Women’s History Month was an emotional one for Bonita Tellez. Not only was she celebrated as one of the few women working as semitruck drivers, but she also got a massive gift — her face plastered on the side of a PepsiCo trailer truck.
She was one of a handful of women nationwide to be honored in this way by the food and beverage company.
The face of the Avondale resident, better known as Bonnie, now covers the exterior of the vehicle she operates as a geo box driver for the company in the Valley.
“So many emotions felt. I’m happy, I’m excited, I’m nervous. It’s pretty overwhelming. My dad was a truck driver, so this is a pretty big thing for me,” she said, minutes before the unveiling of the truck and being recognized as a role model by the company.
On Thursday afternoon, her employer honored Tellez at the PepsiCo facility in Phoenix, describing her as one of its most notable frontline employees in Maricopa County as part of the “She is PepsiCo” campaign.
The campaign was launched in 2022 in the western region of the United States and has since evolved into a global initiative. Its purpose is to highlight the performance and skills of frontline employees, which includes truck drivers, warehouse staff and merchandisers. In 2023, a Gartner study found that women represented 41% of the total supply chain workforce.
The initiative sheds light on women who uplift others, according to Tessa McArthur, PepsiCo market senior director for Southwest and Hawaii, which led them to choose Tellez. “Her positive attitude and the absolute values that she brings into our workforce every day were enough to make us decide that she was a well-suited candidate,” McArthur said.
‘A true inspiration and leader’
Tellez, originally from Whittier, California, has worked for PepsiCo for the last five years delivering merchandise throughout the Valley.
A mother of five — two adult women living in California, two girls and one boy — her line of work helps her children understand the importance of gender equality, she said, especially as she grows in an occupation dominated by men.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023 women made up 6.9% of truck drivers across the U.S.
“For them to see me in a not typical female environment, because this is a male dominant job, for them to see me doing this day in and day out means a lot. I want them to know that you can do whatever you want,” Tellez said in an interview for La Voz/The Arizona Republic.
Tellez’s deceased father, Robert Morlet, was also a freight truck driver. He was her biggest supporter, she said, and she was his number one fan. Following in his footsteps brings her great pride. “He probably wouldn’t even let interview by myself, he would be standing right behind me,” she said with a laugh.
During Thursday’s unveiling, Tellez received words of recognition from McArthur and Arturo Petrozza, general manager and vice president of the border region. Petrozza said the initiative was “something that’s very close to her heart.”
“This recognition means that you are really a true inspiration and leader among the women here in Phoenix,” Petrozza said, referring to Tellez. “Thank you for being a role model for many women.”
It was a day full of emotions for Tellez, who was accompanied by her husband of more than 10 years and three of her five children. Her brother, who traveled from California with his family, and PepsiCo coworkers were also in attendance.
Much of the strong emotions that Tellez experienced that day were brought on by the memory of her father. She wanted him with her that day, so she held onto a portrait of him as she was celebrated. She was unable to fight back tears as she stood in front of the semitruck and posed for a photo while holding his portrait.
Reach the La Voz reporter Paula Soria at [email protected].
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