Ten years ago, Facebook was emerging as one of the top social media websites and Women In
Trucking member, Sandy Long, recognized its potential. She reached out and asked if she could
start a WIT group on the site. She wanted a place for female drivers to be able to ask
questions, network and find new friends. She saw the value in connecting drivers with
technology.
Although Sandy passed away a few years ago, her legacy remains in the WIT Facebook group,
which now includes nearly 11,000 individuals in the trucking industry. Both men and women
visit the group to talk about things that affect their roles as professional drivers. While the
majority are truck drivers, there are others who are on the site to learn or to network.
You may be surprised to learn that the page is moderated by professional drivers. They take
turns watching the site for compliance. In fact, while WIT staff check in on the site, the admins
are vigilant in ensuring the posters follow the rules, which they must agree to before approval is
granted into the closed group.
Members are muted or removed from the site for violating the profanity roles, posting accident
photos, asking for money or trying to recruit drivers or sell products. The rules ensure that the
group is a welcoming, helpful and an educational site. Swearing and name calling is not
tolerated, which makes this group family friendly.
These WIT members work hard to ensure the group remains supportive and helpful. They also
post scenarios and ask for feedback on the situation. They query members on safety rules and
often provide resources when someone has a question about regulations that affect the
industry.
These women and men are a great resource when we want to get feedback about numerous
topics. Some of our corporate members have used the information to make changes in their
policies, equipment or merchandise. We met with one truck manufacturer’s engineers and
marketing team to talk about what changes drivers would like to see in their cab. A truck stop
chain asked for feedback on paid parking and how they could improve the shower experience.
We’re thrilled to have such a wonderful resource.
In ten years, the group has grown to include members in 55 countries! There are nearly 100
different cities shown as members’ locations. There are more Facebook members who call
Atlanta, Georgia home while New York City and Chicago come in second and third.
They range in age from thirteen to “over” 65. The largest group is aged 45-54 which reflects
the driver population as a while. Also, as expected, 76 percent of the members in the WIT
Facebook group are women.
A comment can result in over a thousand reactions (i.e.: thumbs up!), thousands of views
(exposures) and hundreds of comments. While posts, comments are reactions are mostly
created throughout the week, the most common day for entries is on Saturday.
While the admins try very hard to monitor posts as they are entered, that can be difficult, as
there are numerous night owls (or those in other countries) who are on the site throughout the
night. However, the posts peak in the early evening with the most posts being made between
four and eight o’clock pm.
WIT Board member and owner operator Deb LaBree leads the moderators, who include Lori
Blackburn, Cindy Kaps, Kim McGinnis, Tracy Gaudette, Margaret Levesque, April Hackett Crysel
and Marie Stoneberg.
This blog is to honor the legacy of Sandy Long who had the vision to create a group to bring
drivers together in a positive environment. In honor of the tenth anniversary of the Women In
Trucking Facebook group, a heartfelt thank you goes out to the admins who keep everyone in
line and to the nearly 11,000 members who are part of this amazing group.
