Built to Break the Mold: Melanie Simard's Road Through Trucking

Melanie Simard didn’t build her career from one side of the industry. She built it from nearly every angle possible.She started in brokerage, but decided early on that she wanted real experience on the asset side of trucking. So she got her Class 1 CDL and went driving long-haul reefer.When she was told women didn’t belong in flatbed, she went there too.From the cab to dispatch, operations, safety, and compliance leadership, Melanie built her career the hard way. Step by step. Learning the industry firsthand instead of from a distance.Today, as VP of Safety, Compliance & Technical Support at ISAAC Instruments, she helps fleets across North America navigate safety, compliance, technology, and operational accountability at a higher level.But this conversation with Nate Johnson goes far beyond regulations and software.🤝 It’s about earning respect.📈 Adapting through change.🔎 And what leadership actually looks like in an industry that has historically been built on toughness, independence, and pressure.This isn’t a polished corporate story. It’s a career built through experience, persistence, and proving people wrong along the way.