How to Foster Women’s Growth in the Industry

Credit: Nas | 1108831122 | Adobe Stock 

This male-populated industry offers great opportunities for women to build careers. Men can also help foster these efforts to help bring in the best of the next generation.

Women make up 50% of the population and have proved to be a vital part of the trucking and transportation industries.

“Whether they’re in operations, safety, recruiting, management, maintenance, or behind the wheel, women are an integral part of trucking and are driving our industry forward,” Sarah Rajtik, American Trucking Associations’ COO, recently told FleetOwner.

As Trimble’s lead data scientist, Tawni Marrs, once pointed out to FleetOwner last year: Studies show that diversity and inclusion are linked to workplace innovation; therefore, having women and other diverse perspectives in the industry “drives that innovative front.”

Not only should the industry foster women’s growth, but it should also focus on attracting the next generation of leaders. Here are some tips to help foster women’s growth in trucking.

Work Where Women are Valued

Women looking to enter the industry can start by applying for jobs at companies with women-focused goals or initiatives, whether those are internal women-focused groups or whether that company employs men and women who are supporters of external women-focused organizations.

“A core priority at J.B. Poindexter & Co is development of women and all team members across our nine business units,” Suzanne Frawley, Director of Talent Management at the manufacturer, told FleetOwner. One of the company’s business units, Morgan Olson, has made a promise to foster equal growth and advancement among its entire staff. It also seeks to actively support its workforce through skill development.

“We foster a mindset of improving by providing individuals with parameters for their position and supporting them to develop the skills, attributes and training to achieve the next level,” Frawley says.

It’s worth noting that not every organization will have a public initiative celebrating women. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t value women’s contributions or won’t consider them for leadership positions.

The same could be said for the former: Simply voicing support for employees isn’t a sure sign of fostering success among women. The best way to understand if a company truly appreciates and supports its women is to speak with its employees. Or perhaps, you might learn this intel from a mentor in the industry.

Find a Mentor

Just as in any industry or in life, mentorship in the transportation industry is valuable. Mike Albert Fleet Solutions’ COO Amy Hudson spoke on this as one of her top tips for women seeking to grow in transportation.

While Hudson didn’t outright say she mentors others, she shared examples of how she guides and encourages them. For the women — and men — on her team, she stresses the importance of being prepared for meetings, listening, and pushing them to be continually learning.

Suzanne Frawley echoed her sentiment, explaining that mentorship is encouraged at JBPCO and its business units, as well, though on an informal level.

Frawley shared the valuable lessons she’s learned from mentorship:

“The most important thing I learned from my mentor was to focus on learning along the way. Don’t get so focused on achieving the next position that you miss the learning aspect. Focus on developing skills that will help you improve. It’s okay to move laterally if there is learning to be had."

Get Involved

One way to ensure women succeed in the industry is to get involved in company-led initiatives that amplify women’s voices. One such example is JBPCO’s Women’s Initiative Network.

“The Women’s Initiative Network [is] a resource group dedicated to developing and supporting female team members and their allies,” Frawley says. “The program was developed at Morgan Truck Body and has been embraced across our JBPCO business units. The goal of the network is to celebrate women’s strengths and provide an outlet for supporting women in their professional goals.”

For those working at companies without internal women-focused groups, and for men and women looking to bring change to the industry, joining an external women-focused organization could prove beneficial. Organizations such as Women in Trucking and Women in Motion are great examples.

Advice to Women and Industry Leaders

In addition to prioritizing working for businesses that value women, finding a mentor, and getting involved, there are other steps women can take to ensure success in the transportation industry.

“I recommend developing a valued presence by speaking the language of the business, being collaborative and curious,” Frawley encourages. “Be willing to learn from and use the input and information you gather so you can adapt to the situation you are in. Take time to learn the business and talk to colleagues to learn what they do and how their role affects the business and customers. Use your voice to convey your ideas laterally as well as upward by bringing solutions to the table that help the overall team achieve goals.”

Although women should strive to succeed and be valuable assets to their company on their merit, women need allies in the transportation industry. Frawley shared her words of wisdom for the industry’s men, as well.

“Lead with empathy, trust, and transparency,” Frawley said. “Throughout my career, there have been instances when I had to take time off to care for my family. Those situations turned out best when I was working with leaders who believed in me, had my back, and weren’t afraid to publicly reinforce their support. When your boss has that level of confidence, you work even harder to deliver results for the team, and I did!”

The transportation industry is known for rapidly changing — especially this decade. More women are finding homes in the industry, and that momentum should continue. It’s up to those of us already here to make these great opportunities known for women and to help make it an industry that little girls dream about one day becoming a part of.

FleetOwner is your top resource for commercial fleet management intelligence. Click here to subscribe.

Like this kind of content?

As a member of the Women In Trucking Association, stay on top of emerging trends and business issues impacting transportation and logistics; learn the importance of gender diversity in the workplace and the need for more women drivers; and see best practices in encouraging the employment of women in the trucking industry. Join today! Learn More