Women In Trucking President/CEO Ellen Voie and Board Director, Jan Hamblin of J. J. Keller & Associates, recently visited the White House to discuss the problem of harassment in the male-dominated trucking industry.


They met with Lynn Rosenthal, White House adviser on Violence Against Women, and Judge Susan Carbon, director of the Office on Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice, the women's association said.

The meeting was facilitated by Marlise Streitmatter, deputy chief of staff for US Transportation Secretary LaHood and a member of the White House Council on Women and Girls, the association said. Anne Ferro, Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also attended the meeting.

The discussion focused on concerns expressed by female professional drivers who have been the target of harassment in their jobs.

"In order to attract women into driving careers, we need to make the environment safe and hospitable for all drivers," said Voie. "Unfortunately, the trucking industry is still a man's domain and some behavior is unacceptable."

Women In Trucking Association's mission includes addressing obstacles that might keep women from succeeding in the industry, and harassment is one of them. The officials talked about a toll-free crisis line, which they will pursue as a future goal.

"This meeting was only the beginning," Voie said. "We are truly honored to have the attention of the White House in addressing the issue of harassment in the trucking industry."