On the surface, most people agree that the trucking industry is male-dominated. While this may have been the case in the past, the industry has been changing for the better over the last decade. Today, more women than ever are involved in a big way. In fact, one of our team members was recently featured in an article about women driving change within the trucking industry.
With International Women’s Day right around the corner, there’s no better time than now to address why women are crucial to the future of trucking. Let’s examine three of the top reasons.
More so today than ever before, an inclusive work environment is a healthy work environment. Unfortunately, for many years, men were the driving force behind the trucking industry. Thankfully, this is changing with each passing year.
According to FreightWaves, women account for 47% of the trucking business workforce in the USA. Adding to this, 15.7% of all professional truck drivers are women as of 2020. While that number seems small, it’s also on the rise.
If the trucking industry is going to remain viable in the years to come, more women must be at the table in a leadership capacity in order to combat systemic issues and regulations that are still in practice today.
Let’s face it: when you’re only considering male employees, you’re missing out on some of the best talent that the world has to offer. Trucking companies that are serious about hiring high-quality employees must take every applicant into consideration during the hiring process.
Women are every bit as ambitious and qualified as men, and that can’t be ignored even when it comes to positions in historically male-dominated industries. Trucking companies that embrace this are the ones that have the best chance of remaining relevant in the future.
With a worker shortage that continues to cause concern, there’s no better time than now for women to make their mark in the trucking industry. Over the past decade, the number of truckers retiring or leaving the industry has been climbing and with that, the nation’s supply chain is at risk.
According to a press release published by the American Trucking Associations, driver shortage remains near record highs.
American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello added the following:
"Based on our estimates, the trucking industry is short roughly 78,000 drivers. That's down slightly from 2021's record of more than 81,000—but still extremely high historically."
Estimates note that the industry must hire roughly 1.2 million new drivers over the next 10 years to replace those who are leaving. The addition of a large number of female drivers is critical to reaching this goal. It may not solve it completely, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Since day one, trucking has systematically been designed for men. And with that, training and safety standards have not advanced with the times. This puts both truckers and other drivers at risk.
Moving forward, training and safety standards must take into account the growing number of women who are getting behind the wheel. Examples include:
As more women join the trucking industry, there will naturally be an increased awareness of the need for enhanced training and safety standards. And that’s a good thing.
It’s important to understand that women are critical to the future of trucking, but that’s just the start. You must also understand how to recruit more diversified employees. Here are some simple tips to follow.
Make sure that your job postings are inclusive and do not contain any language that could be considered sexist or discriminatory. Avoid using words such as "dominant," "aggressive," or "competitive," and instead use more neutral words, such as "assertive" or "ambitious."
Reach out to professional organizations and groups that support women in your industry. Attend networking events and conferences that target women, or connect with women in your industry on LinkedIn.
Once you form solid relationships with local organizations that support women, you’ll find it easier to access top talent.
Encourage your current employees to refer their friends and colleagues to open positions within your company. Employee referrals can be a great way to recruit talented people who may not be actively seeking a new job.
Work with recruitment agencies that specialize in recruiting women for your industry. They can help you find and attract qualified women who may not have found your job postings on their own.
Furthermore, when you use a recruitment agency, it frees up time for other tasks.
Create a culture where women feel supported and valued. This can include offering flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting and part-time work, and providing training and development opportunities to help women advance in their careers.
Now, more than ever, representation matters in the workplace.
With each passing month, a growing number of women are joining the trucking industry. This has resulted in many obvious benefits, ranging from increased employment opportunities for women to a reduced risk of a trucker shortage.
At REV Capital, we strongly support the continued growth of women in the workplace. If you’re interested in becoming part of our closely-knit team, contact us online or via phone at 855-489-0310 to learn more about our company and available job opportunities.
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