Jason Cannon:
Welcome to CCJ’s 10-44, supported by Chevron Delo, heavy-duty diesel engine oil. Discover even more reasons to choose Delo.
Matt Cole:
Women face significant barriers that prevent them from pursuing or advancing in trucking careers. What can be done to overcome these challenges?
Jason Cannon:
You’re watching CCJ’s 10-44, a weekly segment featuring the latest updates in the trucking sector from CCJ’s editors. Be sure to subscribe and click the bell icon for notifications so you never miss an episode. Welcome back! I’m Jason Cannon, and my co-host is Matt Cole. Despite the benefits and opportunities in trucking, women remain underrepresented in driving roles due to various obstacles related to training, hiring, and operations.
Matt Cole:
This summer, research from the American Transportation Research Institute highlighted key challenges faced by women in trucking, offering practical solutions and best practices to tackle issues such as injuries. This week, we’re joined by Atris Abigail Huffman, who will detail the findings of the report.
Abbigail Huffman:
In 2023, our research advisory committee outlined five priorities, one of which focused on the challenges women encounter at parking facilities. Upon further examination, we realized that while parking is a significant barrier, there are numerous other challenges shared by both genders. We used surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gain insight, gathering responses from around 1,500 truck drivers, including a nearly equal split between men and women. This helped us identify the factors influencing retention and turnover in the industry.
Jason Cannon:
Our research identified 12 specific challenges, which we narrowed down to six core issues. Abigail will elaborate on these challenges and how they disproportionately affect women.
Abbigail Huffman:
Our survey covered 12 problems, revealing significant differences in experiences. For instance, women reported restroom access issues much more frequently than men. Also, we discovered six main challenges: negative industry perception, barriers to completing training, varied company cultures, difficulty adapting to over-the-road lifestyle, issues with parking and restroom facilities, and experiences of gender-based harassment and discrimination.
Matt Cole:
One major challenge is the trucking industry’s image. Abigail will share recommendations on how carriers can improve this perception after a quick word from our sponsor, Chevron Lubricants.
Abbigail Huffman:
The Trucking Moves America Forward initiative has conducted industry image surveys multiple times. While perceptions have improved, there remain opportunities for motor carriers to enhance their image through education and outreach. This report emphasizes strategies for various stakeholders, including training schools and truck drivers, addressing critical issues and potential solutions.
Jason Cannon:
Financial barriers can hinder aspiring female drivers from completing training. It’s vital for candidates to be aware of available resources in their training process.
Abbigail Huffman:
Communication between motor carriers and drivers must be clear and consistent. We discovered that recognition and appreciation initiatives can improve driver morale significantly. Understanding different needs among drivers is crucial for enhancing workplace culture.
