Truck Driving News

In a male dominated industry, it's not uncommon for the needs of women to get overlooked — but with new statistics showing that more women are joining the truck driving industry than ever before, it's become impossible to ignore. An article from Quartz reported that the female truck driving workforce is now at an "all-time high" at 18%, and the number is only going up.

What's new?

Changes are beginning to happen. Trucking organizations have been interacting with their female workforce to evaluate what improvements can be made to create a more inclusive environment. This changes include giving women the option to have a female-fitted uniform as opposed to the standard male ones, providing better access to restroom facilities and installing alarms in trucks.

Truck driving is very isolating in nature, and delivery points can be left unmanned from time to time. The alarm system presents a safety net for women in the industry who might find themselves in danger of harassment or assault. Organizations that have acted on this feedback have not only supported female drivers, but also created a safer, more comfortable environment for male truck operators too.

This rise has also led to an increase in occupational benefits that were not previously offered by trucking companies. This includes maternity leave, paid time off and preventative care in the form of breast cancer screenings.

Retaining the female workforce

Although these numbers are on the rise and safety precautions are in place, women truck drivers could still require further support. Sexual harassment and assaults on the job continue to be real risks with a large amount of women experiencing frequent cases of verbal aggression, often in the form of threats.

A WIT survey with 437 participants asked female truck drivers if they felt that trucking was a safe industry for women. It was great to see that 54% of women agreed, but a notable 18% disagreed. According to WIT, the trucking industry is the "only mode of transportation that does not allow separate sleeping and living quarters for opposite genders." This leaves vulnerable female employees in a high risk environment for cases of harassment or assault. With over 20% of respondents reporting that they have been threatened with a weapon, it's no surprise to see that further action should be taken to support female truck drivers.

In terms of retaining these employees, it's important to establish a positive and inclusive company culture. Normalizing women as truck drivers can help to prevent negative associations among workers and make your female employees feel recognized and valued.

Breaking barriers

Despite the problems they face, women truck drivers have continued to push through the glass ceiling. This goes beyond the wheel. Women are going above and beyond and are taking on more and more managerial roles in the industry. Although these numbers remain low, having new variety in leadership can be incredibly beneficial to presenting new perspectives and taking on a different approach to problem solving.