Every year, the Driver of the Year award honors an exceptional female professional driver whose leadership, safety record, and service elevate the trucking industry. Nominations for the 2026 award are due January 29.
Every mile matters鈥攁nd so do the women behind the wheel. The annual Driver of the Year Award honors exceptional female professional drivers who lead with safety, integrity, and a deep commitment to their communities. With women representing less than 10% of the professional driving workforce, recognizing those who are opening doors and setting the standard for future generations is more important than ever. The winner will be announced Friday, March 27 during the 2026 Salute to Women Behind the Wheel, a signature WIT event celebrating the achievements and impact of women in trucking.
Professional Carhauler
United Road
Kathy Blaies, a professional carhauler at United Road with more than 20 years of experience, has built an impeccable, damage-free career that sets the standard for excellence. A skilled and dedicated professional, she has driven more than one million miles without a single damage, earning her the Gold Elite Driver Award four times and the Damage Free Elite Award twice 鈥� an achievement few can match.
Known among her peers as 鈥淐arhaul Kathy,鈥� she is respected not only for her precision and safety on the road but also for her commitment to teamwork, mentorship, and leadership. Blaies鈥� unwavering dedication to quality, efficiency, and professionalism has made her an invaluable asset to the industry, inspiring the next generation of professional carhaulers.
Professional Driver
奥别谤苍别谤庐
Gina Jones is a professional driver with 奥别谤苍别谤庐 who exemplifies safety, leadership and dedication in the trucking industry. After a successful career in retail management, she earned her CDL at age 50 to join her husband, Steve, on the road. With 2.5 million accident-free miles, Jones has received the 2024 TA Citizen Driver Award, the Werner Safe Driver Award, and the President鈥檚 Safe Driver Club Award from the Nebraska Trucking Association.
As a 2022-2023 ATA America鈥檚 Road Team Captain and Werner Road Team alum, she advocates for safety and mentors current and future drivers through school programs and recruitment events. Jones and her husband are proudly part of Werner鈥檚 Operation Freedom Fleet, driving a specialty-wrapped truck honoring military service members. Off the road, she supports charitable causes, enjoys time with her grandchildren, and loves riding her Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Owner-Operator
R.E. Garrison Trucking, Inc.
Ericka Norfleet is a dedicated owner-operator with R.E. Garrison Trucking, Inc., bringing a wealth of experience and professionalism to the road. Since earning her commercial driver鈥檚 license in 2015, she has safely logged more than one million miles, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to safety, excellence, and teamwork. A Crown Driver, Norfleet sets the standard for responsibility and precision in the industry.
Trucking is more than a career for Norfleet 鈥� it鈥檚 a lifestyle she shares with her husband. Together, they have spent nearly nine years navigating the highways as a driving team while raising their seven children. Norfleet values the deep connections she has made along the way, embracing the resilience and camaraderie of the trucking community. Her passion for the industry and dedication to professionalism continue to inspire those around her.
Company Driver
Leonard's Express
Sandy Winters, a company driver for Leonard鈥檚 Express, has built a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years. After serving four years in the U.S. Army, she transitioned into trucking in 1993 after a friend recognized her natural talent for handling large vehicles. Since then, she has driven a variety of equipment 鈥� including ink tankers, flatbeds, step decks, dry van doubles, and reefers 鈥� covering routes across the United States and Canada.
A highly awarded safe driver, Winters is known for her strong work ethic and willingness to mentor the next generation. She believes experienced drivers play a key role in shaping the future of the trucking industry, and she takes pride in guiding newcomers toward success. For Winters, trucking is not just a job 鈥� it鈥檚 a passion, and she strives to be the best at it every day.
Peggy Arnold, a company driver at Yellow Corporation for nearly 30 years. She received Yellow's Million Mile Safe Driving Award with nearly 1.9 million accident-free miles. Arnold is proud to serve on Yellow鈥檚 leadership team, the Women's Inclusion Network Employee Resource Group and is also part of the safety team. 鈥淥ur 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,鈥� she said. Arnold was named as a 2022 Top Women to Watch in Transportation by WIT, American Trucking Associations America's Road Team Captains Finalist 2022, Yellow's Road to Excellence Award 2021, and Certified Safety Trainer 2021.
FedEx Freight
Weaver has been a professional driver for over 20 years. For the first seven years of her career, she was an over-the-road driver. Then, she became a company driver with FedEx Freight and has been with the company for 13 years. She now has more than 2 million accident-free miles and zero moving violations.
Since 2019, Weaver has served as an America鈥檚 Road Team Captain. She was most recently a finalist for the Luella Bates Award at FedEx Freight and is a two-time winner of the prestigious Bravo Zulu Award, an award created by FedEx Freight founder, Fred Smith. She speaks to community colleges about the trucking industry as well as the Pennsylvania State Police Academy鈥檚 new commercial officer cadets. She is an advocate for Truckers Against Trafficking and has attended their leadership conference and is also involved with outreach programs in her community. Her 10-year-old son is proud of her and loves what she does for a living.
Day and Ross
Susie De Ridder, company driver for Day and Ross, was the winner of the first annual Female Driver of the Year award.
鈥淪usie De Ridder has been a visible advocate for women in the trucking industry and we are so proud to honor her with the first-ever 鈥楩emale Driver of the Year award.鈥� Her safety standards and community involvement enhance a positive public image of the trucking industry,鈥� said Ellen Voie, president and CEO of WIT.
Candy Bass has been a long-haul professional driver for 50 years, accumulating 6 million accident-free miles. In 2016, she was awarded the TA Petro Citizen Driver award. Recipients of this award exhibit citizenship, safety, community involvement, and leadership. A Nashville, Tennessee TA truck stop is named the Candy Bass Travel Center in honor of her. In 2023, she was named a Top Woman to Watch in Transportation by Redefining the Road, WIT鈥檚 official magazine. Bass is a lifetime member of WIT and Owner/Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). She is involved in numerous charities including St. Christopher Foundation, Hats for Heroes, Special Olympics, Trucker Buddy, and Charities for troops. At 78, she is still driving long haul across the United States while encouraging and mentoring other women in the trucking industry.
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 has been a team driver with her husband, Del, for all of her career. They run JIT (just in time) freight and are able to be home most weekends.
LaBree has been instrumental in growing and managing the that has over 11,000 active members. In 2016, she became a member of the WIT Image Team, a group comprised of individuals who represent the WIT mission and participate in ride-along events for legislators, regulators, and industry leaders to provide a deeper understanding of the obstacles they face on the road. They also speak to the media and other industry professionals at public events and industry trade shows.
Jodi Edwards has been a CDL-A truck driver with J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. for more than 24 years, during which she has driven nearly 2 million miles collision-free. Throughout her career, Jodi 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, was awarded the J.B. Hunt Million Mile Award for driving 1 million safe miles and has received 18 years (and counting) of consecutive safe driving awards at J.B. Hunt.
Jodi has been a Smith System庐 certified instructor for nearly 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鈥檚 intermodal division.
As a member of the Women in Trucking Image Team, Jodi has been recognized nationally for her professional achievements, being interviewed for industry publications as well as sharing her thoughts live on the Sirius XM庐 radio show 鈥淩oad Dog Trucking.鈥� Jodi is a cherished member of the J.B. Hunt family and an important voice and ally for women throughout the transportation industry.
Carmen Anderson, a company driver at America鈥檚 Service Line, LLC, has 2.5 million safe-driving miles. In 2015, Anderson 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. The same year, she was appointed to the WIT Image Team. 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.
Read the official announcement
Kathy Blaies, a professional carhauler at United Road with more than 20 years of experience, has built an impeccable, damage-free career that sets the standard for excellence. A skilled and dedicated professional, she has driven more than one million miles without a single damage, earning her the Gold Elite Driver Award four times and the Damage Free Elite Award twice 鈥� an achievement few can match.
Known among her peers as 鈥淐arhaul Kathy,鈥� she is respected not only for her precision and safety on the road but also for her commitment to teamwork, mentorship, and leadership. Blaies鈥� unwavering dedication to quality, efficiency, and professionalism has made her an invaluable asset to the industry, inspiring the next generation of professional carhaulers.
Ryan McDaniel
Vice President, Transportation
Walmart
Eligibility Criteria for Nominees:
A complete award nomination form consists of the following:
Driver Questions
Safety Information
Statements
Statement from Nominee
Explain in 250 words or less why you should be selected as the Women In Trucking Driver of the Year. Describe what sets you apart from your colleagues, what you do to improve the image of the trucking industry, what contributions you make to your community, mentorship involvement, etc.
Recognition
Describe and date awards, achievements and recognition the driver has received within their career or community.
Letters of Recommendation
Include at least two letters of recommendation explaining in 250 words or less why this driver should be selected as the Woman In Trucking Driver of the Year. Recommendations can be from the driver鈥檚 safety director, direct manager, CEO, dispatcher, customer, etc.
No, there is no fee to nominate.
Nominations will be accepted through January 29, 2026.
The winner will be recognized at the 2026 Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event March 27 at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS). They will be chosen based on safety record, positive community contributions, and impact on the public image of the trucking industry. They will receive a plaque, commemorative ring and more.
