What women loved about Women in Trucking's Accelerate conference
Key takeaways
- J.B. Hunt CEO Shelley Simpson urged leaders to dream big, care for themselves, and recognize emotion as a strength.
- Attendees applauded FMCSA’s removal of more than 10,000 driver training schools over the past year.
- Barrs drew cheers for more than $200 million in federal truck parking funding across 14 locations.
- Audience members praised the administration’s accessibility and increased enforcement of trucking regulations.
DALLAS—This is my second time attending Women in Trucking's Accelerate conference, and just as in 2025, this conference has drawn the most energetic and excited attendees of any conference I've attended this year.
Each keynote, breakout session, and workshop drew not only large crowds, but engaged ones. Attendees held onto every word that was spoken and felt the freedom to cheer, applaud, and even interject with questions.
Below are some of the biggest reactions from keynotes at this year's Accelerate conference.
Shelley Simpson's most inspirational moments
In this industry, Shelley Simpson needs no introduction. She worked her way up from a J.B. Hunt customer service rep in 1994 to the president and CEO of the national logistics company in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Simpson delivered a keynote speech on being a future-ready leader even when things don't go as planned.
She said she received disappointing news about a job at one point during her career with J.B. Hunt. But that disappointing news turned out to be a blessing. Not landing the job she wanted gave her the opportunity to work with a gentleman who believed in her and saw her abilities.
"He was the guy that said, 'Hey, I think she's good at this,'" Simpson said, following that with, "FYI, he's now been my husband for 29 years."
The crowd of women (and a few men) then exploded with applause.
Simpson walked through what it was like for her to become a mother of one child and continue working, and then to become a mother of two. While she continued working full time with her first daughter, she didn't take no for an answer when she wanted to take a step back with the second.
"Taking the best care of me allows me to take the best care of the company over the long term," Simpson said. The crowd agreed, wholeheartedly—evident with a loud round of applause.
By far, Simpson's comment that got the most response, with hoots and hollers alike, was when she spoke about emotion. In her keynote, Simpson shared that she doesn't hide her emotions from her team. "Emotion is transparency," she said. When an audience member asked Simpson if there was ever a moment Simpson regretted showing her emotions, she responded with an affirmation.
"Emotion is your strength," Simpson said. The room roared with applause and shouts of agreement.
Simpson closed the keynote, encouraging women to dream big.
"Know that whatever you think you're capable of, there's at least one more stretch that is possible," she said.
Women in trucking love Administrator Barrs
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Derek Barrs, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), gave a keynote on the second morning of the conference. While Barrs spent the first few minutes of the speech running through the administration's current goals and wins, the Q&A portion of the speech proved he's well-loved by trucking's women.
While giving a rundown of the administration's achievements, the crowd showed their appreciation for the CDL mill crackdown.
"We have taken out over 10,000 driver training schools over the last year," Barrs said. "We have more to come, as we strengthen up our rulemaking and not just allowing someone to be able to come in and ... put people behind the wheel that have no business being behind the wheel of a truck."
The Women in Trucking crowd—which includes both women and men—applauded loudly to this statement.
During the Q&A, an audience member asked Barrs what the administration was doing to ensure training standards. Barrs said driver schools should ensure they're training drivers to be safe, not just "passing people through like cattle just because you're trying to get a number."
"If we're not serious about this, or the driver training schools are not serious about this, they don't even be in their business in the first place," Barrs said, drawing applause.
The audience also showed its appreciation for the $200 million federal dollars that Congress recently approved for truck parking. When Barrs mentioned it, the crowd celebrated.
"Over $200 million federal dollars have been dedicated across 14 different locations to increase truck parking," he said, which was quickly followed by clapping hands.
The first question after Barrs' keynote was about the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee. "Several of us have also applied last January for MSAC, the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee, and it has been crickets from your administration on what is the status of that application and that committee," the audience member said.
"Well, I signed it last Thursday," Barrs said immediately. The response drew more applause. "The secretary just hasn't signed it, and so it should be on his red folder at his desk."
A few questions later, the Q&A became a love fest as audience members shared their appreciation for Barrs and all the work his administration is doing.
"As an industry, we welcome enforcement," an audience member said. "This is the first time in my 30 years that I've heard from my industry partners, 'It's time for enforcement.' So well done. And from my perspective as a female in the industry, that is what this administration is making real for us on the roadway ... Enforcement is being fair again, and we are able to set an expectation of excellence within our motor carriers and know that we are fully supported from the administration. And so, I applaud you."
At this comment, not only did this audience member literally state her applause, but the other members of the crowd also gave theirs.
A man in the crowd also gave Barrs his flowers.
"I think it bears mentioning giving you and your team props for your accessibility and your willingness to engage with us," the audience member said, mentioning his position with the Commercial Vehicle Training Association. "The new drivers coming in are coming to a much more robustly enforced, regulated environment."
Another audience member grabbed the mic to thank Barrs and "appreciate the agency" for its increased enforcement. Audience members clapped in agreement.
About the Author
Jade BrasherJade Brasher
Executive Editor Jade Brasher has covered vocational trucking and fleets since 2018. A graduate of The University of Alabama with a degree in journalism, Jade enjoys telling stories about the people behind the wheel and the intricate processes of the ever-evolving trucking industry.
