Hi there! I'm Elle, a guest blogger for Luke. I'll be writing about women in the fleet industry today - and if you fancy reading more from me, you can check out my blog.
The fleet and lorry industries have always had the tendency to be dominated by male drivers and male workers. However, these preconceived notions have been dramatically challenged during the last decade, with more and more women breaking into the fleet industry than ever before. There are now a growing number of female roles within this competitive environment and it seems as if this trend is only beginning.
Let us take a look at some prime examples of successful women in the Fleet and trucking industries, and how they’re pioneering a growth of gender equality in a primarily male-dominated industry.
Women Business owners are leading the way
Whilst many years ago, most large Fleet companies were owned by men, there are more and more companies growing and expanding – that have women founders.
One example of this is Driver Metrics a popular industry blog. Dr Lisa Dorn founded the company, and remains an influential member of the fleet industry to date. Alongside Driver Metrics, Lisa is also President of the International Association of Applied Psychology - Traffic and Transport Psychology Division, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a member of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors. In 2004, Lisa received the International Prince Michael Award for Road Safety and won the Knowledge Transfer Programme's 'Best Application of Social or Management Science' in 2008.
Another example is Andra Rush, founder of Rush Trucking Corporation (a North American fleet management firm is now said to be worth well over $400 million dollars). Andra started at just 23 years old, and her story of business growth is fascinating, she proves that determination and strength is the key to building a reputation in this industry – not her gender.
Supportive communities
Supportive communities
Websites such as Women in Trucking and Real Women in Truckingare great places to start when looking for supportive communities for women within Fleet roles. These friendly communities exist to encourage and inspire women to get involved with the industry, and it’s fantastic to see such a rise in women being open about their desire to work in such a male-led job spectrum.
A Changing Role
President of the ‘Women in Trucking Association’ Ellen Voie states that "there is a misconception that you need to be big, strong, burly – to be mechanically adept". Thanks to advances such as automatic transmissions and streamlined suspension systems, it takes less strength to operate a modern lorry, than it may have done 50 years ago. Because of this, and technological advancements we’ve made in engineering - women don’t have to only take desk roles – they can get out in the field too. Meaning, more jobs (of a much wider variety) are available to them.
Managerial Efficiency
Studies have observed that females within the fleet industry comprise approximately six per cent of the workforce, and this number seems to be growing every year. Why is this the case? With women growing more in managerial and corporate roles across a variety of industries, it wouldn’t be long until that confidence and skill would be found in senior fleet management positions too. For large software and support companies (think about large brands such as WEX Europe Services and Esso Card) women provide a crucial part of the team, both out in the field, and behind the scenes.
Less Risks
Another interesting aspect to note here is that according to Women in Trucking Association’s Ms. Voie, women are known to take less risks than their male counterparts. This is quite important when operating within dangerous environments (such as the notorious "ice road" which stretches deep into the northern portion of the Canadian Yukon Territory). In fact, popular television programs such as Ice Road Truckers have previously boasted female supervisors (and drivers) such as Maya Sieber and Lisa Kelley. The fact that women may be more prudent is certainly an attractive option to owners who require loads to arrive safely at a far-off destination.
Managerial Efficiency
Studies have observed that females within the fleet industry comprise approximately six per cent of the workforce, and this number seems to be growing every year. Why is this the case? With women growing more in managerial and corporate roles across a variety of industries, it wouldn’t be long until that confidence and skill would be found in senior fleet management positions too. For large software and support companies (think about large brands such as WEX Europe Services and Esso Card) women provide a crucial part of the team, both out in the field, and behind the scenes.
Less Risks
Another interesting aspect to note here is that according to Women in Trucking Association’s Ms. Voie, women are known to take less risks than their male counterparts. This is quite important when operating within dangerous environments (such as the notorious "ice road" which stretches deep into the northern portion of the Canadian Yukon Territory). In fact, popular television programs such as Ice Road Truckers have previously boasted female supervisors (and drivers) such as Maya Sieber and Lisa Kelley. The fact that women may be more prudent is certainly an attractive option to owners who require loads to arrive safely at a far-off destination.
These are all examples of how a male-dominated workforce is quickly adapting to modern times, and how women are excelling and growing within it. Women should be able to enjoy an even more pronounced role in the years to come and it will be quite interesting to witness how their presence could affect the entire industry.
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