cities, small towns, rural, industrial, and urban areas, all with something special to see and absorb.”

At the end of the day, she thrives on the respect she gains from her coworkers, family, customers, and the motoring public.

CAITLIN GREENE

“I’ve had a wonderful two years of driving for a great company that has shown me that women can be placed at any part of the company and can grow from any position,” said Caitlin Greene of Old Dominion Freight Line.

“Driving is a passion and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’ve accomplished a great deal and being a driver has given me confidence that I didn’t know was possible.”

MICHELLE ROBERTS

With great discipline and a fine attention to safety and detail, Michelle Roberts makes it her duty to train hundreds of future drivers every year at FleetForce Driver Training as the lead CDL instructor. 

“She is one of the most self-less people that I know, with a personality that radiates professionalism, integrity, and utmost empathy towards her students as they face challenges during CDL training,” said one co-worker.

THANK YOU, TRUCKERS! 💛

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