Reflections from the 2024 WTS International Conference

WeDriveU’s women leaders reflected on their experience at the 2024 WTS International Conference May 8 – 10 in New Orleans, LA. They learned and networked among their transportation peers in an empowering, energetic gathering to promote the critical role transportation plays in connecting communities and powering economies. The conference aims to strengthen the transportation industry by advancing women’s careers with a focus on industry trends, networking, workplace culture, and shaping the future of transportation.

Empowering Women in the Industry

WTS’ mission to “attract, sustain, connect, and advance women’s careers to strengthen the transportation industry” aligns with the focus of our Women’s Inspiration Network (WIN) employee resource group at WeDriveU. This was the third year WIN sent a delegation, and we’re proud to be a WTS corporate partner.

This year, Stephanie Maher (RVP, Operations – East), Gillian Zoss (VP, Business Development), Marissa Basille (Senior Director, Customer Success), Cristina Hallner (Director, Marketing), and Sam Marshall (CFO) attended WTS. Some of their standout sessions included:

• “Career Development Lessons from Female Executives”
• “A CEO’s Perspective – Top Transportation Opportunities”
• and the WTS Executive Women’s Roundtable

They were inspired by women from varying backgrounds who shared career advice on what contributed to their success. Speakers offered their perspectives on women in the workplace, equity, and navigating opportunities in transportation throughout the U.S.

Memorable Moment

Stephanie attended the “Executive Women’s Roundtable,” where participants discussed hard-learned lessons and shared a roadmap for women navigating their careers in the transportation industry.

At the end of the session, each participant wrote a letter to their younger self. Stephanie said, “It was a great experience to be in a room filled with inspirational women who challenge each other to strive to be the best.” She added, “The letter to self was an incredibly cathartic experience and an important point to often stop and reflect on how far we have come, both as individuals and women in the workplace.”

“It was a great experience to be in a room filled with inspirational women who challenge each other to strive to be the best.”

Equity in Transportation

The session “The Heart of Equitable and Meaningful Engagement in Transportation” was a favorite for Cristina, who is Chair of our Unidos for WeDriveU ERG and currently a 2024 Latinos in Transit Leadership Academy participant. The session explored the importance of obtaining feedback from members of our communities in order to make stronger transportation planning decisions. This is something our teams spend a lot of time on in partnership with our customers. The discussion examined the relationship between “engagement” and “equitable” and asked the audience to weigh in. Their input? “Engagement” can be “equitable” when it is inclusive, accessible, authentic, collaborative, safe, and is capable of giving and receiving, to name a few.

“Engagement” can be “equitable” when it is inclusive, accessible, authentic, collaborative, safe, and is capable of giving and receiving.

Cristina was also emotionally impacted by a series of audio clips played by the session’s speaker. In the clips, a Latina mother shared her first-hand experience as to how she had been rejected from boarding a bus because she had been carrying too many “things.” The things she carried were her three small children, two of which were in a stroller, while also managing her bags of groceries on a rainy night.

The session prompted Cristina’s reflection around how to create a deeper understanding of the people for whom transportation planning and design strategy is created. As the speaker pointed out, it is important to put yourself in the shoes of a three year-old, an 80 year-old, or a person who is disabled, to include everyone’s needs. Cristina noted, “The statement made me realize the importance of the job we do at WeDriveU and the real need to provide equitable transportation to the communities we serve.”

“The statement made me realize the importance of the job we do at WeDriveU and the real need to provide equitable transportation to the communities we serve.”

Career Development Lessons

As a champion for women to reach their highest potential, Marissa found the “Career Development Lessons from Female Executives” to be the most engaging session. She said it stood out for inspiring audience interaction from diverse women from varying backgrounds who talked about their careers, unique approaches, and what contributed to their success.

The speakers that impacted Marissa emphasized the “ability to say no in the workplace and set boundaries,” and to always “speak your mind even if your voice shakes.” Another point that resonated with Marissa was how women emphasize the attempt to appear as confident as men, but men should consider looking to women to exemplify leadership with humility.

One of Marissa’s favorite highlights was “spending quality time with [her] WeDriveU colleagues as a group and reaffirming our commitment to our ERG, WIN.”

We’re in the People Business

“We aren’t in the transportation business, we are in the people business.”

Gillian was pleased to see the caliber of female executives at her favorite session, “A CEO’s Perspective – Top Transportation Opportunities.” The speakers shared their perspectives on women in the workplace, equity for all, and navigating opportunities. Her favorite quote from one of the speakers was, “We aren’t in the transportation business, we are in the people business.”

Gillian said this resonated because it gets to the bigger picture of workplace and transportation system design that “we must be sensitive to all employees and end users and consider everyone has different backgrounds and experiences,” she said.

Inspired and Recharged

WeDriveU supports and develops team members to move forward within our company and in the communities we serve. Our team felt great pride representing WeDriveU at WTS, accompanied by one of our many allies, Sam Marshall, who shared the “conference is great for women leaders and has my 100% support to help our women leaders grow, develop and network.”

The value of the WTS Conference goes beyond what transpires within its doors. All of our attendees left the conference with knowledge and insight to carry into each of their roles, professional relationships, and exposure to new ideas that help shape the industry.

Learn More

Explore opportunities we create for women to thrive in their transportation careers here.

Learn about our partner, WTS.