Women truck drivers face several challenges, and the federal government is giving them a chance to share their experiences and recommendations for improvement.
On Oct. 4, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will be hosting a listening session focusing on the needs of women truck drivers. The listening session will provide a platform for drivers to communicate their personal experiences to the EEOC and offer suggestions on how the agency can better address their unique issues.
Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal will conduct the virtual listening session from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, Oct. 4. The session is off the record and will not be recorded. Anyone wanting to participate must register here by Sept. 30.
Real Women in Trucking is calling on women truck drivers who have experienced discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual assault while on the job to participate in the listening session. The association is offering to tell a driver’s story for them if they are not comfortable speaking but want their story heard.
The listening session for women truck drivers is part of the EEOC’s REACH initiative. In January, the agency announced the multi-year effort that includes reaching out to and educating workers who are the least likely to seek assistance from the EEOC despite their need. The goal of the REACH initiative is to prevent and remedy illegal employment discrimination by ensuring workers can access the agency’s services and know their rights.
Depending on the source, anywhere from 7% to 12% of truck drivers are women. According to Women In Trucking, the percentage of women truck drivers decreases as the company size increases. In trucking companies with 5,000 or more employees, only 7% were female professional drivers compared to 12.5% among companies with less than 500 employees.
History of sex discrimination in trucking
Studies and numerous lawsuits over the years reveal the pervasiveness of discrimination and harassment of women truck drivers.
In June, the American Transportation Research Institute published a study titled “Identifying and Mitigating the Challenges Faced by Women Truck Drivers.” The study identified six challenges women truck drivers face, including industry image/perception, truck driver training, company culture, over-the-road lifestyle, limited parking and restroom access and gender harassment/discrimination.
According to ATRI’s study, 17% of women truck drivers experience harassment or discrimination daily compared to only 8% of male truck drivers. Nearly 31% of women truckers indicated they never experience harassment or discrimination compared to 63.5% of men. ATRI found that discrimination is especially prevalent during driver training.
In 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration established the Women of Trucking Advisory Board to address the additional hurdles that women truck drivers have to clear.
In its final report submitted to FMCSA in December 2023, the advisory board presented several recommendations on how the trucking industry can approach harassment/assault/discrimination, driver retention and recruitment, training and quality of life. FMCSA will submit its report to Congress later this year.
In February, FMCSA issued a request for information for a study addressing sexual assault and harassment in the trucking industry. The study comes after the Women of Trucking Advisory Board recommended in its final report that the agency look further into the topic.
Over the years, the EEOC has gone after trucking companies for sexual discrimination against women truck drivers. Last year, USF Holland settled a sex discrimination case filed by the EEOC for a half million dollars. In 2019, a South Carolina company settled an EEOC lawsuit accusing it of denying employment to a female driver due to her sex.
Last October, Real Women in Trucking filed an EEOC charge against Stevens Transport alleging discriminatory hiring practices. That charge is still pending. LL
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