The trucking industry needs to recruit more women, and one team is on a mission to make that happen. Meet the Women's Coalition of the Illinois Trucking Association (ITA), a group created to serve as a resource for women and motor carriers in Illinois.
“We want to show women that they can be drivers, or work in consulting, operations, dispatch, or whatever it is,” explained Linda Blisset, certified director of safety for the Illinois Trucking Association. “We want to get the word out that the industry needs women, and we want to welcome them in.”
The coalition officially launched in December 2021 and grew from relationships developed within the ITA.
“We all met through classes and conferences, and we bonded and created these friendships with the committee members,” noted Bobbi Curl, coalition member and safety and compliance coordinator for Dibble Trucking. “Now, we want to pass that on to bring more women into the industry.”
FleetOwner recently caught up with Blisset, Curl, and coalition members Dana Achartz, director of safety and compliance at Newman Carriers, and Vilma Kuprescenko, safety director at Unlimited Carrier Inc., to learn more about the group’s goals moving forward.
“We want to empower, mentor, lead, and support other women to be future leaders in the trucking industry,” Achartz told FleetOwner. “The passion of the group originated with professional women, who are seeking to learn and grow leaders in our industry as mentors, public speakers, and act as a support system for other women to empower them and help them advance their careers.”
“We want other females to feel good about being in this industry and to not feel afraid to be here, because it’s for everybody,” Kuprescenko added.
(Editor’s note: The following Q&A has been edited for clarity.)
FleetOwner: What are some of the coalition's goals for 2022?
Achartz: We want to make trucking more appealing to women. We want women to see that they can be part of the trucking industry—everything from a technician to a driver to a safety professional and to the owner of a company. We want to remind women and inspire them that they can grow their careers. That’s the best part about trucking; there is so much room for advancement. Whether it’s on the road or in the office, you can start and advance so quickly because there are so many opportunities out there.
We will have quarterly meetings, and we’ve invited members from the Illinois Trucking Association to join. We are going to have speakers and networking opportunities to help build that foundation of peers. We do anticipate growing.
Kuprescenko: One of the main goals this year will be to listen since we just started. So, what are other women going through, and where do they need support?
Blisset: Women sometimes need lifting up outside of their position. We can help give them the balance that they need within their job and life. For many women, just because they shut their office door or get out of the truck, or leave the mechanic shop, whatever it is, they go home, and then they are moving on to their next job—whatever that might be.
Women are driven to be that nurturing, responsible, caregiving party, and we can do both. Sometimes it’s just really encouraging to hear an inspirational speaker say, ‘We get it,’ and to share those details with each other.
Curl: It’s important for women to know that we are out there to help them and that there is someone else out there going through the same thing.
FleetOwner: This coalition is part of the ITA, but are you also open to being there for women in other areas of the country if they needed insights?
Blisset: Most of our trucking associations that belong to the federation are seeing the need for the women-in-trucking movement. We’ll be sharing ideas and maybe joining in a conference, so we don’t want to ever limit ourselves, and we always want to be there to help. Our newsletters and our magazine don’t stop at the state line. In our industry, we just don’t stay in the state of Illinois, we go other places. If there is a need, we will definitely address that, and if there is an ability to coordinate with other state trucking associations, we’re open to that.
FleetOwner: How can the industry do better when it comes to attracting women into its ranks?
Achartz: We need to include more women into the advertising because trucking gives off the impression that it’s a male-dominated industry, but women are jumping in and getting on board—driving the trucks, running the companies, etc. We need to put them in pictures and advertising so other women can see that we can do this too.
We need to make the industry more attractive and friendly to women. We need to show them—especially those not familiar with our industry—how exciting trucking can be. For example, over-the-road truck driving is an honest living and a chance for women to see the country. It’s a rewarding and humbling experience for the driver and our industry in general. We help keep food on the table, and we help keep the shelves full at the store.
We definitely need to make women feel safe and comfortable in this industry as well.
Kuprescenko: We need to make sure there is more safety at truck stops and rest areas. We need to make sure that they have more surveillance and protection. A lot of females are afraid of stopping at certain truck stops nationwide. Everyone should work on it to make sure we have a safer industry for everyone.
FleetOwner: Safety concerns are one of the top reasons women drivers tend to leave the industry. Compared to their male counterparts, what are some of the other reasons women may tend to leave trucking?
Kuprescenko: The main reason is there is not enough support out there. It’s much easier to go through stuff as a group than it is alone, and for women in the industry, there is not enough support and encouragement out there.
Achartz: We all have bad days and whether you’re male or female, there are days when you want to just throw in the towel, and that’s in any industry. I think that our network can help people empower each other so when someone is having one of those days and might be at their breaking point, our network can pick that person up and remind them they are doing great.
Blisset: We’ve also transitioned over the years to women stepping out of the house. Over the last 10 to 15 years, women are now mechanics, they’re electricians, they’re plumbers, they’re truck drivers, etc. Male CEOs and owners now are saying they need to know how to embrace this as well because this is all new territory for them. When you have a group like this that is willing to share and to network and support each other, we can help this grow so that a male-dominant workforce in any industry is not struggling how to embrace this. They are getting good information on how to work together and coordinate this within their companies. It’s a win-win for everyone.
FleetOwner: Why do you think trucking in general has a driver retention problem?
Achartz: Trucking hasn’t always been viewed as an attractive position. For example, a driver who is over the road can’t always be home certain days and times because there are so many variables that come into play. It’s a lifestyle; it’s not a 9-to-5 job.
Every industry really does have turnover, and with all the changes going on in the world today, I think that other industries are finally catching up with us. For trucking, we are used to this; we’ve had this for years.
Retention isn’t a new issue, per se. We just need to continue to focus on keeping things moving forward. And you have to take care of your work family like a family. Having a good relationship with your coworkers is everything. It’s not about numbers, it’s about respect.
