There are several misconceptions about the sector which I believe are both holding companies back from recruiting female talent and discouraging women from entering the sector. Like all industries, transport can be challenging. However, current media depicts unrealistic imagery of the transport sector, positioning it as tough, dirty work that is only suitable for men. This portrayal is not representative of the many career possibilities that transport has to offer. To attract more female talent, companies should look to avoid perpetuating these stereotypes and generalisations.
The transport sector also has a lot to learn from the mining sector, another traditionally male oriented industry. Mining companies, like Rio Tinto, BHP and others that have started to build a gender balanced workforce to benefit from increased productivity, fewer instances of violence on sites and increased revenue. Recent research from PWC found that across 500 mining companies that they surveyed, those with 25% or more female board members had a net profit margin that was 49% higher than average.
The feedback I have received from managers of transport companies across Australia who have taken on female truck drivers has been positive. Managers have told me that when compared to their male counterparts, women often; take better care of their trucks, keeping them clean and in good condition, are better spoken with external clients, leading to less instances of conflict, take more care when they are behind the wheel and are more diligent when it comes to paper work.
Currently, women only make up 16.9% of transport roles and 4.5% of the CEOs in transport businesses. To reap the benefits of gender diversity in the same way as mining, the transport sector must strive to attract and retain more female talent.