The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) released its 2026-27 WIT Index, which measures the percentage of women in key roles in the trucking industry.
Here are some interesting findings. Women account for:
- 31% of C-suite and executive positions
- 37.5% of supervisory leadership roles
- 29% of board of directors positions
- 76.5% in HR/talent management positions
- 9.5% of professional driver roles
- 2.5% of diesel truck technician positions
- 45% in dispatch roles
- 44% in safety roles
Of course, statistics need context, and the takeaway here is that the percentages of women in various roles in the trucking industry are relatively flat compared with previous WIT Index percentages. To me, that means we have more work to do to attract more women to the trucking industry.
A good place to start is by looking at recruiting efforts across all organizations. Pay close attention to the images you use in recruiting to ensure you feature women. I know that might seem basic, but it sends a message that you want women to join your fleet. People may believe they’re not a good fit for the position if they don’t see themselves reflected in your outreach efforts.
Your own people are a great recruiting tool. Ask your current female employees to create videos about what they like about working for your fleet and to encourage other women to apply. This can be especially effective in your driver recruiting efforts.
As we all know, hiring is only half the battle; the other half is retaining the women you’ve hired. Make sure your workplace is safe and that you have a clear anti-harassment policy. Investigate any complaints of harassment or discrimination so that your employees know you are serious about making women feel welcome in your organization.
A mentorship program, in which you partner a new hire with a more seasoned one, is one good way to improve retention. The mentor can serve as a sounding board and guide the new hire through the ins and outs of the job.
There are several reasons to boost the number of women in your company, including that studies from the University of Tennessee and Auburn University show female drivers tend to have fewer safety-related incidents. On the technician front, women tend to pay close attention to detail so that they may spot smaller problems sooner.
Moreover, in roles other than drivers, women bring a different perspective to your organization, and studies show that more diverse organizations are better at problem-solving.
If you are not currently focusing some of your recruiting efforts on finding and retaining women at all levels of your organization, you are missing out on a big opportunity.
