Inside Look: The Role of Women in the Trucking Industry
The trucking industry is known for being predominantly male-dominated, as well as arduous, demanding and complex. In Mexico, women have gained ground in several economic activities, including shipping, wherein 2020 they covered 13.9% of the total occupation. According to INEGI data from 2019, the most recent results from the Economic Census indicate that the percentage of women employed in the trucking industry stands at 11.4%, representing approximately 1 out of every 10 people employed.
On the US side, according to the 2019 WIT Index, the number of women in executive positions in the industry increased 24% over the previous year. Women also represent 43.5% of the non-executive workforce (recruiters, driver managers, dispatchers, salespeople, and administrative workers.) Most of this gradual growth is related to carriers’ response to the ongoing driver shortage.
An insider’s perspective
In recent years, the role of women has grown, not only in administrative positions but also in operational ones. This is the case of Eladia de Jesus Garcia Rodriguez, a 44-year-old woman, in charge of coordinating Traffic, Dispatch, Monitoring, and Customer Service at Express Guerejo. Her duties include validating the documents required for the cross-border process and assigning them directly to the truck drivers, with whom she maintains constant communication. She also continuously monitors progress to keep her customers updated on any developments. With approximately 2,568,471 trucks crossing the border (according to BTS) last year alone, it’s not hard to imagine the pressure and determination that comes with such a job.
Elly, as she prefers to be called, has been in the industry for over 20 years. She started working at the age of 19, initially cleaning offices and warehouses in Laredo, TX. She remembers that time in her life as a turning point, in which she learned the importance of equality and support among women. She credits the female owner of Quality Imports, who trusted in her abilities and allowed her to learn the ropes, for helping her get established in the industry in a short period of time.
The greatest lessons that the industry has taught her are empathy, respect, the importance of not denigrating work, whatever it may be, and equality above all. Her greatest satisfactions come from being able to share her knowledge with other women and men, as her mentor did with her, and being a role model to her daughters.
The road ahead
Despite increasing opportunities emerging in the industry, the road ahead is not easy, as the challenges women face on a daily basis largely stem from the gender stereotypes (physical ability or perceptions around mechanical skills) associated with it. These, in addition to an unequal landscape in terms of job opportunities, leads to discrimination barriers that force women to adapt their needs to those of the market. In Elly's case, and that of many other single mothers, she struggles with lack of financial support, strenuous working conditions, and demanding schedules that keep her away from her family; in addition to safety concerns, which are always top-of-mind.
A changing industry
It’s clear that there are still great challenges in terms of equality. However, Elly states that throughout the years she has seen how the industry has grown and improved for women, to the point where, now more than ever, they are excelling in all positions from drivers to executive directors, owners, and mechanics. She also mentions that most of the challenges women face are not related to their abilities, but to their willingness to grow and learn, which is essential for thriving in this industry.
It's our turn
"At Nuvocargo we believe in unleashing the potential not only of our clients and external collaborators but also of our internal collaborators. We will foster the professional growth of our team, which has 38% of its positions filled by female talent and be a seedbed for the future leaders of the transportation industry. We have a long way to go, but over the next few months we will lay the foundations, such as development plans for each employee, that will lead us towards this goal," says Lauren Burdick, Head of People at Nuvocargo.
That's why we invite women in the industry, like Elly, to support, empower, and especially, celebrate each other.
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Let's keep growing and improving the industry together, for everyone. Explore our open positions here.
