Lana Batts likes to say if you got it, a truck brought it.
As a former president of the Truckload Carriers Association and a senior vice president of government affairs with the American Trucking Association, Batts became a standout figure in the male-dominated transportation sector. She has been described as a trailblazer for women who have followed her road.
Now her alma mater, the University of Montana, will reward Batts with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. She will receive the degree during UM’s Fall 2025 Commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in the Adams Center. Batts also will serve as Commencement speaker.
“In an era when few women held leadership roles in trucking, Lana’s presence, influence and professionalism not only earned her respect but also paved the way for others,” said Billie Lee, the president of Driver iQ, who helped nominate Batts for the doctorate. “She is the kind of professional who sets the bar high, expects excellence and leads by example. Simply put, if you know Lana, you are a better person for it.”
A Billings native, Batts graduated from UM in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. While at UM, she honed her communication skills with the debate team, and that’s where she met her debate partner and future husband, Joe. She also competed on the UM luge team and qualified for the 1968 Winter Olympics in France, but a broken hand kept her from competing.
She married Joe after graduation, and he was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. When he was posted to Florida, she earned a master’s in politics and public affairs at the University of Miami. When Joe was posted to the Philippines, she taught American history at the University of the Philippines.
When the couple relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1973, Batts said her father helped her land a position as a junior transportation analyst with the American Trucking Association. After that, her career revved up.
“I got in because of nepotism,” Batts said. “But I kept the job because of my liberal arts degree. I knew how to think critically, explore creatively and live ethically. My No. 1 rule: When an opportunity presents itself, raise your hand.”
When she started out at ATA, Batts was the highest-paid woman but lowest-paid professional. She shared an office with a man who made 50% more with less education. She soon rose through the ranks to senior vice president of government affairs. At one point she found herself advising Alan Greenspan and the federal Council of Economic Advisers about diesel rationing during the 1973 oil crisis.
As her career rolled on, Batts often was the only woman in the boardroom, but she eventually rose to become president of the Truckload Carriers Association. In the early 2000s, her insider knowledge allowed her to start an investment firm, Transport Capital Partners, which specialized in trucking company mergers and acquisitions. She also co-founded Driver IQ, a full-service background screening company for the trucking industry.
She received numerous awards during her pioneering career, including the Trucker Carrier Association’s Past Chairmen’s Award, the Woman of the Year Award from the Women’s Transportation Seminar and UM’s Distinguished Alumni Award. She has consistently given back to UM with unrestricted support to a variety of programs, including the departments of political science and communication studies, as well as the Bird Ecology Lab and the Montana Museum of Art and Culture. She also supports local community organizations such as the Glacier National Park Conservancy and the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, among others.
“Lana has never been afraid to take the fast, uncertain track – whether on ice, in boardrooms or in federal policymaking circles,” said Alison Schultz, senior director of planned giving at the UM Foundation. “Her legacy is one of leadership, resilience and generous service to her community, her industry and her alma mater. Her life reflects the best of what (UM) aims to instill in its students: courage, intellect and a commitment to making the world better.”
By: UM News Service