Hosted by the non-profit Women in Trucking organization, attendance at the recent Accelerate Conference and Expo more than doubled, and female truckers aired their concerns about parking and safety.
Ellen Voie, CEO and founder of Women In Trucking, noted the crowd grew from about 750 in 2021 to more than 1,700 this November in Dallas, Texas. Comprised primarily of industry insiders, the gathering reflected increases in the number of female CDL holders, technicians, safety specialists, and those holding management positions. One hot-button issue continues to be the lack of legitimate parking spaces for women drivers. The persistent work environment problem poses unique safety and logistical challenges for women who drive truck.
“If you don’t have anywhere to park, you don’t have a place to use the restroom. It’s not easy for us like men. There’s an awareness you have to have. If you park at a truck stop, you need to be aware not to get yourself in a bad situation if you don’t know what’s lurking around,” Walmart driver Sheena Sweetwood reportedly said.
Sweetwood spoke to subpar conditions that force truckers to sleep along interstate ramps. The national shortage of legitimate parking spaces creates unsafe conditions for Class 8 commercial motor vehicle operators and passenger car drivers alike. Truckers cannot always get a restful sleep because passing vehicles create noise and vibrations. And fatigued commuters may not always see 18-wheelers parked on the shoulder as they navigate traffic. However, Sweetwood went on to acknowledge her passion for the occupation and complimented her employer, Walmart.
“You’re actually going to be compensated for your work, and they actually care about you and show it. That’s the best part,” she reportedly said.
Those in attendance, as well as speakers, acknowledge that vast opportunities are available to women. Freight transportation companies have been rethinking their work environments in an effort to make them more gender inclusive. Changes appear to be driven by a sense of job equity as well as a need to offset the country’s 80,000 driver shortage.
Efforts to onboard the next generation of truck drivers have resulted in significant increases in women securing good-paying jobs. The conference’s keynote speaker, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief Robin Hutcheson, repeated her commitment to women securing positions in the traditionally male-centric field.
“I’ve always been working on gender equality, on a personal basis and in the transportation industry, beginning in 1995,” Robin Hutcheson reportedly said. “I’m committed to your success. I consider myself a part of that in working with you.”
Hutcheson noted that women account for more than half of the U.S workforce, while only holding approximately one-quarter of the jobs in the trucking sector. The number of women driving heavy-duty commercial vehicles has risen in recent years to an estimated 8-12 percent.
Sources: ttnews.com, ttnews.com
The issue I see is that drivers think truck stops, or open to the public private businesses owe them parking or think truck stops are supposed to provide parking. This is false. Parking is an amenity provided in the hopes youll park and come and spend money with them.
If any entity owes a driver parking its government or their companies.