Women make up about 6% of Australia's truck drivers, a new report finds
About six in 100 truck drivers are women, and just four in 100 drive heavy vehicles.
About six in every 100 truck drivers in Australia are women, and just four in 100 drive heavy vehicles. Women's participation in Australia's wider workforce is almost equal, at 48.5 per cent.
The National Road Transport Association estimates the industry is already short 28,000 drivers. The driver shortage is projected to reach 78,000 by 2029.
A new report found women are being kept out of trucking, not choosing to stay away. Seventy per cent of male survey respondents said female drivers are likely to face sexual harassment.
Only 20 per cent of people who had seen or experienced harassment reported it. Drivers say toilets and showers at rest stops don't exist for women, or are only in men's blocks.
Some drivers said long, unpredictable hours forced them to choose between caring responsibilities and keeping their job.
- About 6 in 100
- Women among truck drivers
- About 4 in 100
- Women heavy vehicle drivers
- 28,000 drivers
- Current driver shortfall
- 78,000 drivers
- Projected shortfall by 2029
Why it mattersAustralia urgently needs more drivers, but the report says women are recruited and then leave.
AustraliaThe report recommends minimum standards at rest stops and enforced harassment reporting across the industry.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 4 h ago
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