NATSO & Werner Enterprise Introduce New Safety Collaboration
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NATSO, representing truck stops and travel plazas, and Werner Enterprise Inc., one of the nation's largest transportation and logistics providers, partnered for a CEO ridealong as part of a safety collaboration between the travel center industry and its professional truck driving customers.
Kicking off June 24, NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings is joining Werner professional truck driver Jennifer Evans on a weeklong, 1,200-mile trip. Beginning in Joliet, Ill., they are stopping along the way at truck stops and travel centers so that Mullings can experience life on the road for professional truck drivers. The executive will document her experience, delivering insights to the travel center executives, owners and operators who work to improve service to their customers, NATSO reported.
[Read more: TravelCenters of America & NATSO Partner on New Safety Initiative]
"Truck stops and travel centers serve as the home away from home for more than 3 million professional truck drivers," Mullings said. "By experiencing life on the road through the eyes of a professional truck driver, I have an incredible opportunity to help our industry meet the unique needs of the truck driving customer.
"Providing drivers with safe and secure places to stop and rest is the No. 1 priority of our industry. By ensuring a positive experience for truck drivers, we can help to ensure that commercial drivers remain in this critical profession while spurring others to consider a career as a professional driver," she added.
Mullings, who has served as NATSO President and CEO for 25 years, regularly visits truck stop and travel center locations while traveling. In 2014, she sold her family home and traveled 40,000 miles in a 30-foot Airstream trailer with her family, meeting hundreds of NATSO members in 49 states during a 12-month industry tour.
Evans is a seasoned professional driver who has been on the road with Werner since 2003. Over the years, she has earned numerous safety awards and achieved an impressive 1.3 million accident-free miles. Evans has also contributed significantly as a Driver Ambassador and was a member of Werner's 2019 Road Team. Each year, she volunteers her time at Touch-a-Truck events and actively participates in Nebraska's annual Special Olympics truck convoy.
[Read more: Five Takeaways From NATSO Connect 2024]
"We are excited to collaborate with NATSO, as this initiative will provide invaluable real-world feedback from professional drivers to enhance the safety and overall experience at truck stops nationwide," said Werner Enterprises Vice President of Safety and Compliance Jaime Hamm. "Jennifer Evans' unique insights as a female professional driver will add exceptional value and a unique perspective on the road."
Omaha, Neb.-based provides truckload transportation and logistics services to customers across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Headquartered in Alexandria, NATSO is the trade association of America's travel plaza and truck stop industry.