FMCSA extends Women of Trucking board application deadline

Female truckers interested in applying for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Women of Trucking Advisory Board have another week to do so.

FMCSA announced that the application deadline has been extended through April 15. The application deadline had been April 8.

The agency encouraged female truck drivers to apply for the new board, which was mandated in the 2021 infrastructure law.

“Promote the accomplishments of women, be a voice in the industry and improve the trucking industry,” FMCSA wrote in a tweet on Thursday, April 7.

FMCSA is excited to announce the extension of the Women Trucking Advisory Board (WOTAB). The WOTAB application will continue to accept applications until April 15th, 2022. Promote the accomplishments of women, be a voice in the industry, and improve the trucking industry. pic.twitter.com/GBSigVphsG

— FMCSA (@FMCSA) April 7, 2022

According to the FMCSA, women currently hold 24% of the transportation jobs. The mission of the board is to coordinate with trucking companies, nonprofit organizations and trucking associations to support women in trucking.

The Women of Trucking Advisory Board is expected to focus on four areas:

• Evaluating barriers and trends that affect women in trucking across the country and ways to support women pursuing careers in trucking.
• Identifying opportunities to expand roles for women and increase the number of women in the trucking industry.
• Advising on policies that provide education, training, mentorship or outreach to women in the trucking industry.
• Reviewing opportunities to enhance safety, training, mentorship, and education for women in the trucking industry.

The board will include a minimum of eight members with diverse backgrounds, experience and certifications to provide balanced points of view.

The group is expected to include representatives of varying backgrounds:

• Women representing small, midsized and large trucking companies, and nonprofit organizations in the trucking industry.
• Trucking business associations.
• Independent owner-operators and professional truck drivers.
• An institution of higher education or trucking trade school.

“The establishment of the Women of Trucking Advisory Board furthers our commitment to collaboration, equity and safety across the trucking industry by evaluating existing and potential opportunities for women throughout the trucking industry,” FMCSA acting Administrator Robin Hutcheson said.

How to apply

A letter of interest is required of applicants. It should list what qualifies the applicant to serve on the board. A resume of relevant work experience is requested as well as one letter of recommendation from someone who knows the driver and her professional accomplishments first-hand. This can be a supervisor or a colleague.

Those interested in applying, should visit FMCSA.dot.gov/wotab. E-mail questions about the advisory board to wotab@dot.gov. LL