A new survey found that more than two-thirds (68%) of women truckers sleep in their truck's cab while on the road, and an overwhelming majority of them (89%) said they felt safe doing so.
That's one of the key findings of a new survey of 386 professional truck drivers by JW Surety Bonds.
The majority of women in the survey (53%) were millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) compared to just 4% Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), 16% Gen Xers (1965 to 1980), and 27% Gen Zers, who were born between the late 1990s and the 2010s.
JW Surety Bonds' survey wanted to know why respondents got into the driving profession. Responses by women included:
- 57% the freedom
- 53% the benefits
- 44% the schedule
- 44% the pay
- 13% getting paid to travel
- 12% not needing prior experience
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The company's survey also found what steps women drivers took to stay safe while on the road. Those measures included having some form of protection with them. These included:
- 62% pepper spray
- 58% knife
- 41% firearm
- 39% alarm system
- 37% bat or club
- 30% taser
- 27% extra locking system
As for male drivers, 55% said they kept pepper spray with them and 51% said they had a bat or club in their cab.
The survey, which included 60% women drivers and 40% male drivers, also found that 59% of women drivers earned more than $50,000, and 74% of them felt they were fairly paid. That compares to 48% of male drivers making $50,000 or more; 59% of them feel they are fairly paid.
The survey also found:
- 92% of male truckers believe young people should get into trucking.
- 92% of female truckers feel respected by fellow female truckers.
- 74% of male truckers feel respected by female truck drivers.
- 92% of male truckers regret getting into trucking, compared to 66% of female truckers.
- 79% of male truckers frequently feel lonely on the road, compared to 65% of female truckers.
