The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) narrowed its nominees for the 2022 Driver of the Year award to three finalists on Tuesday, International Women’s Day.
This third-annual award is sponsored by Walmart Transportation and recognizes “outstanding female professional drivers who lead the industry in safety standards while actively enhancing the public image of the trucking industry,” a release said.
The 2022 finalists are Peggy Arnold, Francis Hernandez and Courtney Ohlandt.
Peggy Arnold
Arnold has been a company driver at Yellow Corp. for nearly 30 years. She drove almost 1.9 million accident-free miles and received Yellow’s Million Mile Safe Driving Award. Arnold is part of the Women’s Inclusion Network Employee Resource Group, the safety team and the leadership team at Yellow.
“Our safety team spends countless hours helping our fellow drivers prevent on-the-job injuries and with a goal to be accident free. I am a part of our new drivers training program and take my job straight to the heart. Every day I do my best to train and teach to the best of my ability,” Arnold said.
She received the Certified Safety Trainer award and Yellow’s Road to Excellence award in 2021. Arnold was also named one of the 2022 Top Women to Watch in Transportation by WIT.
Francis Hernandez
Hernandez is a professional driver at Waste Management Inc. and has driven there for 25 years without an accident. She is a mentor, a certified trainer and a member of the Green Team, which helps with cleaning up after disasters across the country.
“I put safety above everything while I am behind the wheel. I want to be sure that I get home safe to my family each day and that those who share the road with me do also,” Hernandez said.
She is described by supervisors and peers as someone who is dependable, customer oriented and safety focused.
Courtney Ohlandt
Ohlandt works for FedEx Freight hauling 28-foot triple trailers. She has logged more than 2 million safe driving miles in her 28-year career at FedEx and is a member of the Master President’s Safety Team.
Described by supervisors as reliable, inspiring and dedicated to safety and efficiency, Ohlandt began truck driving when she was 18 years old with encouragement from her father. She has worked in several truck driving roles, including hostler, pickup and delivery driver, and over the road.
The panel of judges includes Tricia Tullis, general transportation manager at Walmart Transportation; Jeana Hysell, senior safety consultant at J. J. Keller & Associates; and Ellen Voie, president and CEO at WIT.
The Driver of the Year will be announced March 25 at the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event hosted by WIT at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Alyssa Sporrer.
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