Teletrac Navman celebrates women 'Going the Extra Mile'

Date: 07.03.2022

Teletrac Navman’s Going the Extra Mile International Women’s Day special features four women from different corners of the world

Global telematics provider Teletrac Navman has launched an International Women’s Day special of its Going the Extra Mile campaign, featuring four women working in the transport industry from New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and the US. 

Going the Extra Mile was launched in April 2021 and was started as a campaign to recognise and reward hidden heroes within the transport and logistics industry who had gone above and beyond to ensure operations continue to run smoothly during the pandemic. 

Teletrac Navman spotlights women in transport from all corners of the world with its Going the Extra Mile International Women's Day special

In its latest International Women’s Day-themed episode, Teletrac Navman spoke to Fiona McDonagh, Courtney Sertdemir, Beth Jones, and Angie Daugherty about their experience in a traditionally male-dominated industry. The speakers provided advice to those considering a career in transport and shared who they look up to.

When asked about her experience, Fiona McDonagh, membership manager at Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, said: "It’s still a buzz when I see a woman behind the wheel of one of the bigger rigs on the road; it always brings a smile and it’s great to know that’s happening more and more often. For me, it means progression. It means we’ve opened another avenue for women to explore a career doing what they love, whether that’s behind the wheel, in an operational space. or even under the bonnet. I’m still hopeful that one day having women in our industry will just be a part of the norm, and there won’t be a need to distinguish between female drivers and male drivers. There will just be professional drivers. 

On the benefits of increased representation of women in the industry, Fiona says, "We bring skills and experiences to the roles in a way that brings a different perspective. While it’s a very traditional space, we are making inroads, and it’s exciting to see more and more women come into roles that men have primarily done."

Fiona McDonagh

As membership manager at Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, Fiona works for a forum that represents 1200 individual road freight transport companies, which operate 14,000 heavy trucks across New Zealand. Fiona is passionate about putting the focus back on those behind the wheel in the industry. She works alongside others to improve the wellbeing and workplace culture in the transport sector in New Zealand. Additionally, she manages the Te ara ki tua Road to success driver traineeship programme, which provides a career pathway into the transport industry. 

"It’s wonderful to shine a light on women from all corners of the world who champion diversity, fairness, and inclusivity. I had the opportunity to interview a couple of the women, and I was blown away and feel personally inspired by their enthusiasm and can-do attitude. They are excellent role models for women looking at a career in transport," says Heather Waters, campaign leader.

"As a business that is committed to breaking the bias and as part of this special episode of Going the Extra Mile, Teletrac Navman has donated to Catalyst, a global non-profit working with companies around the world to build workplaces that work for women. Catalyst is a brilliant resource for gender, leadership, and inclusive talent management. It does great work in increasing the representation of women in leadership and promoting equal access to career opportunities."

The other women included in the campaign are:

Courtney Sertdemir, talent acquisition manager at Australia Post Group, Australia: Courtney specialises in external recruitment for transport across Australia Post and Startrack. She drives diversity in the region and promotes an inclusive workforce for the Australia Post Group. She is strongly passionate about increasing female representation within the industry. Courtney also sits on a gender steering committee, spends her time networking with industry leaders and is highly involved with Transport Women Australia. 

Beth Jones, transport manager at T Alun Jones, UK: Transport Manager at T Alun Jones—a family-run haulage, storage and distribution company in Mid-Wales that operates a large fleet of vehicles from one of four sites on the Shropshire/Powys border. Beth is responsible for managing the fleet, safeguarding driver wellbeing, and driving forward the business’ operational efficiencies.

Angie Daugherty, general manager at United Road Towing, US: As general manager at United Road Towing, Angie works for one of the largest towing companies in the US—a leading provider of equipment towing and recovery services. In her role, Angie works hard to destigmatise the male-dominated industry and champion women in the sector.  

Fiona McDonagh's Te ara ki tua Road to success columns are featured every month in the Deals on Wheels magazine. Check the latest issue or subscribe, or you can read the articles online.

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