A new UNSW Canberra study has found that Australia's trucking industry is overlooking one of its biggest opportunities to tackle chronic driver shortages: women.
Australia’s trucking industry continues to face workforce pressures, yet women account for only 6% of truck drivers and just 4% of heavy vehicle drivers.
The research, led by Dr Catherine Deen, explored why those numbers remain so low, what women already working in the industry contribute, and what needs to change for more women to build a long-term career as a truck driver.
The report, Women in Trucking: Perceptions, Contributions and Experiences of Truck Drivers in Australia, draws from a national survey of more than 480 male and female truck drivers, interviews with female drivers and industry key informants, and field observations.
The report’s findings challenge assumptions that women are not interested in trucking careers and showed that women bring significant strengths to the sector.
The report identified a range of reasons women enter the industry, including family
connections, personal career aspirations, the freedom and independence associated with truck driving, and the accessibility of a career that does not necessarily require a university degree.
The research additionally identifies trucking as a potentially valuable employment pathway for women escaping domestic violence, because it may offer income,employment, geographic mobility and access to mobile accommodation.
When it came to identifying what women contribute to the industry, the study uncovered several strengths associated with women truck drivers, including attention to detail, careful vehicle and equipment maintenance, effective communications skills, empathy and patience and a positive influence on workplace culture.
The report, however, identified systemic barriers that continue to limit their participation.
Many women truck drivers continue to encounter an unwelcoming workplace culture described by participants as "blokey" and resistant to change. While 86% of survey respondents agreed opportunities exist for women, only 72% believed women are genuinely welcome in the industry.
The report showed women are frequently required to prove their competence and can face sexism and discrimination, while 70% of respondents also reported that female drivers are likely to experience sexual harassment, highlighting the need for stronger reporting mechanisms and industry accountability.
The report suggests the structure of trucking jobs, with its long and unpredictable hours, is likely to inhibit the participation of more women drivers.
The “ideal worker” model currently present across the industry assumes truck drivers have relatively few responsibilities outside employment, disproportionately affecting women who have family parenting and caring responsibilities and may be disrupted by events such as pregnancy.
The report argues that the need for women to continually develop individual strategies to manage systemic barriers itself points to gaps in industry-level support and workplace conditions and infrastructure.
The report’s authors propose a multi-level framework that covers societal, industry, and individual supports and interventions to help improve the career experiences of women in trucking.
Recommendations include:
The study concludes that “recruitment without retention is a revolving door” and that the longer-term challenge is therefore not simply increasing the number of women who enter trucking but creating conditions that make entering and remaining in the industry sustainable.
The research was conducted with support from TEACHO Ltd, an industry-led, Australian not-for-profit organisation committed to advancing health, safety and productivity within the transport and logistics sector.
The full report, Women in Trucking: Perceptions, Contributions and Experiences of Truck Drivers in Australia, can be accessed online here: https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/32387
A summary of the report can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/32471
