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We want to bring more women in, but we have to make sure the industry is accommodating and values women.
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down on the side of the road. And that’s [true] for women and men,” Voie said. The overall safety culture of a company is another critical consideration. “Where are you sending your drivers?” Voie said. “Are you sending them to a bad part of town that’s dimly lit? To a crime-ridden area? “If the driver says, ‘There’s a snowstorm coming, I want to pull over’—what’s the company’s reaction?” Voie asked. “If they say, ‘Absolutely. It’s up to you to make those decisions’— that’s the kind of company you want.” Women In Trucking works with truck stop operators on safety and security, lighting, fencing—making sure that all drivers are safe, not just females, Voie said. “We also have self-defense, self-esteem experts talk at our events about how to carry yourself, situational awareness,” Voie said.
The group publishes an anti-harassment employment guide, available to members upon request. It addresses everyday situations in trucking and what to do in cases of inappropriate— or worse—behavior. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is conducting a study of crimes against female and minority drivers, Voie said. “We’re looking forward to getting those results, to see where crimes against drivers are taking place. In anticipation of that study, we’re doing our own survey with members— asking female drivers where they feel least safe. Is it at a loading dock, is it at a customer’s, is it in a training situation?” Dr. Kim Riddle, assistant professor in the School of Nursing and Allied Health at Western Kentucky University, who researches sexual harassment, said, “Women don’t want to go to work and
6/25/2020 11:21:31 AM FuelsMarketNews.com