Guest blogger FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro: Adding women can strengthen the trucking industry

Throughout her career, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro has encouraged women to join the motor carrier industry.  This week she took her message to the 2011 Truckload Carriers Association national convention.
                                                                                                                                                      

Women are thriving in every sector of our society.  We are leading businesses and serving at the highest levels of government.  We are succeeding in careers that our mothers and grandmothers never could have imagined.  And that includes not only driving big rigs, but managing their safe operations.

This month the Council on Women and Girls released a new report on Women in America that shows few women are working in the construction, production or transportation sectors.

Panel discussion on Women in Trucking  includes (l-r) Tom O'Brien, TA/Petro Stopping Centers, Val Liese,
Jack Jones Trucking, Phyllis Cochran, Navistar, and Administrator Ferro

But I know there is an untapped pool of talented women drivers and women who would be well suited as safety managers. We know, too, that the current gender imbalance for drivers deprives trucking of a vital source of talent.

Trucking is a strong industry.  It’s a leading indicator of our nation’s economic health, hauling 70 percent of the tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation.  And women in trucking have contributed to that strength.  But we can do a lot better.

We must take action on our own to encourage the women we know to consider trucking as a career or to help them advance in the trucking industry.  I have a few suggestions for the women already in the industry:

1. Be a mentor to women interested in trucking. Take time to advise others on how they can succeed and advance in their positions. 
2. Pay it back.  Get involved at the community level so others can learn about what you do.
3. Be an ambassador.  Seek opportunities to represent the trucking industry.  Be visible.  Be accessible.  Inspire someone.

Our country is made better by working women.  Women have played a significant role in building and sustaining a strong economy.

Trucking can also be made better by adding women. To make that happen, we need to educate the industry on how they can benefit from every additional woman behind the wheel or in the boardroom.  Let’s move forward today and continue removing the challenges that hold women back in trucking. 

Comments

[Desiree Wood]

Sadly, The Non-Profit Women in Trucking Organization has spent more time covering up abuse & protecting their sponsers, some of which are the biggest offenders in the trucking industry rather than show leadership.

The 1st Salute to Women behind the Wheel was little more than a "Shoot Fish in the Barrel" event & the next big trucking event was a tattoo party!

President Ellen Voie & Director Marge Bailey frequent XM/Sirius to promote Women to enter Trucking & Trucker Cupid a trucker dating site owned by the director.

Meanwhile one of their sponsers is engaged in a huge sexual harassment case which is in appeal & will leave taxpayers flipping the bill.

Crowning a corporate apoligist hurts disenfranchised Women who are hurt during training. This is not a tattoo party out here and some of the stories are gruesome of what has occured to females who were sold this industry as a viable career.

It is totally irresponsible to encourage more women to enter when no one has cleaned house on these offending carriers who receive a good deal of government subsidies & tax credits to train students.

Very few truck drivers trust this organization because of the links to the ATA and because the energy put forth to cover up abuse rather than address it.

Perhaps they have seen the light, but to real truck drivers it seem as though they found more government money & that is what is motivating them.

This does not mean they will make anything more than the facade of a fix while voiceless women continue to be hurt in training carriers.

Having spoken to both Ellen Voie & Marge Bailey both on the phone, I can honestly say any woman who would have to call them in distress would be made to feel like they did something wrong to deserve to be attacked.

Carriers need to be held accountable, an internal system that applies to that drivers policies & an outside watchdog is good but they must be trained to deal with trauma victims , not attack & retaliate like these two have a history of doing to keep a rosy face on a dirty secret.

[Valerie Liese]

To Desiree Wood:

I believe Women in Trucking has a Best Practices Manual with anti-harrassment guidelines that focuses on employee training.

I was a founding board member of the Women in Trucking and the 12 founding members agenda was: to improve working conditions,reduce obstacles and encourage employment in our industry for women.

I do not believe for a minute that Women in Trucking is covering up any sort of abuse and I believe you should provide proof before making any unwarranted accusations.

Companies must and should have anti-harrassment rules and guidelines. The WIT is providing a service to its members by making them aware they have protection.

[gailmorra@yahoo.com]

Anne Ferro NEEDS TO BE FIRED!
SHE SUPPORTS NAFTA AND STATES THAT MEXICAN DRIVERS WILL BE APPROVED ALONG WITH THEIR TRUCKS...HA THAT'S A GOOD ONE ANNE...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MISS BROWN NOSE...THE MEXICANS OUT HERE ALREADY HAVE DUCK TAPE ON THEIR FENDERS, BALD TIRES, THEIR TRUCKS CONSTANTLY BREAD DOWN AND THEY JIMMY RIG THEM...THEY HAVE FILTHY TRAILERS AND THEIR REEFER UNITS ARE FALLING APART....GET REAL LADY!!! YOU DON'T BELONG OR SHOULD REPRESENT THE TRUCKERS OF AMERICA THAT'S FOR SURE...I'M SICK OF THE MEXICANS BUTTING IN AT THE FUEL DESK BECAUSE THEIR GRUBBING FOR THAT COMCHECK TO BE CASHED YET DON'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ON HOW TO EVEN FILL IT OUT...YOU AND THE OWNER OF C.R. ENGLAND ARE A DISGRACE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.