Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/718143
52 September 2016 BestDriverJOBS www.bestdriverjobs.com Women In Trucking T he mission of Women In Truck- ing Associa on is to increase the percentage of women employed in the trucking industry. While we represent all careers in transporta on, much of our work focuses on the professional driver's challenges. Specifically, we look at obstacles that might keep women from considering a career in trans- porta on. Many carrier's representatives have bluntly stated that they don't "care about the gender of their drivers." They remark that they hire men and women and treat them equally. If that is true, then why are there twenty men to every woman behind the wheel? Instead if ignoring the fact that men and women are physically and emo- tionally different, let's embrace the differences and work on making the environment better for all drivers. This means we need to look at our hiring and training practices more closely. One carrier felt that a same-gender training policy would address harass- ment issues by allowing women to be trained by a female trainer. Unfortunate- ly, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) determined that the longer waiting period for women to be assigned to a female trainer consti- tuted discrimination. Now, women are assigned to the next available trainer regardless of gender. This means that men and women must share bunk space while out on the road. Private activities such as chang- ing clothes, personal hygiene and other intimate routines are no longer secretive. This could create a very uncomfortable environment for a woman who is al- ready struggling to learn how to drive a tractor-trailer in heavy traffic, shift gears and back into tiny loading docks. If the woman is married or has a close relationship with someone who might not understand the situation, this could create even more stress during her train- ing. Recently a new female recruit con- tacted me about her training experience at a school. She was expected to sleep in a bunk-house type environment with the male students at the training facility. She was not told about this in advance. Instead, the school recruiter simply told her she would have lodging during her stay. When she arrived at the school, she was shown her bunk in the sleeping quarters occupied by all men. She of- fered to stay in a hotel at her own cost, but was told this was not an option. She left the school and found another place that didn't expect her to sleep in a room By Ellen Voie, WIT President/CEO A female driver's experience