In an effort to improve safety for female truck drivers, the American Trucking Associations’ Women in Motion and Trucker Path have partnered up. Trucker Path, a popular mobile app for truckers, will now feature several new enhancements that help women locate secure parking locations.
The app will highlight facilities with seven key safety features, including well-lit parking and bathrooms, comfortable lounge areas, and 24/7 access to well-illuminated shower and laundry facilities. Additionally, sites will offer round-the-clock maintenance and onsite security.
These women-friendly facilities will be easily identifiable by the Women in Motion logo within the Trucker Path app. Drivers will also have the ability to provide real-time updates on the condition of these amenities.
The partnership was announced by Brenda Neville, president and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, and Chris Oliver, representative of Trucker Path. Women in Motion is an initiative launched by the American Trucking Associations to address the unique challenges female truckers face both on the road and within the industry.
“Through our platform, women can quickly and easily identify stops along their routes offering amenities catering to their needs, all while accessing real-time information on parking availability, fuel pricing and discounts, and so much more,” said Trucker Path CMO Chris Oliver in a news release.
In a recent survey, women drivers shared their insights on the essential features they seek while on the road. Overall, the selected amenities cater to the needs of women drivers, while also enhancing the journey for their male counterparts.
Brenda Neville engaged in conversations with fellow competitors and women drivers at the Iowa state truck driving championship. Through these exchanges, she gained valuable insights into the preferences of drivers, regardless of gender.
“The number one issue was safety,” she told reporters in a press conference during ATA’s recent management conference. Women are looking for locations that are well lit and have security, for instance. (Internet access, she noted was their second most important amenity.)
Trucker Path’s app, utilized by nearly 1 million truckers in North America, provides truck-specific routing and navigation features via crowdsourcing, including locating nearby truck stops, available parking, and weigh station statuses.
“Trucker Path was born to help truckers find parking,” Oliver told reporters. It has expanded since then, using crowdsourcing to improve life on the road for truck drivers.
The app features real-time updates on 20,000 parking spots and will notify you about everything from parking lot capacity to available amenities.
“This was a perfect extension,” he said. “All we really had to do was add seven boxes.”
While truck stops check those boxes, the information is verified in the app through crowdsourcing.
“ATA is committed to bringing more women into our industry and addressing their concerns. This partnership between Women in Motion and Trucker Path is a way to address one of the persistent concerns women in trucking express – safety,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear in a news release. “Helping women drivers identify truck parking facilities with essential amenities like lighted parking, bathroom access and on-site security will play a role in addressing this longtime challenge for our industry.”
Source: Trucking Info
