Canada has, like its neighbor to the south, a problem with truck drivers: There are too few and many are retiring or getting ready to. And, just as it is here in the U.S., trucking in Canada is looking to women to help meet the need.
A recent report by the CBC on the situation in the province of Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) demonstrates the issue.
The island’s trucking industry is facing a shortage of workers, and officials hope women will help fill the gap.
According to the P.E.I. Trucking Sector Council, many truckers are set to retire in the next several years. Executive Director Brian Oulton says about 30,000 truck drivers are needed nationwide by 2020, several hundred on Prince Edward Island.
The CBC quotes Oulton:
“In the past, I think a lot of women thought they had to be rough and tough, because steering these trucks is tough and there’s a lot of lifting, and that’s really not the case.
“What we’re really looking for in this industry is someone with a good head on their shoulders. It’s about problem-solving on the road, and that is way more important than how physically strong you are.”