Breaking Barriers: Embracing Opportunities for Women in Trucking
Like so many industries, trucking is experiencing a severe labor shortage. As an insurance professional serving clients in the transportation sector, your policyholders are likely grappling with recruiting and retaining qualified drivers.
Just how dire is the situation? The American Trucking Association projects that trucking companies will need to hire nearly 1.2 million drivers over the next decade to replace the growing number of workers who are retiring from the industry. But even more shocking is that of the 7.65 million men and women in trucking across the country, women make up just 8% of all drivers — far below their representation in the total workforce (47%).
According to Healthy Trucking of America (HTA), there are good reasons and opportunities for women who have grown children, as well as moms who are raising small children, to consider a trucking career.
A New Life Chapter for Empty Nesters
For women with grown children, driving a truck can provide a sense of freedom that a desk job can’t come close to. Not only is being a driver a great way to see the country, but the time alone can be tranquil.
For women with concerns regarding loneliness, there is the option of taking a pet along on the open road, as well as team driving with a partner, such as a spouse or friend.
Another plus is that the trucking industry doesn’t impose an age limit on becoming a professional driver. So, women with grown children who are looking for a new career but feel they may have aged out of a specific industry need not worry when it comes to trucking; there is no maximum age restriction.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age for truck drivers in the U.S. (men and women) is 46 years old — compared with 41 for other industries. Today, a Bureau of Labor Statistics report notes that nearly a million drivers are age 55 or older, and 203,000 are 65 or older. In fact, the only requirement is being healthy and passing the Department of Transportation physical and drug testing.
Good Income to Support a Growing Family
For women who are working to support a growing family, the trucking industry provides a better-than-average wage. Of course, having young children at home and being on the open road has its own challenges, with the number one issue being who will take care of the kids.
For many women with young children, a career in long-haul trucking simply isn’t a viable option. However, if reliable childcare by a spouse, partner or other responsible party can be arranged, the sacrifice of getting just a few years of driving experience can later make way for a switch to a trucking job that’s more flexible and closer to home, allowing a driver to be home every evening.
Growing Support for Women in Trucking
Recognizing the challenges that women in trucking face and the desire to get more women behind the wheel, HTA has created specialized programs to support the health and well-being of women who are considering a career in trucking – including helping them learn how to make a smooth transition into the industry. Other companies are also making it easy for new drivers to train for their commercial driver’s license on their own schedule.
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