Who’s behind the long-haul wheel? Probably not a woman, a person of color, someone under the age of 40, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community since 90% of long-haul truckers are men, with the majority being white and aged between 46 and 64 years old.
Read also: The Continued Fall-Out from Demise of Yellow Trucking
While diversity may not currently be the trucking industry’s strong suit, the times they are a changing. By 2026, the industry will need to recruit 1.1 million new drivers to keep up with demand, opening the door for a more diverse workforce in the driver’s seat.
What Is Diversity in the Trucking Industry?
Diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DI&B) in the workplace means supporting varying perspectives, values, and experiences by recruiting drivers from different races, ethnicities, genders, countries, and religions. DI&B considers abilities and disabilities and generally brings together people with different backgrounds and beliefs.
Many workers, including drivers, prefer spaces they’re familiar with and comfortable in. With diverse workers steadily entering the trucking workforce, companies should implement measures to embrace and support employees with various values and backgrounds.
Opening the doors to talent from youth, women, and minority groups will help increase the workforce while also boosting profits, as studies show companies with a diverse workforce benefit more economically.
Underrepresented Groups in the Trucking Industry and How to Draw Them to the Workforce
Women, youth, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community are all minorities in the trucking industry, begging the question of why are they underrepresented, and what can be done to attract and retain them in the workforce.
Women
Long-standing prejudices and stereotypes have influenced the idea that trucking is a man’s job, despite women being equally good drivers, with some even outperforming their male counterparts. Women tend to be more reliable and conscientious drivers, better communicators, and able to focus on a task for long periods.
But the tides are turning – according to the Women in Trucking (WIT) Association and the Department of Labor, the truck industry is steadily becoming more inclusive for women, with an 88% increase in female truckers since 2010. There is still a long way to go, however, as women account for only 13.7% of all truckers, due in party to the following hurdles:
Sexual harassment
Studies show that 92% of female truckers have experienced sexual harassment on the job, prompting investigations by the Department of Labor and the media. Female drivers-in-training are the most vulnerable because they are often paired with male trainers for extended periods.
A few solutions include providing same-gender training programs, paying for hotel rooms so long-haul female trainees can sleep safely, installing cameras inside and outside the cab, and encouraging female trainees to instantly report cases of sexual assault and violence to the company and relevant authorities. Hiring more women in management roles can also help address gender bias and provide greater safety and comfort to female truckers.
Compensation Inequality
Compensation plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining truck drivers, however, women truckers make 72 cents to the dollar of their male counterparts. Employers can attract female drivers by ensuring they earn the same rate as male truckers, along with bonuses and other incentives based on performance, not gender.
Poor lifestyle and work-life balance
Long-haul trucking comes with long stretches of days or even weeks spent on the job away from home. Women frequently shoulder the brunt of caring for their families, making working on the road for extended periods a significant roadblock to entering the industry.
Providing flexible work schedules aids women in being able to manage their familial responsibilities. Other work-life balance strategies for female truckers include providing maternity leaves, sick leaves, and child-care benefits.
Truck designs
Trucks have traditionally been designed to be operated by taller, larger, and heavier bodies, making them cumbersome for most women. In an effort to attract more female truckers, trucking companies have begun to design trucks to support all body types. These designs include modified stairs, handrail placement, and adjustable pedals.
Volvo launched new truck designs with easier-to-access controls, more responsive steering, and adjustable seating, offering a more comfortable experience behind the wheel for all drivers.
Recruiting strategies that speak to female truckers
Most recruiting promotional materials tend to target only men, even when attempting to attract female drivers. For marketing to be successful, the intended audience needs to feel welcomed and be able to picture themselves in the driver’s seat. Companies should review their recruitment materials to consider if they are incorporating female truckers of different ethnicities, shapes, and sizes in their posters, videos, and pamphlets.
Young People
Young employees are not necessarily a minority but given that most workers in the trucking industry are older, it becomes easier to categorize youth as underrepresented individuals. The Chief economist for the American Trucking Association (ATA) says that the trucking industry will have to recruit about 1 million truckers to replace retiring drivers in the upcoming years.
One effective strategy for attracting young people is a company where minorities are represented. As US Express CEO Eric Fuller said, “Younger people want a diverse community, a diverse workforce, and a diverse company that they can go to.”
Technology
In a high-tech world, truck driving has been viewed as an old-fashioned, low-tech industry by younger generations. Trucking companies can reframe this image by investing in high-tech systems such as routing software, advanced in-cab telematics, driver assistance systems, and electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) software, which will be more attractive to youth while increasing overall productivity and profitability.
Online recruiting and job applications
Recruiting strategies need to meet potential employees where they are at, and today’s youth are found on social media and smartphones. Carriers should post jobs online via websites and social media platforms to help increase their reach while making applications mobile-friendly with preliminary job interviews done online.
Value and Purpose
Research shows that millennials are four times more likely than other generations to leave a job if they find no purpose in it. Trucking companies should ensure workers find meaning in their tasks, feel valued, and have clear paths for career advancement.
In early career stages, most workers are motivated by the prospect of training, development, and better opportunities. Offering drivers the chance to work as dispatchers, team leaders, trainers, or part of operations and management teams provides meaning to their work, making them less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Health and wellness
Truckers are twice as likely to suffer from poor sleep, high blood pressure, and obesity, among other health issues, making some recruits hesitant to sign up. Carriers are stepping up with programs and apps to help employees make healthier meal choices while on the road, get fit, and support their mental health. Making health and wellness a priority helps attract new drivers while making the company’s bottom line a healthy one.
Warehouse-to-driver transition
Federal regulations dictate that a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is available only to drivers 21 years or older, preventing many young people below this driving age from joining the industry.
Creating a warehouse-to-driver transition program can help establish a hiring pipeline that will see young people work in the trucking company’s warehouse before they reach the age of 21 and can then transition to becoming professional truck drivers.
CDL tuition reimbursement
As with any other career, financial limitations can be quite stressful when studying or beginning a job. Trucking companies can take advantage of this limitation by paying part of the cost of attending CDL school.
LGBTQ+ Community
There are no official statistics on how many LGBTQ+ drivers are in the trucking industry but according to Coffey-Loy, the founder of the LGBTQ+ Truck Driver Network, an organization that represents truckers who don’t identify as straight and connect them with trucking jobs, queer and trans truck drivers have always been on the road. However, most didn’t want the world to know who they were for fear of being discriminated against by other drivers, the public, or when seeking jobs.
Trucking companies can be more visible and open to hiring truckers who identify with the LGBTQ+ community by introducing organizational policies and safety measures to create a safe and inclusive work environment for this minority group, such as allowing drivers to wear pride clothes and including pride flags on their trucks.
Hispanic, Black, and Asian Drivers
As mentioned earlier, the majority of truck drivers are white, with Hispanic truckers a distant second at 23%, followed by Black drivers at 18%, and then the least represented group, Asian drivers with only 4%. Visible minority drivers have reported instances of discrimination by drivers and customers from the majority groups, causing them to resign.
In 2020, Joseph J. Olivares, a bilingual public affairs specialist with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), said, “When a company says, ‘Well, it’s one bad apple causing this situation,’ it doesn’t really matter because it is the employer’s responsibility to eliminate discrimination in the workplace.”
Company culture is formed from the top down, making it imperative that management supports all employees, regardless of race, creed, color, or sexual orientation. The American Trucking Association has created a comprehensive handbook with DEI Best Practices, available for free here to help create company policies and initiatives to make everyone feel welcomed and valued.
How to Increase Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Trucking Industry
Setting up DI&B in a trucking company involves creating a safe and comfortable space accommodating all truckers. Such an environment can help enhance job satisfaction, attract more drivers, and reduce turnover.
Establishing Inclusive Hiring Processes
Applicants often judge a company based on what they see in recruiting materials and interviews. Developing a more diverse workforce requires an inclusive hiring procedure, starting with the marketing materials. Having inclusive statements, photos of drivers from different backgrounds, and intentionally showcasing workers from underrepresented groups can help bring inclusion and diversity to an organization from the outset.
Expressing Commitment to Inclusivity and Diversity
Discussing diversity initiatives with the current workforce, potential candidates, and industry contacts can help express efforts to create a more inclusive environment for truckers. Additionally, trucking companies can engage with their drivers regularly to understand their challenges and create strategies to make them feel more comfortable and safe at the workplace.
Helping Drivers Find Their Community
Creating a sense of community can help underrepresented drivers get the support they need while making them feel included. Companies could establish groups to support diverse truckers and also promote larger communities to their employees, such as LGBTQ Truckers, Black Truckers United, and Women in Trucking.
Celebrating the Diverse Team
People work best when they feel supported, recognized, and celebrated. Featuring minority communities in a company’s marketing materials, on social media, and on the website are excellent ways to show support. Consider giving recognition when drivers perform well or reach certain milestones.
Companies can also show support by celebrating Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, Black History Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, and LGBTQ+ holidays.
Hiring Foreign Truck Drivers
Another option for ensuring diversity in the trucking sector while overcoming the workplace shortage is sourcing talent from abroad. With thousands of truckers from Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe looking for jobs in the United States, companies can tap into these markets via the EB-3 Visa Program, allowing foreign workers to obtain their Green Cards and permanent residency.
Although there are specific qualifications and a series of applications to be submitted, working with EB-3 Visa experts can simplify the process, help employers find motivated and loyal qualified truck drivers from overseas, and even assist foreign hires in acclimating to their new jobs and community.
Creating an environment of inclusivity that welcomes underrepresented drivers such as women, visible minorities, LGBTQ+, and younger people, will help keep America’s trucking industry rolling today and for years to come.
Author Bio
John E. Dorer is an accomplished Global Mobility Executive with over 23 years of hands-on experience in the field. As the CEO of eb3.work, he leads an expert team of immigration attorneys and recruiters committed to solving the pervasive problem of entry-level labor shortages through employer-sponsored green card programs, particularly the EB-3 visa program.
