Plover, WI: United States Senator Ron Johnson experienced a glimpse of life on the road from the perspective of a female driver. Recently Women In Trucking Association’s Image Team Member Julie Matulle gave the Wisconsin Senator a short ride where attendees at an event sponsored by the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association welcomed them upon arrival.

Matulle, a professional driver for H.O. Wolding, Inc. based in Amherst, Wisconsin, had the opportunity to share her thoughts and concerns with the legislator during the ride from Menasha to DePere, Wisconsin. Johnson observed a pre-trip inspection and learned the proper way to enter and exit a tractor-trailer.

“We need to drive economic growth to create good Wisconsin jobs, and to do that we need to make sure we’re doing all we can to fuel our trucking industry,” Ron Johnson said. “As an Oshkosh manufacturer, I know how much of an impact trucking has on Wisconsin. 90 percent of manufactured goods and 70 percent of all goods and services in Wisconsin are moved by truck. Together, we can ensure that Wisconsin trucking continues to have a positive impact on the state.”

Matulle has been a professional driver for almost four years, working for H.O. Wolding since she entered the industry. In 2014, Julie was honored as the Mike O’Connell Memorial Trucking’s Top Rookie award. She drives more than 2,600 miles each week hauling paper products between Wisconsin and southern states.

Women In Trucking Association provides legislators and regulators with the opportunity to ride in a tractor-trailer with a female professional driver to bring attention to the opportunities for women employed in the trucking industry.

Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 17 percent of its members are men who support the mission. Women In Trucking is supported by its members and the generosity of Gold Level Partners: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Daimler Trucks North America, BMO Transportation Finance, Great Dane, J.B. Hunt Transport, Ryder System, Inc., U.S. Xpress, and Walmart. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.womenintrucking.org 

 

Photos by Women In Trucking Association (Ron Johnson and Julie Matulle)