The trucking industry has made great strides in welcoming women to driving careers. In recent years, we saw record numbers of women getting behind the wheel. While the numbers have greatly increased, the number of women drivers still sits at only around 17%.
With a growing shortage of qualified drivers, this is the perfect time to break down the barriers and create a more diverse workforce in this industry.
The nonprofit Women in Trucking Association has taken a unique approach to address this shortage with the introduction of their new 18-wheel driving simulator named “WITney”. This cutting-edge simulator provides an opportunity for those curious about truck driving to try something new, rewarding, and adventurous. The simulator is designed to give women and girls a feel for life behind the wheel of a big rig and potentially unlock a new career path.
The WITney trailer has been touring the country at various events aimed at exposing women and girls to the industry so they can make educated and informed decisions as to whether this is a path they’d like to pursue.
Just this month, the trailer has made stops in Detroit Michigan at an event hosted by the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, and in Rhode Island at an event that was held in collaboration with the Rhode Island Trucking Association and Howes, a company which makes trucking and diesel related products.
What’s it like to try out the simulator?
The simulator has 20 programs and six lessons.
Haily Dobish who works for XPO Logistics as a trucking supervisor wanted to find out what life could be like behind the wheel instead of in the office, so she took a day trip to the event with her co-worker, Mia Furtado, who works in Human Resources.
“Now that I just drove on the simulator, it’s like ‘Okay’, I think a little bit more about it,'” said Dobish.
“The turns for me were the difficult part,” Furtado said, but she’s not ruling out practice to make perfect.
Howes was all too happy to host the event to help women navigate the obstacles of a career in trucking.
“The trucking industry [has] a big shortage. We’re trying to get more women involved,” co-owner Deborah Howes said.
“That education [that we provide,] and more of a level playing field, has really invited women to join the industry and profession,” said Jennifer Hedrick, president and CEO of the Women in Trucking Association.
Sources: WJAR10, Women In Trucking
