Spotlight on Women in Trucking

Although truck driving was once thought of as a male profession, more and more women are enrolling in truck driving school and joining the ranks of professional drivers around the country. Of course there are advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in the trucking industry, but the same thing can be said for men and women in nearly every profession. Still, if you are a woman interested in becoming a truck driver, you are likely to have questions about what to expect. Here are some common questions women have about truck driving. To learn more, speak with someone at a professional truck driving school near you in Portland.

Is truck driving harder for women?

It’s true that some of the physical tasks required of truck drivers may be more difficult for some women, but as modern fleets become more advanced these labor-intensive tasks will disappear and the truck driving profession won’t be any harder for women as it is for men. As far as the actual driving is concerned, which accounts for a majority of the modern truck driver’s responsibilities, women are at no disadvantage to men.

Do female truck drivers get harassed?

One of the biggest concerns women have about getting into the trucking industry is that they will harassed by all of the male drivers that dominate the profession. However, the truth is that female truck drivers aren’t harassed more than women in any other industry. There are ignorant people in every profession, and unfortunately women in America still have to deal with sexism, but becoming a truck driver as a women will not expose you to more harm or harassment just because of the number of men in the industry.

Can female truck drivers drive the same trucks as men?

The requirements for truck drivers are the same regardless of gender. As long as you can meet the requirements to drive different types of commercial vehicles, you can have a successful career driving any type of vehicle a man can drive. Of course the first step is to learn the skills it takes to drive a heavy commercial vehicle, and that means enrolling in truck driving school.