9 Things You May Not Know About (Female) Professional Drivers
by Ellen Voi
In the past, many motor carriers tried to be gender blind in their hiring process. They insisted that they only hired, “the best driver.” However, over the years we’ve learned that women experience the trucking industry differently than men. While many of the challenges are the same, women prioritize things differently.
Based on data from both the Women In Trucking Association’s WIT Index as well as information supplied by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) and Tenstreet regarding retention, here are nine things you may not know about female professional drivers.
1. The primary reason women enter the industry is because of the money.
Yes, women earn the same as men as drivers, as for-hire motor carriers don’t discriminate compensation based on gender. After a relatively short training period, women can earn a middle class living as a professional truck driver.
2. Most women who become drivers were encouraged into a truck-driving career because of a family member or friend.
A WIT best practices survey found that 83% of women state they entered the industry because a spouse or someone close to them encouraged them to get a CDL and “come out on the road.”
3. Safety is a concern for all drivers, but personal safety is something female drivers think about much of the time.
When asked to rate their level of safety on a scale of one to ten, the average score was 4.4 on the WIT survey. This is a major indicator that women have significant safety concerns while doing their jobs.
4. The least safe area for drivers are truck stops.
In the WIT survey, 87% of professional drivers identified truck stops as the least safe part of their job. Many female drivers report fueling and eating at one truck stop and then moving to the next one to sleep, so no one is aware that there is a female solo driver in the cab. Many drivers resort to carrying weapons in the truck and it’s estimated that 25% have a gun with them.
5. Male drivers are the biggest offenders when it comes to harassment.
Thankfully, most men are decent and supportive, but when that isn’t the case, female drivers are at risk. Approximately 69% of female truck drivers report verbally offensive comments on the job, and 57% have experienced unwanted advances. Worse, 6% report being sexually assaulted on the job. Perhaps better sensitivity training is needed along with anti-harassment policies and enforcement for all drivers.
6. All drivers are expected to complete their training on the job with a company trainer.
Approximately 69% of female professional drivers feel there should be a same-gender training policy in place. No one wants to share a cab or a sleeper berth with a stranger, especially when they are of the opposite sex. Another 42% of drivers said they know of someone who experienced harassment or assault while sharing the cab with the opposite gender trainer.
7. Women are safer drivers than their male counterparts.
The ATRI Crash Causation study found that male commercial drivers are 14% more likely to be involved in a crash in every statistically significant area (curves, intersections, night driver, etc.). Women are more risk-averse, and from carrier reports, are often better with their paperwork, working with customers and take better care of the equipment.
8. More women look to their carriers for support and respect.
Tenstreet’s retention surveys found that women are more likely to stay with a carrier that treats her well. Nearly 77% felt their carrier treated them fairly and over 82% said they were treated with respect. For men, the numbers were slightly less with about 70% feeling they were treated fairly and 72% feeling respected. Research has also shown that men value pay equity over respect.
9. There are more and more women entering the industry as professional drivers.
While data vary depending on the type of license and vehicle being counted, the 2024 WIT Index reported that an average of over 10% of their driving fleet are women. This number has been typically increasing since 2016 when WIT began conducting the WIT Index but is still not enough considering women make up half the workforce in the country.
The Women In Trucking Association continues to provide valuable information on how to attract, retain and empower women in the industry.
