The Accelerate Conference and Expo kicked off this week at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Hosted by the Women in Trucking Association, the conference will run from Sunday through Wednesday. The conference aims to educate and lift up women in the trucking industry as the freight world pushes towards gender equality.
The Women in Trucking Association Hopes to Seize the Moment
The trucking world is seizing a rare opportunity to keep women invested in it. Last week, the FMCSA’s Women of Trucking Advisory Board (WOTAB) had its first-ever meeting. While the first meeting focused primarily on getting the board set up for the future, it touched on some of the topics that the expo will cover, including safety.
Women are having a moment in the trucking world right now, and the Accelerate Expo is looking to push it further. The expo is hosted by the Women In Trucking Association. This non-profit organization aims to make trucking more equitable and create more opportunities for women.
The Accelerate Expo Will Feature Panels, Speakers, and Networking Opportunities
The expo began on Sunday with pre-conference workshops and meet-and-greets. It kicked off in earnest on Monday morning with keynote speaker Robin Hutcheson. Hutcheson is the Administrator of the FMCSA, the largest trucking safety agency in the U.S. Therefore, she’s one of the most prominent women in the trucking industry. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appointed Hutcheson to the position at the beginning of 2022.
On Tuesday, the expo will host a panel of other prominent women in the trucking industry. It will then head into breakout sessions concerning hiring practices and women taking leadership roles. On Wednesday, the expo will conclude with a keynote speech from Renee Krug, the CEO of Transflo, and a more general outlook for the freight industry as a whole.
In an industry where there is a massive shortage of workers, involving more women is critical. From regular dry goods transport to heavy hauling, we believe that there’s a place in the trucking world for women, and the industry needs to step up to provide that space for them. Events like this are a great first step towards a more equitable supply chain.
