Trucks
Trucks
In recent years, the traditionally male-dominated transport industry is seeing more and more women take up truck driving as a profession. A new survey casts light on some of the experiences, challenges, and opportunities faced by female truck drivers.
The global shortage of skilled truck drivers – which is already limiting many transport businesses – is expected to significantly worsen by 2028. Bringing more women into the industry as drivers is increasingly being seen as a possible solution to the crisis. In the US, the number of female truck drivers has grown by 88% since 2010. However, even there it remains a male-dominated industry, with women only accounting for 13.7% of drivers. Elsewhere, less progress has been made, with women making up only 4% of truck drivers in Europe.
To gain more insights into what motivates women to become truck drivers, Volvo Trucks recently carried out a survey across ten European countries, based on interviews with 231 women.
“If we want to be successful in recruiting and retaining women in the industry, we need to know more about their experiences and avoid relying on stereotypes or making assumptions,” says Delphine Maury, Senior Market Analyst, Volvo Trucks.
From the survey results, it’s clear that many women drivers see a lot of positive aspects about their job. 44% think that truck driving is beneficial for their mental health. Two-thirds of respondents say they can see themselves staying in the role for their entire working lives and would recommend it to other women. 75% believe they have good working conditions and 91% say they have good relationships with other truck drivers. And 88% of respondents feel a sense of pride in being a woman in this profession.
“I was really surprised by the level of passion they have for the job,” says Delphine. “With many female drivers, they’re not forced into this industry out of necessity, because they need the work: they’ve chosen this profession. They love driving and being out on the road.”
When asked what they like about their job, the most common reasons given were driving (given by 83% respondents), being alone (53%), traveling and seeing different regions (51%), being independent (47%), and not being in an office (45%). When asked what they enjoy most about working, the most popular responses were driving time (75%), listening to music/podcasts/audio books (63%), delivering goods (43%) and chatting with other truck drivers (41%).
Despite the many positives, the survey also highlighted some important drawbacks to the occupation. Many respondents report having problems finding toilets (63%) and showers (57%) at truck stops, and 70% have had issues with the cleanliness of available toilets.
When asked about what they dislike about their job, the most common factors were a lack of respect from other road users and drivers (70%), the dangers and risk of accidents (53%), and strict regulations (40%). And while many consider the job positive for their mental health, many also feel it has a negative effect on their physical health (49%) and their personal lives (43%). 31% of women report being subject to sexist and misogynistic behavior.
The survey also included questions about truck design and ergonomics, as well as safety and personal security at truck stops. However, the results suggest that these are not significant issues for most female drivers. While many women take some security precautions, such as cameras and door straps, 70% of respondents feel either confident or safe when sleeping in their truck at night.
Many women truck drivers don’t want special treatment or adaptations – they just want to be accepted as regular truck drivers.
In light of the survey’s results, Delphine Maury feels that some of the most important actions transport companies can take is to secure safe truck stops for overnight stops, ensure access to clean toilets during shifts, and equip trucks with security accessories such as cameras and alarms. It is also important to have flexible work arrangements to help drivers achieve a good work-life balance.
“But it should be stressed that these measures will not only help retain women drivers – they will benefit men as well,” says Delphine. “In fact, what I’ve come to understand from this survey is that many women truck drivers don’t want special treatment or adaptations – they just want to be accepted as regular truck drivers and treated the same as their male counterparts.”
22-year-old Amanda Gren from Tomelilla, Sweden has been a truck driver for over a year, and her experiences are consistent with the survey’s results. She previously worked in retail before deciding to change careers. Wanting a decent salary but not wanting to go back and study for another 3-4 years, the prospect of becoming a truck driver appealed to her. She was even able to find employment with local haulage company Erikssons Åkeri before she completed her driver training.
“I love the freedom,” she says. “When I worked in a shop, my boss was constantly looking over my shoulder, I could only go on breaks when they said. But now I can work how I want to work. I’m like my own boss.”
When I worked in a shop, my boss was constantly looking
over my shoulder, I could only go on breaks when they said.
But now I can work how I want to work. I'm like my own boss.
In her experience, while some older men can shake their heads when they see her behind the wheel, most people in the industry accept her for who she is. “The main difference is that as a woman, you get offered lots of help even if you don’t want it. People just assume that you need it, which can be frustrating.”
To learn more about what it is like to be a woman working in the trucking industry, you can read about Polish truck driver and transport operator Iwona Blecharzyk, as well as see videos from her road trip across Scandinavia as part of the Volvo Trucking Adventure.