Women being encouraged to join trucking industry

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Deputy Administrator Daphne Jefferson wants more women to join the trucking industry, the U.S. Department Transportation said in a blog posting Oct. 15.

Jefferson said that this is one way that she wants to help more people become part of the middle class. Career opportunities in the trucking industry are one way that people can be connected to new opportunities for their futures.

Jefferson said while she was speaking the recent Women in Trucking conference in Dallas, said met countless women involved in the trucking industry’s multiple facets, including drivers, fleet owners, marketing professionals and logistics experts.

“Most of the women I talked to are creating better opportunities for themselves and their families, and they have found it in the ever-expanding trucking industry,” Jefferson said.

According to recent statistics from the American Trucking Associations, the trucking industry currently needs to hire 47,500 drivers to meet the demands of the industry. This number is expected to grow, because the demand for freight delivery and shipping will continue to increase along with the U.S. population.

"Freight growth will create jobs outside the truck cab as well, with management positions in safety, transportation, and distribution," Jefferson said. “And with those positions currently filled largely by men, attendees at last month's Women In Trucking conference had a lot to talk about.”