Expediter Services (ES), a company providing capacity solutions and ownership opportunities within the trucking industry, announced that a collaborative program with Women In Trucking Association to create 150 women-owned businesses in transportation is now one third of the way toward reaching its initial goal.

150 Business Challenge

In welcoming its 50th entrepreneurial participant, the 150 Business Challenge further established its credentials as an effective and reliable platform that offers accessible financing as well as operational and business support for women who have an interest in a career path within the trucking industry.

In using infrastructure developed through the expertise of ES, women who would like to learn more about how they can start and grow a trucking operation now have the opportunity through the 150 Business Challenge to launch their own small businesses as owner-operators and fleet owners in a trucking market that, according to the latest industry estimates, has a shortage in excess of 50,000 people behind the wheel.

Through the efforts of the Women In Trucking Association and ES, the 150 Business Challenge is opening the doors of opportunity for women professional drivers who have the desire to become owner-operators and fleet owners. Participants in the 150 Business Challenge have access to competitive market-rate truck financing, a broad range of new equipment choices and fuel discounts, participants said.

Support Provided

ES also provides participants with support featuring a maintenance program and operational expertise as well as back-office services and business planning assistance.

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Women In Trucking, Ellen Voie, President and CEO

“The Business 150 Challenge is fast becoming the kind of program that is beginning to shatter the glass ceilings that have existed for women entrepreneurs in the trucking industry,” said Ellen Voie, president and chief executive of the Women In Trucking Association. “Thanks to this program being facilitated by the excellent work of ES and its community, the participants in the 150 Business Challenge are truly being empowered through the access to best-in-class resources and support.”

50 New Businesses Established

The gross revenue generated by the 50 new businesses established through the 150 Business Challenge is certainly one of the reasons for Voie’s optimistic outlook toward the program. When placed together as a group, the operations launched as a part of the 150 Business Challenge are generating a combined revenue total well in excess of $1 million per month, according to officials at ES.

“We have tremendous respect for the Women In Trucking Association, and it’s been extremely rewarding for everyone at ES to see the response to the 150 Business Challenge and the results the participants in the program have realized so far,” said Jason Williams, president of ES.

Jason Williams, President of Expediter Services

“The impact of the 150 Business Challenge has not just been limited to bringing women-owned trucking operations into the transportation industry. The great work of the entrepreneurs utilizing the program has created a series of ripple effects. The tight freight market is benefiting from much-needed additional capacity. This is especially important in the expedited market where the additional capacity is often called upon to make time-critical deliveries.”

Participating Carriers

Forward Air and Panther Premium Logistics, a Service of ArcBest, are the participating carriers in the program, offering consistent freight opportunities to entrepreneurs in the 150 Business Challenge.

“We believe that women coming into the industry will serve as a very important part of answering the challenge of the driver shortage, and it’s been great to see the response to a program in which women can become owner-operators and fleet owners,” said Nick Burch, director of recruiting for Panther Premium Logistics.

Veteran owner-operator and fleet owner Donna Sleasman said she accessed the offerings within the 150 Business Challenge to bring additional trucks into her expedited fleet.

“What ES is doing through the 150 Business Challenge is very important because it is allowing women to be their own boss, create their own business and grow those businesses,” said Sleasman, who has been working with ES for the past several years.

About Expediter Services

ES is a full-service company with expertise in financial services, relationship lending and general business support. The company has developed programs focused on creating opportunities for independent contract drivers and owner-operators in the trucking industry.

About Women In Trucking

Women In Trucking Association 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.

Further information maybe obtained by visiting www.womenintrucking.org or by calling 1-888-464-9482.