Earlier this year, the inspirational nonprofit Women In Trucking broke tradition by naming three talented drivers as the recipients of the coveted Driver of the Year Award.
While historically reserved for one driver out of a long list of nominees, the 2024 ceremony saw an exciting twist when The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) decided to recognize the accomplishments and careers of Carmen Anderson (America’s Service Line), Deb LaBree (Castle Transport, Landstar), and Jodi Edwards (J.B. Hunt).
Recently, Drive My Way had the chance to speak with 2024 award-winner and experienced CDL driver Carmen Anderson about her career, reaction to winning, and advice to young drivers. Keep reading to learn more about this industry veteran, and why she feels that organizations like Women in Trucking are so important.
Meet Carmen Anderson
With a career spanning over four decades and nearly 3 million safe-driving miles to her name, Carmen Anderson is a true example of WIT’s mission to recognize outstanding female professional drivers leading the industry in safety standards while working to enhance the public image of the trucking industry as a whole.
Although Carmen has been employed as a meat hauler by America’s Service Line, the private fleet for American Foods Group, for the last seven years, she has a wide range of experience both behind the wheel and behind the scenes of the trucking world.
“What’s really great about my company,” said Carmen, “is that they have stood behind me while letting me do all the extracurricular activities that I do.”
In addition to a full-time schedule as an OTR meat hauler averaging 2,500-3,000 miles a week, Carmen is a member of the Wisconsin Road Team, part of WIT’s Image Team, and a lifetime member of the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA).
Carmen also serves on the organizing committee for the South Dakota Special Olympics and has received training to recognize and prevent human trafficking through her work with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT).
Through these opportunities Carmen has been able to present driver safety advice and speak about life on the road to high school driver education classes across Wisconsin, promote Women In Trucking at conferences nationwide, and even meet US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at a rest area truck parking opening ceremony.
Carmen’s hard work and engagement in the industry haven’t gone unnoticed. In August of 2019, she was recognized by the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association (WMCA) as the Driver of the Month. Later in the same year, Carmen was honored with the title of WMCA Driver of the Year, making her the first woman to be named the sole recipient of the award.
This latter win took on another meaning for Carmen when the American Trucking Associations (ATA) dug into nationwide records and confirmed that Carmen was actually the first and only woman to ever win a Driver of the Year award in any of the state associations.
Carmen believes discoveries like that highlight how important Women In Trucking is as an organization.
“It’s about the camaraderie,” said Carmen. “It’s all about giving the opportunities for people who ordinarily wouldn’t be around trucks and introducing them to the trucking world. When we’re at conferences like the Mid America Trucking Show (MATS), or the WIT Accelerate Conference in Dallas, it’s a good feeling to be around other women in the industry and talk about industry issues.”
For Carmen, this sense of camaraderie was felt strongly when she was able to share the title of 2024 Driver of the Year with two other qualified and experienced drivers.
“I was totally blown away to receive the award,” said Carmen. “Especially with the two other women I received it with. It was an unprecedented year when they gave three of them out, and the other two are simply amazing drivers also. We all have our little niche. It’s nice for all of us to be recognized for that.”
Women in Trucking 2024 Drivers of the Year: Deb LaBree, Jodi Edwards, Carmen Anderson
Carmen’s Trucking Advice
After driving a wide range of vehicles, making runs in all 48 mainland states, and serving as a mentor to many fellow drivers, Carmen has become a great resource for advice to stay ahead in this competitive and evolving industry.
When asked about the best advice for drivers just starting out, Carmen emphasized the importance of safety and focusing on what’s important.
“You have to be aware of your surroundings,” Carmen explained. “You need to slow down and watch where you’re going, especially in construction zones. A lot of people are not paying attention, and a lot of people are not moving over for disabled vehicles. It’s just the attention to detail.”
Carmen has also discovered the power of driving with another passenger, whether they have two legs or four. Now, she’s never seen on the road without her two “co-drivers” and pet dogs, Rodney and Otis.
“A lot of companies don’t realize that it’s lonely out here,” Carmen said. “Pets might not be able to speak back, but we still have their companionship. A lot of drivers also have bigger dogs as guard dogs, since you do get bothered out here at times when you don’t want to be.”
As for her own future, Carmen looks forward to cutting down on her miles traveled and spending more time at home. However, if this year is any indication of her future successes, Carmen will surely remain an important figure in the trucking industry, pushing the boundaries of what truck drivers can be and how they are perceived in the public eye.
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