A member of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is among the finalists for an annual trucking award.

On Wednesday, March 11, the Women in Trucking Association announced the finalists for its 2026 Driver of the Year Award. According to the group, the annual award, which has been presented since 2020, helps to recognize “outstanding female professional drivers who lead the industry in safety standards while actively enhancing the public image of the trucking industry.”

Among the four finalists is OOIDA member Kellylynn McLaughlin, a driver for Clean Harbors Environmental Services.

McLaughlin has been a driver for over 10 years, working in dry-van operations, specialized equine transport and over-the-road hazardous materials. She has also worked as a driver trainer.

Her passion for the industry extends beyond the cab, as she advocates for truckers through speaking engagements, interviews and advisory roles. McLaughlin has served as a member of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Women of Trucking Advisory Board, Truckers Against Trafficking Advisory Council and the TravelCenters of America Women’s Safety Advisory Panel.

McLaughlin said she found out she was a finalist for the award while on vacation. Despite a promise to herself not to “do any work stuff, she checked her email anyway, and was thrilled by what she found.

“I am very grateful to Clean Harbors and my peers in the WAVES ERG for recognizing my efforts within the trucking industry,” McLaughlin told Land Line. “I respect the women I work with tremendously and am happy to be on their team.”

Other finalists for the trucking award include:

• Ingrid Brown, Driver/Operations Manager Refrigerated Freight, Blackjack Express LLC
• Fabiola Campos-Buenavista, City Driver & Driver Development Instructor, FedEx Freight
• Gina Jones, Driver, Werner Enterprises

The winner will be announced during the group’s Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event on March 27 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

If McLaughlin were to win the award, she would not be the first OOIDA member to do so. Other members of the Association to have previously received the award include Mary “Candy” Bass in 2023 and Carmen Anderson in 2024.

Kathy Blaies, a car hauler for United Road, was the recipient of the award in 2025. LL