Always Be Professional

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Liz Imel as its March 2021 Member of the Month.  She is an OTR driver for Maverick Transportation out of Little Rock, Arkansas.  Imel grew up on a farm and started driving tractors when she was just five years old.  Her neighbor was a grain hauler.  As a teenager, she earned money by washing his long nose Pete every Saturday.  This was the start of her love for big trucks.  After working seven years in a farm repair shop, she went on to work at a hardware manufacturer.  There, she started out on the package line and worked her way up to an assistant foreman.  After 13 years with the company, they closed due to foreign trade, but this was the beginning of Imel’s truck driving career.  As a severance, she was given money for continuing her education.  With her oldest daughter out of school and her youngest almost out of high school, she thought, “This is my chance!”  After training to be a truck driver at her local community college, she earned her CDL and then went to work at Maverick Transportation, where she has been an OTR driver for the past eight years.  The first seven years with the company, she pulled refrigerated foods.  Now, she is pulling boats and loves it.  “Unloading is a great workout.  I also love that I get to go all over the United States,” she said.  Maverick recognized Imel for her high level of customer service and commitment to safety by selecting her as their Driver of the Month in October 2014 and again in February 2019.  In fact, she was also selected as the 2019 Driver of the Year for the company, which was a great honor.  As Imel reflects back on this past year and dealing with the ongoing pandemic, she is optimistic about the image of the trucking industry.  “One good thing that came out of this pandemic is that the general public has a renewed respect for truck drivers.  I challenge every driver to maintain and keep that respect by being true professionals out there – while driving or parked!”  Imel also encourages women to join the industry.  “This is a great career if you are self-motivated and have a driven personality.  If you can make split second decisions, are kind to others, and keep a smile on your face, this is a good career for you,” she added.  Women In Trucking 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 its corporate partners.  Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.  For more information, visit www.womenintrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.