Gender Imbalance in Trucking
The trucking industry has long faced a significant gender imbalance.
A study conducted by the Women in Trucking association in 2016 highlighted that only seven percent of truck drivers and 24 percent of managers in the sector were women. Anticipated statistics for 2017 are expected to reveal an increased representation of women in both roles.
A. Duie Pyle’s Initiatives
A notable company making strides to narrow this gender gap is A. Duie Pyle, the largest less-than-truckload carrier in the Northeast. Five years ago, they revamped their training and development programs, aiming to enhance succession planning for front-line leaders and upper management.
Rather than reactively promoting employees when positions became available, leadership aimed to proactively create advancement paths, identifying qualified individuals within the organization. “We started looking deeper to see who is in the organization capable of taking on increased responsibilities,” stated the COO, Randy Swart.
Leadership Training Program
The company’s leadership training identifies two or three promising individuals at a time, often including a woman among those selected. These participants undergo a six-month program involving various “stretch projects” in different departments to develop their skills and showcase their capabilities.
This program has effectively supported female employees in climbing the career ladder, with some achieving director-level roles in the last five years. Entry-level women have started recognizing these opportunities for advancement, according to Swart.
Internship and Development Opportunities
The company also offers an internship program for college students, providing them the same leadership training opportunities as full-time staff. Swart noted the success of two recent graduates, one male and one female, who progressed from front-line positions to operational leaders after completing the training.
Currently, A. Duie Pyle employs 2,800 people, with 70 percent of leadership positions filled by those who were promoted internally—demonstrating the presence of advancement opportunities within the company.
Challenges and New Opportunities
While increasing female representation among drivers has proven challenging—especially in pickup and delivery roles—A. Duie Pyle recently launched Express Solutions, a final-mile delivery fleet. This initiative is set to create non-CDL positions and offer a pathway for women to acquire their CDL and further their careers.
The Express Solutions fleet is projected to operate over 100 trucks by next year, providing expedited service for smaller shipments. Additionally, the company hopes to see more women working in maintenance, where one female employee is already making strides.
Swart expressed optimism, stating, “I once believed we would see 10 percent of women in our driving workforce before we had a female in our fleet maintenance department.” He feels that visibility of women in traditionally male roles can inspire more women to enter the industry.
