ILMA Compoundings – December 2018 - 8

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

Can Women Fill the
Driver Shortage?
There are 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S. today, but
just under 8 percent of those drivers are women. The
American Trucking Associations says that the U.S. is
short by about 40,000 drivers and the industry will need
to hire roughly 90,000 new drivers annually to meet
demand. Considering the U.S. economy depends on
trucks to deliver nearly 70 percent of all freight transported annually within North America, now is a good
time to think about shrinking that gender gap.
Mediaplanet took advantage of National Truck Driver
Appreciation Week to advocate for professional female drivers
with a campaign titled, "Empowering Our Female Truck
Drivers." Many groups in the industry lent their support,
including the Women in Trucking Association, Mack Trucks,
Daimler Trucks, TravelCenters of America and Phillips 66.
For a campaign spokesperson, Mediaplanet chose NASCAR
driver Julia Landauer, someone who knows a little something
about being a woman in a male-dominated field.
One thing Landauer thought would help make truck
driving a friendlier environment for women was a suggestion reminiscent of the safety signs posted on firehouses as a
signal to children that they are safe places to go in case of an
emergency. She thinks some type of sign that other truckers
could display, letting women know they could approach
with a question or raise an issue without harassment or
judgment, would be helpful. But female drivers are not just
looking for a friendlier environment.
Ellen Voie, president and CEO of Women in Trucking
said, "Safety is a top priority for female drivers, and a company should be willing to ensure her personal safety as well
as ensuring the equipment is well maintained and the load is
not routed through unsafe locations."
In addition to a secure and friendly environment, there
are other hurdles to overcome for the number of female
drivers to increase. "The biggest challenge we see in attracting women into the trucking industry is the image. Women
assume they aren't wanted, needed or valued, and we need
to change this. From recruiting ads to maintenance policies,

DECEMBER 2018

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

women are looking for something different when becoming
professional drivers," said Voie.
She explained that female drivers do not experience the
gender pay disparity that is seen in many other fields. In
trucking, income is based on productivity. If a woman runs
the same miles, hours, routes or loads, she will get paid the
same amount as a man who is running the same numbers.
How can industry partners advocate for female drivers?
First, take a look inside your organization. Voie says that
industry suppliers need to be on the lookout for unconscious bias in hiring and promoting women and avoid it
at all costs. They should examine their hiring practices and
check to see how women are promoted within their own
organizations to ensure a level playing field.
"When women are included in leadership roles, the company will experience greater profits due to the diversity of
thought. Whether the product is lubricants, trailers, tractors
or technology, women approach decision-making differently
and are more collaborative and inclusive than men," said
Voie. "We might lead differently than men, but it doesn't
indicate that our style is any less effective or profitable."

http://www.ILMA.ORG

ILMA Compoundings – December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings – December 2018