More young women consider truck driving as career

By Michelle Perrett

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Truck

More women want to take up truck driving
More women want to take up truck driving
There has been a rise in the numbers of young women wanting to take up truck driving, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has claimed.

Over 79% of women that took part in a Twitter poll said they would be keen to get behind the wheel of a lorry.

The trade association said that less than 1% of truckers were currently female and it would be looking to explore why more women were not coming into the industry. 

Around 2,200 of the 315,000 registered truck drivers in the UK were female, the FTA revealed.

It also said that recent statistics showed that the gender balance and younger women wanting to enter the profession was improving, with 15% aged between 21 and 25.

FTA campaign

The FTA is campaigning to solve the current shortfall of over 45,000 heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers.

Sally Gilson, FTA skills policy development manager, said: “These figures are encouraging as it is essential that more women are recruited – currently only 1% of HGV drivers in the UK are female.

“We believe that one of the biggest barriers for would-be truck drivers is the cost of gaining a licence and training ​ around £3,000. 

“FTA has been calling on government to provide a suitable loan system. The current personal career development loan option is not appropriate and a simple change to allow Level 2 qualifications to be included within the 19+ loan would provide the quickest and best solution.”

Truck drivers over 45

The FTA ‘Logistics Report 2016’ showed that more than 64% of truck drivers were over 45 and the average age had steadily increased over the past 15 years.

It said this had been compounded in recent years by the consequence of economic growth and the huge rise in e-commerce.

The FTA recently called on the government to prioritise the logistics industry in Brexit talks with the EU.

One of the UK’s largest trade associations, the FTA represents the transport interests of companies moving goods by road, rail, sea and air.

FTA members operate more than 200,000 lorries ​ almost half the UK fleet. In addition, its members deliver over 90% of freight moved by rail and 70% of UK visible exports by sea and air.

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