PLOVER, Wisc. – To get a closer look at what life is like on the road, the Women In Trucking (WIT) Association made arrangements for Daphne Jefferson, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) deputy administrator, to go on a ride-along with two female truck drivers.

The ride-along began at an inspection station in Virginia where Jefferson met Angela Jordan, a 19-year driver at U.S. Xpress Enterprises. The two took a trip to the Petro Stopping Centre where they had lunch and took a look at the facility. The day ended with a delivery of the load of batteries to a customer in eastern Maryland.

On day two of the ride-along, Jefferson met and drove with April Young of J.B. Hunt’s Intermodal services.

“My ride-along this week helps illustrate that barriers are rapidly falling for women in the field of commercial driving.” said Jefferson. “And I’m proud to see the commercial motor vehicle sector welcoming women into rewarding careers that also help strengthen our nation’s economy.”

“Our goal in providing ride-along opportunities to regulators and legislators is to help them get a first hand look at a driver’s challenges on the road,” said WIT president and CEO, Ellen Voie. “We are so pleased that Ms. Jefferson took time out of her busy schedule to spend two days riding with these highly qualified female professional drivers so she could better understand their experience on the road.”