Women in Expedite Trucking: Shelly Feidt

Shelly Feidt is a veteran of nearly 10 years in the expedite trucking industry. She and her husband Mitch log upwards of 140,000 miles a year driving a straight truck for FedEx Custom Critical.

When Shelly was asked if she would encourage other women to pursue careers in trucking, the answer was an enthusiastic yes.

"I would say go for it," she said. "It's a whole new direction."

Shelly had several previous jobs. She was working in an auto factory when she met Mitch, who was already driving for FedEx. The two married in 2007 and Shelly joined Mitch on the road in 2008.

Today, they drive all over the country and manage their own fleet of seven trucks. Their home base is in Pennsylvania.

"I love it," Shelly said. "You get paid to see the country and you get to meet a lot of wonderful people."

Shelly said being a female driver in an industry typically dominated by male drivers had some challenges, especially early in her career. But her no-nonsense attitude carried her through.
"When I first started, I had a couple of issues, but I just kind of shoved through it," she said. "I'm out here to do my business."

One thing that has contributed to the Feidts' success, Shelly said, is their ability to prioritize and avoid frivolous expenses.

"It's all about priorities," she said. "If you're spending your money on things like eating outside the truck and going to movies, you're not going to make it. When you're out here on the road, you have to know what's important."

Spending so much time together as a couple, it's important that the Feidts get along. Shelly said it's also important that they take time to get out of the truck regularly.

"You need to like your partner. It is tight quarters," she said. "I get out of the truck when I can, and so does Mitch."

The Feidts get home as often as they can, especially if they are working in the area. But they'll go wherever the loads take them, and they enjoy seeing different parts of the United States.

The best part of the trucking lifestyle, Shelly said, is the relationships and the sense of community.

"It's just a really great group of people," she said. "We're all out here together. I even had the president of FedEx in my truck!"

The Feidts have driven for FedEx their entire careers, and Shelly said there's a good reason why. "We have so much support from Fedex and can't say enough about them," she said.