There are diverse opportunities for women in trucking, with roles that cater to a wide variety of skills.
The gross revenue of the commercial freight trucking industry was over $940 billion in 2023, and trucking is responsible for nearly 73% of the nation’s overland freight movement. With 3.55 million jobs, there are many career choices for skilled, qualified women in this unique industry.
Leadership roles
More capable female leaders can bring diversity in experience and critical thinking. Companies with a higher representation of women on their boards can outperform their competition.
There are now more female leaders than ever in this industry. According to the 2024-25 WIT Index (the trucking industry’s barometer to regularly benchmark and measure the percentage of women who make up critical roles) an average of 28% of executives in the C-suite are women. The WIT Index is conducted by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) every other year.
Examples of notable female corporate leaders recently recognized by WIT include Sarah Ruffcorn, president of Trinity Logistics; Erin Van Zeeland, chief commercial officer at Schneider National; and Shelly Simpson, president of J.B. Hunt Transport.
Keeping roads & operations safe
Safety professionals work to prevent occupational injury and illness in their workforce, with an emphasis on drivers and workers in their facilities. According to the WIT Index, an average of 38.5% of safety professionals are women.
Technicians keep trucks rolling
Freight cannot be delivered when trucks are in the shop or broken down on the side of the road. Skilled truck maintenance technicians help keep freight moving. The WIT Index shows an average of only 4% of technicians are female.
Keelie Boyer, just in her early 20s, works as a truck technician for Wilson Logistics. She knew she wanted to go into mechanics as a young kid working on cars, trucks, and tractors with her dad and grandfather. “We help to keep our drivers excited about their jobs from the time they open the door and see that everything is clean, shiny, and working perfectly,” Boyer said.
Dispatchers
As managers of driver schedules to ensure timely pickups and deliveries, dispatchers play a critical role — and they’re in high demand. Successful dispatchers require analytical, technological, communication, and interpersonal skills. According to the WIT Index, an average of 38.5% of truck dispatchers are women.
Professional truck drivers
Skilled women can be quality, reliable, efficient, and safe professional truck drivers. They’re less likely to take risks and tend to be safer and more reliable drivers. They also tend to have strong multitasking and organizational skills, patience, and focus. The WIT Index shows an average of 9.5% of truck drivers with CDLs are women.
WIT recently recognized two 2024 Drivers of the Year. Deb LaBree is an independent owner-operator of Castle Transport LLC, leased to Landstar, and is a team driver with her husband, Del, running just-in-time freight. Jodi Edwards is a corporate driver for J.B. Hunt Transport, has a passion for safety, and has driven nearly 2 million miles collision-free.
If you’re interested in learning more about careers in trucking, visit WomenInTrucking.org.
