RWIT President Delivers Aspen Institute Keynote

The Aspen Institute is a think tank that tackles the most pressing issues of our time through dialogue, leadership and action.

On March 19, 2025, The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program hosted a virtual event called "Driving the Economy - The Essential and Undervalued Work of Truckers".

The guest panel included Former FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson, Attorney Rebecca King of the Law Firm Getman, Sweeney, & Dunn, PLL., Micheal Munoz Los Angeles for a New Economy (LAANE), Steve Viscelli Author of "The Big Rig: Trucking and the Decline of the America Dream" and it was moderated by Alana Semuels TIME Magazine. REAL Women in Trucking President Desiree Wood delivered the Keynote opening remarks and participated in the Q & A portion of the virtual event.

This important eye-opening event provided a platform for discussion on how a career in trucking has become unsustainable and touched on the many challenges truck drivers face, from the truck driver shortage myth, the need to modernize wages, employer driven debt bondage and the high turnover rate.

We urge our community members to watch the replay video of this event and to become more informed about what is happening to the "boots on the ground" labor force within the trucking industry.