Female Truck Driver Jobs: New Women in Trucking Report Shows Surprising Gaps

The Women in Trucking Association (WIT) recently shared its 2024 WIT Index, showing where women stand in different roles in trucking. While the numbers highlight some progress, the report also points to challenges that still need attention.

Women Leaders in Trucking

The report shows that more women are taking leadership roles:

• 28% of C-suite executives (like CEOs and CFOs) are women.
• 34.5% of company leaders with supervisory jobs are female.
• Women hold 29.5% of seats on company boards, but 21.5% of companies still report having no women on their boards.

While more women are moving into leadership, there is still work to do, especially in getting more women onto boards.

Women in Key Trucking Industry Jobs

The report shows mixed progress for female truck driver jobs:

• 4% of technicians are women. This number is low, even though the industry needs more technicians to keep trucks running smoothly.
• 9.5% of truck drivers are female, which is a drop from last year’s 12%. Many women cite childcare issues, safety worries, and misconceptions about trucking jobs as challenges.
• 38.5% of dispatchers and safety professionals are women, showing a more even gender balance in these roles.

D&I Policies are Becoming More Common in Female Truck Driver Jobs

More companies are focusing on diversity and inclusion (D&I) to improve their work culture:

• 52.5% of companies now have formal D&I policies in place.
• Another 19% are working on developing these policies.
• Companies with D&I policies often see better teamwork and higher productivity, which are essential in trucking.

Smaller Companies Have More Female Truck Driver  Jobs

The WIT Index found that company size affects the number of female drivers:

• 12.5% of drivers at small companies (with fewer than 500 employees) are women.
• Medium-sized companies (500–4,999 employees) have 10.5% female drivers.
• Large companies (more than 5,000 employees) report only 7% of their drivers are female.

Challenges in Hiring and Keeping Female Drivers

Even with efforts to recruit women, the number of female drivers has dropped. Companies say safety concerns, a lack of childcare, and the need to homeschool kids are common barriers. Some companies also struggle to hold onto female drivers during tough times, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Road Ahead for Female Truck Driver Jobs

The WIT Index shows that progress is happening, but there are still challenges, especially in roles like technicians and drivers. More D&I policies and family-friendly workplaces will help attract and keep more women in the industry.