Truck drivers are far from representative of the population as a whole. Male drivers heavily outnumber female drivers. Trucking companies are having trouble recruiting new drivers, so the average age of a truck driver has also risen.
The Biden-Harris Administration has recently taken action to address both issues by attempting to entice more women into becoming commercial motor vehicle drivers.
The truck driving profession is a challenging one. While some of those challenges are an inherent part of the job, others may be artificial or at least correctable. When it comes to the gender disparity in truck driving, the current administration believes that the situation can be improved.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Labor have created a Trucking Action Plan to address some of the problems plaguing the trucking industry.
The goal is to increase the supply of truck drivers. This will be accomplished by eliminating some of the red tape and expanding the ways new truck drivers can be trained and introduced into the job market.
Finally, the plan aims to improve job quality so driving a commercial vehicle takes less of a toll on workers.
Few professions are as one-sided as truck driving when it comes to gender. More than 90% of truck driversare male. The transportation industry as a whole is more than three-quarters male. This makes the prospect of entering the field as a female particularly daunting.
Recruiting women into the profession is likely to improve working conditions for everyone. The current driver shortage puts tremendous pressure on trucking companies and drivers to push themselves beyond the limits of safety and the law.
Companies are far more likely to push drivers to exceed the legal limit for hours of service, or at least ignore it when drivers do it themselves.
The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration is adding new members to the Women of Trucking Advisory Board. The new members are intended to help the group improve the gender balance of the profession and thereby improve the industry overall.
The board works with trucking companies, trucking associations and other groups in the industry. By supporting women currently in the industry and working to recruit new members, the issues facing women can be addressed in the open. No one benefits from pointless barriers to entry for half of the eligible pool of workers.
Trucking accidents are frequently caused by truck drivers being pushed past their limits. The driver shortage has serious implications for the safety of the driving public, as well as for the drivers themselves.
If you’ve been involved in a truck crash, you need the help of an attorney who understands the industry and the complex laws concerning trucking. To schedule a free initial consultation with a knowledgeable lawyer, call Ted B. Lyon & Associates at 877-Ted-Lyon / 877-833-5966 or send us a message.
