A Light That Moved Fast and Shined Bright: Honoring Brittany Traylor

There are certain people you meet along this journey who leave an impact far greater than the time you had with them.

For me, Brittany Traylor was one of those people.

I first met Brittany a few years ago at the Manifest conference in Las Vegas. If you’ve ever been to Manifest, you know — it’s busy, it’s loud, and everybody’s pitching something. But Brittany stood out immediately. Not because she was trying to sell something, but because of her genuine passion.

She walked up to me with that big, excited smile and introduced herself, proudly telling me about her company, Traylor Transpo. She wasn’t just another name on a business card — she was the real deal. A CDL holder. A business owner. A driver. A leader. Someone who understood the business from behind the wheel and behind the desk.

I remember being struck by her articulation. She wasn’t just dreaming — she was building. She told me how she had integrated Turvo into her operations, breaking it down to me with a level of operational understanding you don’t often see, even from people who’ve been at it for decades.

And before she walked away that first time — just like she always did after we spoke — she said with that same glowing smile:

“Hey Adam, you mind if I get a picture?”

That was Brittany. She understood that moments mattered. Relationships mattered.

She didn’t just love trucking — she loved people.

She didn’t just talk about growth — she talked about customers, relationships, and building community.

Every time we talked, that’s where her mind went: not just freight, not just loads, but how to create lasting partnerships, how to make people remember you for how you made them feel. That’s rare in today’s world, and it’s even rarer in trucking.

And if you ever caught her company socials, you already know — they were full of life, energy, and inspiration. Brittany made the trucking business fun again. She brought color and vibrancy into an industry that sometimes forgets how much heart is behind those wheels.

Fast forward to last year at the Broker-Carrier Summit (BCS), and we got another chance to sit down — this time more intentionally. No big conference chaos, just a quiet moment to brainstorm.

Brittany had ideas. She wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions or challenge herself to think differently. She wanted to know, “What can I do better?”

Not because she was struggling — but because she knew greatness required constant evolution.

Earlier this year at MATS, we crossed paths again. And in true Brittany fashion, she came right up and hit me with that same playful energy:

“When are you ever gonna respond to my message!” she laughed.

Me being me, I fired right back:

“Check your messages — I already did!”

We laughed and laughed — the kind of good, real laugh that fills the room. Before we split up that day, she said again, a little more seriously:

“For real, let’s get together. Let’s really make something happen.”

I told her to put it on my calendar.

And of course — before she walked away —

“Hey Adam, you mind if I get a picture?”

A few weeks ago, I reached out and asked her to join me on a Twitter Space. She jumped right on it, working hard to get her Twitter account set up just so she could be part of the conversation. She didn’t half-step anything she committed to. Brittany always showed up fully.

Life got in the way — a flight cancellation on my end forced us to postpone. I figured we’d just reschedule like we always do in this crazy business.

What I didn’t know was that would be the last time I would have talked to her.

When I got the word that Brittany had succumbed to injuries from an accident in her semi-truck, it hit differently.

Because Brittany wasn’t just a name in my phone.

She was a light.

She was energy.

She was ambition.

She was joy.

And she lived every day with the kind of spirit we can only hope to leave behind when our own chapter closes.

Brittany didn’t just talk about success — she lived it through relationships.

She didn’t just dream about growing — she made growing fun, exciting, contagious.

She made this business feel human again.

As we move forward — whether it’s building new customer relationships, strengthening our business foundations, or simply being present in the moment — I hope we all keep a piece of Brittany’s spirit with us.

When it gets hard, remember her laughter.

When it gets scary, remember her bravery.

When you wonder if you’re doing enough, remember how she showed up — proud, joyful, and ready — every single time.

Brittany always said,

“Adam, we gotta work together on some big things.”

I still believe her.

And we still will.

Because everything we build from here forward carries a little bit of Brittany in it.

Rest easy, Brittany.

You’ll never be forgotten.

You’ll always be part of this road we’re traveling.

-Adam

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