On June 24, about 50 children participated in the event, including local Girl Scout troops and the children of AIM employees. Attendees explored multiple aspects of trucking careers through WIT’s WITney Educational Trailer, which provided an interactive experience and a driving simulator to test basic truck operation skills.

“This event was truly a framework for success,” said Jenny Fall, WIT’s director of driver engagement. “Since planning began, the coordinators were full of energy and excitement about sharing careers in trucking with the young people in their community. By opening the program to not only the Girl Scouts but also the children of employees of AIM Transportation, so many others got to experience the activities and try out the driving simulator, testing their skills on the road. I always enjoy seeing the reaction from the kids as they start thinking that trucking might be a pretty cool thing to be a part of.”

Fall emphasized that AIM Transportation Solutions played a key role in making the event possible by hosting it at their headquarters. AIM, a full-service truck leasing company with operations across 16 states in the U.S., provided support and resources to help make the program engaging and educational.

“Aim is constantly seeking new ways to educate the next generation about the exciting opportunities within the trucking industry and the trades overall,” said Trisha Mosser, AIM Transportation’s business development manager and event coordinator. “My primary goal was to present information to my Girl Scout Troop to help them see trucking as a real, rewarding career path. What started as a small initiative quickly grew with the involvement of Aim employees and their children. Now, we have an entire group of young people inspired by how fun and empowering it can be to get behind the wheel of a truck. Mission accomplished!”

WIT has a long-standing relationship with the Girl Scouts of America. According to Fall, the association regularly partners with local councils to host educational events where girls can learn about the trucking industry and earn a WIT patch. These Girl Scout Patch Program events typically feature hands-on activities, interactive learning in the WITney Trailer, and opportunities to hear from women leaders in trucking.

Jenny Fall, WIT’s director of driver engagement, guides a young girl through the driving simulation inside the WITney trailer during the June 24 event. (Source: Women In Trucking)

The program emphasizes not only the career opportunities available in the industry but also the importance of safety around large vehicles. Since the first event in October 2014, more than 1,500 girls across the U.S. and Canada have participated and earned their WIT patches, gaining firsthand insight into the possibilities within the trucking field.

Image Source: Women In Trucking
Source: The Trucker, Women In Trucking

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For seven years, Leon hesitated to pursue a trucking career, opting instead to work at a Toys R Us warehouse. Each year, the company offered select employees the chance to train for their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and each time, Leon held back. However, in her seventh year, she boldly declared to her husband, “I’m just gonna do it,” and embarked on her trucking journey without looking back.

Now a seasoned driver at 4Gen Logistics, Leon navigates California’s ports, traveling approximately 100,000 miles annually. Her initial foray into trucking was daunting; her first drive for Toys R Us took 10 hours without a cell phone or GPS, and she frequently received incorrect directions from clerks. Despite this challenging start, Leon found freedom and a reprieve from the repetitive warehouse routine. “I can go to the same port every single day for a month and it’s something different,” she shared.

Leon was nominated for the Road Warrior award by her daughter, Jessica Beasley, who highlighted Leon’s unwavering dedication to her roles as a driver, mother, and grandmother. “She can work so hard at her job and she is so dedicated, but she is also dedicated as a mother and a grandmother,” Beasley said tearfully. “She balances it all and is the matriarch of our family. I can’t think of anyone more deserving.”

Reflecting on her career, Leon noted that she was one of only four women drivers at Toys R Us when she started, often encountering skepticism from male colleagues. Yet, she now sees more women taking on driving roles and other positions at ports, some of whom seek her advice about entering the profession. Despite standing just 5-foot-3, her toughness and ambition have always shone through. “She’s so ambitious,” Beasley praised. “She just kept doing what she loved doing. She rose above and continued to do what she loves.”

Leon encourages more women to consider trucking, a career she wholeheartedly endorses. “If I could do it, they can do it,” she affirmed, echoing the sentiments of the Women In Trucking Association, which reports that women comprise about 12% of CDL holders. Her passion for trucking has even influenced her son, who now drives for Amazon and often seeks her counsel.

In addition to the grand prize, Leon received another $1,000 from the Pilot contest. She plans to use the funds for home improvements and possibly a vacation with her husband. Until then, she remains committed to the road, embodying the spirit and resilience of a true Road Warrior.

Source: Freightwaves

Image: Pilot Flying J

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