Brown Dog Celebrates Women's History Month
Just over a hundred years ago when automobiles and trucks started to be common on the roads there were few women drivers of these new conveyances. But by the 1950’s it was common in western countries to see women behind the wheel of the family car. It took longer for women to be successful as commercial truck drivers and even now they only make up less than 7% of all commercial truck drivers.
(https://www.freightwaves.com/news/infographics/women-in-trucking)
This despite the fact that many trucking companies are family owned and women are involved in all other aspects of the trucking industry. It is true that early trucks required a certain brute strength to operate and to handle the frequent breakdowns. Not to mention the loading and unloading of loose cargo. But those days are long gone. The trucks of today are efficient machines designed for easy, reliable driving over long distances. Palletized cargo and pallet jacks have made loading and unloading much easier and most places prefer to have their own warehouse staff handle the cargo. So why aren’t more women in trucking?
The demands of long haul trucking, with long stretches away from home and family can wreck havoc on anyone’s home life. Coupled with lingering stereotypes of the truck driver as a rough loner, women have been reluctant and discouraged from embracing long haul commercial driving as a career. Associations such as the Women in Trucking (link to women in trucking.org) have been working for years to support women who pursue a driving career and counter these false stereotypes. We can all do our part to help dispel these stereotypes by being inclusive in our postings, ads and workplace culture.
Safety is also a big concern for all drivers, but women drivers often find factors such as being harassed by warehouse workers and other drivers; dimly lit loading docks and inadequate facilities for women drivers at customer warehouses and truck stops that compromise their safety.
Shannon Chabot - Senior Driver with Brown Dog Carriers
Over the last several decades we have seen more and more women driving passenger buses, and delivery trucks. Short haul driving is also beginning to see more women training and pursuing commercial driving jobs. With the current shortage of drivers and aging work force we will need more women to take up driving as a career.
So, next time you see a woman behind the wheel of the big rig, wave and give her a thumbs-up knowing that the truck is in good hands.
Other links:
Carolyn Hughes - Director of Human Resources, Brown Dog Carriers