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Trucking fleet
Inside NFI: SheDrives and the value of truckers in America
Welcome back to the final part in a three-part exploration into the world of trucking with NFI, a New Jersey-based supply chain solutions provider, and a valued WEX customer.
In Part 1, we peeled back the curtain on NFI’s recruitment strategies, hearing from the Recruitment Marketing Team, learning the motivation behind every recruitment and career support initiative, and exploring the role of social media in modern recruitment strategies. Part 2 introduces Jerrice, a female trucker who represents resilience and empowerment in a traditionally male industry.
In this final segment, we dive deeper into the marketing team and the recruitment work they’re doing behind-the-scenes at NFI. From the creation and development of the SheDrives Initiative – a support network of female truckers highlighting and sharing their achievements across the country – to a focus on how to respond to the shifting corporate culture in the supply chain and logistics industry reinforcing a need to focus on support, diversity, and empathy.
Join us as we hear from Kirsy Obade, Regional Recruitment Manager at NFI and one of the founders of the SheDrives Initiative, as she discusses the transformative initiatives that define NFI’s community. We’ll discuss how her team is creating a future at NFI where every driver is seen, heard, and celebrated for the invaluable role they play in keeping the business running.
The evolution of SheDrives: From a small marketing initiative to a nationwide network
A great illustration of NFI’s commitment to female drivers lies within their SheDrives Initiative, a source of empowerment for female drivers that originated in 2018 as a simple recruitment marketing idea by Alexa Branco and Allison Geist. As the project developed the idea quickly evolved into something much more profound.
Kirsy recalled the humble beginnings of SheDrives when Marie Jucknik called her with the idea from her female drivers after a Women in Trucking meeting they all attended. This first public display of SheDrives content led to an open dialogue between NFI’s female truckers and the company’s recruitment managers about all the implications of being a female driver. Kirsy and Marie Jucknik, a Regional Transportation Manager at NFI, recognized the potential to build on those conversations to understand how to best make women feel comfortable and supported in the industry.
“From that initial conversation we decided to form a cross-functional network to communicate, support each other, and share ideas. From there, we dove headfirst into brainstorming sessions with female drivers across the Northeast, eager to understand their challenges, concerns, and aspirations. What emerged wasn’t just an initiative – it was an opportunity to establish a community.”
What makes SheDrives a success?
SheDrives was a kernel of an idea transformed into a success when Kirsy and Marie recognized the opportunity to tap into the authentic voices of NFI’s female truckers. It was through those drivers that Kirsy and Marie were able to understand driver challenges and start to develop ways for the administrative side of the business to help mitigate those challenges.
Creating a platform for female drivers to not only voice their concerns but also spearhead initiatives that directly addresses their unique experiences and challenges has allowed drivers to share safety tips and offer additional support unique to the female experience on the road.
From the implementation of safety alarms to the enhancement of benefits, SheDrives exemplifies a commitment to meeting the needs of NFI’s female workforce.
Since the campaign’s launch in 2018, NFI earned a spot in the “Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation” at the Women in Trucking conference. Through this recognition NFI also saw growth in their female hiring.
“In August of 2018 we posted the first SheDrives ad featuring one of our female drivers. We received high engagement online highlighting a different female driver’s story monthly through 2018 and 2019. By the end of 2018, women drivers made up 4% of our fleet. We currently have close to 10% in 2024.”
Shifting corporate culture to support inclusivity initiatives
The impact of SheDrives goes beyond statistical milestones – it’s a transformative force that has fundamentally reshaped NFI’s workforce. Kirsy highlights the significant increase in female representation within NFI, from recruiters to managers to truckers. She attributes this progress to both the inclusive culture at NFI and the proactive efforts cultivated through SheDrives. This increase in diversity at the company reflects the collective drive to diversify the NFI community and the trucking industry.
Kirsy and Marie, the Recruitment Marketing Team, and truckers like Jerrice, see the importance and the purpose within this industry, and are committed to seeing it evolve to welcome all. Behind the scenes of trucking is the collective determination to dismantle barriers and usher in a new era of empowerment.
Through initiatives like SheDrives, NFI is helping spark a cultural shift, inspiring not only its employees but also industry peers to embrace diversity and inclusivity. It’s not just about ticking boxes or meeting quotas; it’s about creating an environment where an individual, regardless of gender, feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.
Starting important conversations
As the world continues to grow and shift to embrace values such as inclusivity, diversity, and community, it’s important to listen to the voices that may not have been heard before. For Kirsy and Marie, the opportunity to learn from female truckers allowed them to discover aspects of the job they never knew, and therefore, highlight the issues that male managers or recruiters could not fundamentally understand or relate to.
Starting the conversation and hearing straight from their female drivers allowed them and other managers to bridge the gap between the workers in the office and on the road.
Finding your purpose in the trucking industry
After spending nearly a decade at NFI, learning and growing within the logistics industry, Kirsy has grown to love the field and the sense of purpose it brings. Many truckers echo similar sentiments. They value the intrinsic satisfaction that comes from knowing your work is essential and directly impacts the lives of others. Whether it’s delivering medical supplies to hospitals, food to grocery stores, or everyday goods to households, truckers play a vital role in keeping society running.
“For anyone considering a career in logistics, it’s more than just a job—it’s an opportunity to give back. The sense of fulfillment and purpose that comes with knowing your importance in society is truly rewarding. Without transportation and logistics, the world as we know it wouldn’t function. So, being part of an industry that plays an important role in keeping the country moving is immensely fulfilling. If you’re someone searching for meaning and purpose in your work, logistics might just be the perfect fit for you.”
For more trucker stories and information on how to better manage your over-the-road fleet, visit:
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