Palletline is highlighting the achievements of some of its female staff in the week of International Women’s Day.
Keely Priestman (main picture) is a key member of the Palletline management team and past winner of the prestigious Everywoman in Transport & Logistics Award.
This year, she added another significant achievement to her career by gaining her HGV Class One licence.
The company said the qualification not only underlines Priestman’s personal commitment but also shines a light on the broader challenges facing the sector, including driver shortages, an ageing workforce and the ongoing gender gap in driving roles.
Priestman said: “In reality, this job takes skill, patience and organisation. Lorry driving is an honest profession and a vital, respected and well-paid career that is integral to keeping the economy moving.
“Not everyone is built for university or the corporate world — and that’s okay. Modern HGV driving is smart, connected and tech-enabled, with AI-driven route planning, digital defect reporting, and apps for everything from taking breaks to vehicle checks.
“It’s absolutely a career that more young people, and indeed more women, should be considering.”
Describing her first experience driving an artic through Croydon and onto the motorway as “a pure thrill”, Priestman said it deepened her admiration for the professionals who keep the UK supplied every day.
Glenn Baker, Palletline group chief operating office, commented: “Keely is a fantastic example of the talent emerging across our network.
“Her drive, professionalism and advocacy for the sector demonstrate exactly why it’s so important to promote diversity and challenge outdated views of our industry.
“We’re incredibly proud of her success and thrilled to see more women choosing careers in transport.”
Palletline said its member companies are also actively investing in training, mentorship and development to support more women entering and thriving within the profession.
It pointed to Tonbridge based S&S Distribution, where female drivers now make up around 10% of its driving workforce - a significant figure in a traditionally male-dominated sector.
Leylia Borer joined in 2015 as a new-pass Class 2 driver and progressed to Class 1 with company-funded training. She now operates nationwide and is known for keeping her unit in immaculate condition.
Alicia Michael joined in 2022, progressed from Class 2 to Class 1 in 2025, and now thrives as a night trunk driver.
Megan Carter, who joined in 2024, is currently training for her Class 1 licence with full company support.
Nicole Dawson progressed through S&S’s Van-to-Class-2 training scheme and now operates an 18-tonne vehicle full-time on multidrop work.
Palletline added that encouraging more women into transport is not simply about representation. “It is about strengthening the workforce, addressing skills shortages and ensuring the long-term resilience of the sector.
”This International Women’s Day, Palletline is proud to celebrate the women across its network who are not only keeping freight moving — but driving meaningful change across the industry.”
