Gender Pay Gap?

Not for Women Truck Drivers

There are a few industries that are bucking the trend of wage inequality. Professional truck driving is one of them.

Female Truck Drivers Make Equal Pay

From workers to CEOs, there’s a wage inequality culture between the sexes in America. According to Pew Research, while the wage gap narrows, it still exists. Sources vary on exact percentages, but according to PayScale, women make around $0.81 for every dollar their male counterparts can expect to earn in the same job based on the same levels of education. An up to 20 percent difference in pay between men and women in the second decade of the 21st Century? It feels like we should be much further down the road to wage equality than we are. This leaves us with a couple of questions: How can women control their careers to narrow the gap? And what industries provide the best opportunities for women?

A few industries are bucking the trend of wage inequality. Professional Truck Driving is one of them. Since professional truck drivers are paid based on the number of miles driven, there is no pay gap between men and women. This can mean that such factors limit an individual driver’s potential earnings as hours of service regulations. That’s it. If you drive the same number of miles, they pay you the same amount of money, regardless of gender. On average, entry-level professional truck drivers can make up to $45,000 per year as a solo driver. Team drivers can average $60-65,000 – and owner/operators? Even more. Let’s break that down.

Many women working have families depending on them to maintain a certain income level that can’t wait months or longer to kick in. Professional truck driving offers an alternative to all of this—after 160-160 hours of training provided by a CDL Training program like Roadmaster Drivers School—you can make the same amount of money as the men in your training class in less than a month. With benefits such as health insurance, dental insurance, and 401(k) retirement options, professional truck driving offers a viable career option for working women to sustain them and their families.

The American Trucking Associations, or ATA, reports an incredible truck driver shortage by 2024 if current trends continue. You wouldn’t think this is good news, but it is – especially for women. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the truck driving industry expects at least a 2% growth annually between now and 2029. For an industry struggling to keep up with the demand for drivers, there are many opportunities for women to make great money and help provide a sustainable workforce for the future. Since trucking jobs cannot be outsourced, the trucking industry relies on American workers to step up and fill these positions.

Women truck drivers are a vital part of this equation. While women only make up about 7% of the current ranks of professional truck drivers, 47% of the trucking industry workforce is women. Twenty-three percent are in management roles. These are great statistics – but if more women don’t step up to fill all the projected open driver positions, what might happen to the industry? Not only can women be professional truck drivers, but they should be.

Studies have shown that women are typically safer drivers than men, a valuable asset in an industry that relies on timely, safe deliveries of goods to the American marketplace. The savvy and safe female driver can turn an excellent safety record into higher earnings. Many trucking carriers award bonuses based on safety benchmarks such as accident-free miles driven. At Roadmaster Drivers School, we put a particular emphasis on safety training, both in the classroom and on the driving pad. Being a safe driver is an essential skill for being a professional truck driver. It’s a skill that trucking companies are willing to pay their top performers for.

Advice for Women Considering a Career in Truck Driving

You may have heard, “Trucking is a man’s job.” The women who do this for a living would disagree. They’d probably give you the following advice:

Go where you feel most wanted.

You need training if you want to drive, of course. Roadmaster Drivers School offers the perfect trucking school for obtaining your CDL before joining a trucking company and fosters an incredible feeling of camaraderie. We have a mix of male and female drivers, students, instructors, and directors, promoting a sense of camaraderie.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Always stay in well-lit areas when stopping for the night, such as a roadside truck stop that’s open 24-hours. Avoid areas with low lighting, and always remember to lock your rig’s doors.

Believe in you

This is maybe the most important advice you could get. Women don’t always have as much confidence as their male counterparts – this is amplified in a male-dominated industry. You’re probably just as—if not more so—qualified for driving jobs in the trucking world, so walk through the process confidently. Believe you can do it. This is an industry that will welcome you with open arms. Just ask Ellen Voie, President, and CEO of the Women in Trucking Association.

Wrapping Up

If you’re curious about a career in truck driving, we can help you train for your Class A CDL in weeks. Roadmaster helps students get pre-qualified for jobs before they even graduate from school. If you’re worried about tuition costs, we offer in-house financing for those who qualify to help cover tuition costs. The trucking carriers that recruit from Roadmaster offer up to 100% tuition reimbursement while employed with the carrier.

Are you ready to see where truck driving can take you? Apply today.