This article dispels some misconceptions about female truck drivers and how they are increasing in the logistics and transport field.
Historically speaking, trucking has always been a male-dominated industry. There’s no doubt in the fact that a vast majority of truckers in America are men; men who are characterized to be tough, with tattoos and mustaches driving huge, gorgeous metal beasts on the freeway. So is there any place for a woman in such an industry? Surprisingly, yes there is!
Things are changing in the trucking industry. With the current shortage of truckers, the enhancement of instance communication, improved surveillance, and public safety measures, and the changing socio-cultural norms, a lot of women are entering the trucking field! Furthermore, another big reason for a growing number of female truck drivers is the attractive pay grade where most beginner trucking earns $50,000 per year and experienced ones earn a lot more!
As of October of 2021, women made up around 7% of the total truckers in the United States according to the American Trucking Association. This percentage still may seem very low, however if compared to past statistics, it is actually quite an improvement.
The truth about female truck drivers
Freedom, good pay, and traveling across the country in beautiful big rigs are some perks of trucking that both men and women in the field enjoy equally. However, there are still a lot of things where women are discriminated against or are left at a disadvantage in this male-oriented field and that is exactly what we are going to talk about!
In this article, we are going to discuss the truth about female truck drivers so stay with us till the end!
Female Representation in the Trucking Industry
Trucking has always been and still is a male-dominated field with around 90% of all truckers in the United States being men. But things are slowly changing with more and more women joining the trucking industry as professional, licensed drivers. As discussed earlier, according to the most recent surveys, close to 7% of the total American truckers are females which is an increase when compared to previous stats. This indicates a growth in the number of female truck drivers in recent years which is likely to grow in the coming ones.
Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that the percentage of female truckers may vary from country to country. But if viewed as a whole, there is no doubt that women’s representation in trucking is much less compared to that of men.
Pay Discrepancy Between Male and Female Truck Drivers
Since the field of trucking is already male-dominated and oriented, there is definitely a bit of a pay discrepancy between male and female truck drivers. On average, female truckers make around 9% less than their male counterparts according to Tera Allas. The main reason behind this pay discrepancy is discrimination between male and female truckers shown by some trucking companies. This difference not only affects the individual drivers but also creates an air of discrimination in the workspace in which the women are kept at a disadvantage and treated as inferior.
However, as socio-cultural norms continue to change and with the advent of the feminist movement, this pay difference will soon be gone for good! Female drivers can still make around $50,000 per year in the trucking industry and this rate increases considerably with experience and the hours that are put in.
Dangers and Challenges for Female Truck Drivers
One of the primary challenges faced by female truckers is hiring. A good percentage of trucking companies discriminate between men and women in their hiring process giving preference to men with the same qualifications and experience compared to their female competition. This discrimination stems from a lack of confidence in female drivers even if they have all the necessary licensing and training.
In addition to that, female truckers also face difficulty in training as there are very few female instructors who can guide aspiring female truckers on the challenges faced by their gender in the field. Furthermore, as trucking is a male-dominated field, rest stops and restrooms are mostly designed while keeping the male gender in mind which can cause issues for the female truckers.
While most people are of the idea that in the modern age the risk of violence and harassment is the same for males and females that is not quite true. Women in the trucking industry are still more likely to face harassment, violence, and discrimination especially when they are on the road. In addition to that, if a woman has family responsibilities it could be difficult for her to manage those with the long hours on the road and the industry is yet to find a solution for this.
Breaking Stereotypes
As females begin to enter the trucking field in record numbers the stereotypes are slowly breaking. Companies are getting more accepting of the abilities of female truckers and because of that the pay gap is slowly shrinking as well. In addition to that, more female-appropriate designs are being adopted for restrooms and rest areas so female truckers don’t feel segregated or uncomfortable while using them.
Furthermore, advocacy groups, labor unions, and industry stakeholders as well as the state, as a whole are working to make the trucking industry more comfortable for female truck drivers.
The Future of Women in Trucking
Without a doubt, as the discrimination ends and the stereotypes continue to break, women have a very bright future in trucking. Companies as well as various stakeholders are striving to promote an inclusive work environment in trucking in which the female drivers feel safe and not discriminated against.
With the growing number of aspiring female truckers, the hiring and training process is also being made more comfortable with less of a need for commercial truck equity loans or business loans. On top of that, the growing demand for truckers in the industry is also pushing the pay rate, making it a good opportunity for females who are already interested in the field.
The Bottom Line
The trucking industry despite being male dominated is slowly becoming more accepting of female truck drivers. With the growth in the number of women in this field, steps are being taken by major stakeholders to shrink the pay discrepancy and to facilitate female truckers in any way possible while they’re on their jobs.
