Women Truck Drivers Increasing In Trucking Industry

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When most people hear the term “truck driver,” they probably immediately think of a male truck driver. It’s true that the majority of truck drivers in this country are men, but women are making their way into the industry in large numbers. There are over 3 million truck drivers in this country and over 200,000 are female. This is significant when you consider the fact that there were only 133,000 female drivers in 2005.

Despite the fact that women are making gains in the industry, stereotypes remain. Some still believe that trucking is a man’s game and/or that women can’t be truck drivers because they’re bad drivers. But some statistics have shown that women truck drivers actually outshine their male counterparts. Women truck drivers are 3 times less likely to get into an accident and 5 times less likely to violate safety regulations than male truck drivers.

Need a little more convincing that women make good truck drivers? Consider a study recently undertaken by the Women in Trucking Association, which measured the behavioral styles of male and female truck drivers. The study found that both groups had patience as their highest trait, which is definitely a plus for anyone driving a large truck down the road. Each group also had conformity as their second highest traits, which comes in handy when attempting to follow things like traffic laws and when participating in roadside inspections. Interestingly, women were more intuitive in their decision making style and were men.

There is currently a nationwide shortage of truck drivers and if you’re a California trucking company, you’re definitely feeling the pinch. Now is the perfect opportunity for women to step in and fill those empty spots. Women truck drivers are showing that they can be just as successful as their male counterparts. If you are a California trucking company in need of a new driver you should take note: Whether it’s long distance or local driving, or TL or LTL freight, women truck drivers are getting the job done.

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