Percentage of women drivers hits 5-year low, new data shows

The number of women behind the wheel of commercial vehicles has reached its lowest point since 2019, according to new data from the Women in Trucking Association.

On Monday, Oct. 21, the Plover, Wis.-based association published results from its annual Women in Trucking Index  report.

According to data from the 2024-2025 Women in Trucking Index, women make up 9.5% of all professional drivers, down from 12.1% the year prior. The group pointed to a number of possibilities that have led to the decline.

“This decrease in female drivers has been explained by some industry observers to be due to a variety of factors, including a lack of quality childcare, an increased interest in homeschooling children, safety concerns for female drivers, misperceptions of career opportunities for female drivers, and an aging driver population that now is retiring,” the group said in its report.

While the number of women drivers reported dropped below 10% for the first time since 2019, the industry had shown steady growth in that area over the past five years, with the annual index reporting double-digit results in terms of the percentage of women drivers over the previous five years.

For a second straight year, a small decrease was seen when it comes to women in leadership positions. Data from the 2024 WIT index shows 34.5% of company leader roles were filled by women. That number was 36.9% in 2023 and 39.6% in 2022.

The group says the annual survey, which began in 2016, aims to be the “official industry barometer to benchmark and measure each year the percentage of women who make up roles in the transportation industry.”

Over a 10-month span – from August 2023 through May 2024 – the group said nearly 350 responses were recorded from organizations of all sizes in the transportation industry. Those responding to the survey were asked to report data including demographics, status of the company’s diversity and inclusion policy and percentages of females in various roles within the company.

The index tracks the percentage of women in the following roles:

• Corporate management (C-suite)
• Boards of directors
• Functional roles (operations, technicians, HR/talent management, marketing, sales, etc.)
• Professional drivers

According to Women in Trucking, there are a number of reasons why women make “quality, reliable, efficient and safe” professional truck drivers, suggesting they may even have a benefit over their male counterparts.

“First, they’re typically less likely to take risks and therefore can be safer drivers than men,” the WIT Index report said. “In addition, women generally possess strong multitasking and organization skills, they are strong communicators, and they usually are patient, focused and reliable.”

According to the association’s website, the mission is, “to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the industry.” The group reports having around “8,000 members in 10-plus countries.”

To view all of the data from the 2024-2025 WIT Index report, download a copy here. LL