JOPLIN, Mo. — Penny Thomas, a driver for Joplin, Missouri-based CFI, will be piloting one of the company’s big rigs that is outfitted with a customized “She Drives CFI” truck wrap.
Thomas who has driven for CFI since 2007 and has 1.6 million safe driving miles, will pilot the truck throughout the U.S. serving CFI’s customers while promoting career opportunities for women as professional truck drivers.
Thomas’s truck the fourth big-rig truck that CFI has commissioned with the “She Drives CFI” large format graphics. The special trucks and their drivers serve as ambassadors promoting truck safety and career opportunities.
They participate in local activities with schools and community organizations, as well as support events such as Special Olympics charity convoys. The trucks also go to shows and parades across the U.S.
“These trucks recognize the professional excellence and skills of their drivers and serve to encourage more women to choose trucking as a career,” Greg Orr, president of CFI, said.
Around 14% of CFI’s 4,000 driver workforce are women, well above the industry average. According to a driver survey, the top three reasons women chose trucking are:
- Equal pay, financial stability for family or self.
- Opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Freedom, independence, and travel.
Thomas, who has driven for CFI since 2007, and has 1.6 million safe driving miles, will pilot the truck throughout the U.S. serving CFI’s customers while promoting career opportunities for women as professional truck drivers. (Courtesy: CFI)
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
