Question for female drivers

[john01]

I am a recruiter for a small company (33 trucks) in Southern Indiana, we currently have all male drivers and most of my recruiting calls are from men. my question is, what could I put in my advertising to attract calls from the other half (female) of the driving force out there. I feel like I am missing opportunities for a large pool of good drivers. Any help would be great.
The company is River View Trucking 1-800-462-1245 my name is John

[Morning Star]

I know that when I was driving, there were companies with the same problem. I got calls from a couple of different places trying to lure me away from the company I started out with. Unfortunately, I can't think of anything that will help you with recruiting them except advertising specifically for women drivers. Do you offer dedicated runs? Often times that will be appealing so that a woman knows when she can expect to be home. That is especially appealing if she is a mother. I wrote a book about my time as a truck driver. Reading it may also give you some insight. You read a sample chapter here: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/cha...naHobart.shtml

Good luck on your recruitment!

[rebtris]

Hi John,
I'm a female recent grad with a Class A CDL/Triples&Tanker endorsements and I live in north central West Virginia, about 30 or so miles east of Parkersburg off of Route 50. I have a nearly perfect driving record but no experience. If your company might consider training me, please let me know. Thanks!

[john01]

We are a small company and unfortunately do not do any training. We can only hire drivers with 2 years OTR. Could that be part of the boat we are missing? (If I sound out of line please forgive me I do not mean to be disrespectful to anyone). Does it seem that female drivers get out before they reach the 2 year mark? and there's just not as many still out there. another disadvantage is we have a very small hiring area. I have reviewed my advertising and without fail they all show the male as the target audience. (maybe I think to much like a man). I will need to check out your book.

[4roses]

john01 ... I think you hit the nail on the head ..

disadvantage is we have a very small hiring area.

..

this is alot of it ..... location. It's possible that where your located may have a smaller % of female drivers.

I personally know and have met several females that have been driving for MANY years ... we're just as dedicated and serious about our job as the male gender ....... we're just a smaller % of the drivers right now. So maybe in your advertising if you bring it to the attention of drivers looking for employment that your gender friendly this would slowly get around among the area your located. Good luck.

[GirlnamedShannon]

I don't think that there is a lack of women with better than two years experience OTR; there are just fewer women, period. We comprise less than 5% of three million truckers and that, combined with a limited hiring area, is probably why you have seen little interest from women drivers.

And in all honesty, women drivers want the same thing most men want from a company: safe equipment, fair pay, affordable benefits and reasonable hometime.

Unfortunately, the best advertisement for being a female friendly company is to have happy female drivers and I don't know the best way to overcome that given your limitations other than to emphasize in your marketing that you're an equal opportunity employer and that women are welcome to apply. Sometimes just an acknowledgement that we (women drivers) exist is enough to spark at least enough interest to call the recruiting number.

[golfhobo]

How about advertising 2 cents MORE per mile for females??

You will get hundreds of calls from female drivers saying that they don't NEED, WANT or DESERVE any "special" considerations!

But.... at LEAST you'll have them on the phone! Then, it's up to YOU!

How about advertising 2 cents MORE per mile for females??

You will get hundreds of calls from female drivers saying that they don't NEED, WANT or DESERVE any "special" considerations!

But.... at LEAST you'll have them on the phone! Then, it's up to YOU!

Must be why he asked for the opinions from the ladies cause this sounds just like a man! If we don't need special consideration why would you even think of posting this reply? Also, check your dates of the thread over 30 days old.

[Windwalker]

John01 - If you think about it... With the current driver shortage, any company that does not get involved with training to help supply drivers to fill the gaps, really does not deserve to hire any drivers. They're "pirating" them away from the companies that DO train them. Kind of a "MORAL" issue.

I'll shut up now.

[XoticGA]

That's too bad you don't train.. I'd be interested.. Southern IN is only about5 hours from me

[syl77dar]

goodluck

[4roses]

john01 ... just wondering .... have you come up with any ideas yet :?:

[Blind Driver]

Maybe try cleaning up the trucks would be a good start, inside and out. Every truck of your that I see in New Albany is dirty. Most of the female drivers I've met had clean trucks. Just a thought :wink:

[Sizzle]

I personally don't like to unload. I was fortunate because I stayed for 28 months with my first company and didn't have to unload. I dress in skirts and NEVER wear pants unless I have to hop up in the trailer and put load locks in.

I did driveaway [hauled new trucks to dealerships for 19 months out of my 28 months of experience] I had to dress in work clothes to take piggybacks and booms apart. Otherwise, I NEVER wear pants. So if you don't do driver unloads I'm sure that would be a big plus to advertise that!!!

Also, the fact that you might have a shop to take care of truck problems would be a big plus to me as a female. I don't want to spend hours in a truck stop getting a truck repaired.

If you pay for showers that definitely would be a plus also. I hate using fuel cards....

Hope these suggestions help!!!

[poodnubee]

I am back but not with that company anymore, could no longer afford position :? I am currently with M & M Transport Service in Indianapolis. Thank you for all of the input, Most of it has been beneficial. the one comment regarding dirty trucks, I agree, there is no reason to allow equipment to look that bad.

[malaekat]

John have you considered advertising 'equal opportunity jobs with equal pay scale' and possibly offering assistance in obtaining license upgrades as in a employer/employee split of the cost to upgrade for women applicants?

[malaekat]

John if i was in the states i would be interested but i'm not. I have a friend here in canada who when she went through school she was hired before graduating because of her high grades - have you thought of contacting schools in your area and recruiting females with high grades right from there? Sometimes and with the driver shortage you have to bite the bullet and change a policy like 2 yrs OTR in order to fill the gap. But high grades from a certified school should put someone in a good light. If this concerns you consider a contract with the new employee with an extended probation period based on their lack of OTR time. Try with one and word will get around that you hire females and if you treat em fair that will get around as well. Good luck to you.

[golfhobo]

How about advertising 2 cents MORE per mile for females??

You will get hundreds of calls from female drivers saying that they don't NEED, WANT or DESERVE any "special" considerations!

But.... at LEAST you'll have them on the phone! Then, it's up to YOU!

Must be why he asked for the opinions from the ladies cause this sounds just like a man! If we don't need special consideration why would you even think of posting this reply? Also, check your dates of the thread over 30 days old.

Okay, I'm resurrecting an old thread again. But, it's to make a point. BushBunny is/was/is? a good friend of mine, so I think this reply was before she really KNEW me!

The first point is that, though this was posted by a man, it got something like 5000 views! Either every woman driver on this board WANTS to know what a man has a question about.... or they came here looking for a "controversy."

Second point: Whether you want to hear it or not, MOST women truckers have a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Right? Heck, you're here NOW because of my recent notoriety on this forum.

I used to be in advertising, and I know my target audience! Anyone in marketing knows the value of getting a "callback."

Ladies.... I'm ON YOUR SIDE!! I know how hard it is for you in this career field. I KNOW how proud you are of what you've done... which is not so much more or less than any male has done. SOME of you may have had to fight the tide to get into trucking YEARS ago, but today, you are not only welcomed, but as this post shows, solicited! Nevertheless, you are up against the male "group think."

I was simply, and with my usual humor, suggesting that the best way to get a female driver to call you MIGHT be to "entice" her with a bit of "provocation." The owner/recruiter could EASILY have diffused the situation once he got you on the phone, by telling you the TRUTH! It's all about getting you to CALL him!

For the record, if I had suggested he offer you 2 cents LESS, he'd have gotten just as many calls, but they'd be from the more angry crowd, with the bigger chip! By offering 2 cents MORE, he'd get responses from those of you who were proud of yourselves and wanted him to know you could do the job WITHOUT such a cheap enticement.... in other words, the cream of the crop! Attitude is 80% of being a truck driver!

For those who would say I have no business on the Women's forum: That is totally sexist, and ignorant. Besides, MOST of you will spend little or NO time on the main forum, so we get LITTLE of your input there. (and vice versa.)

Yeah, I can stir up the pot now and then. But, if you want to work side by side with me, and you have EVERY right to, why would you want to have a "segregated" forum? If you can't deal with the opinions or comments of ONE poster on a forum, you might want to rethink getting out there in the REAL world of trucking.

I want you also to notice that the original poster "hit on you" for info, then disappeared. I am still here. I will always stand by your side. I will defend you when needed, help you when asked to, and inform you when I feel you need it. But, I will respect you always! You are ONE OF US!!

There's not a woman driver on this forum, or anywhere ELSE, that I wouldn't be proud to ride with! (And I'll include those women who are NOT drivers!) Some people have a big circle of friends (outside of trucking.) I don't. The reasons would bore you!

YOU are ALL my friends.... my coworkers.... my compatriots in arms! And, as soon as I get this noose off my neck, I'll be glad to share the road with you! [or a foxhole! I've lived with women in the military, too!]

And for BushBunny, who said my comment was "just like a man," thank you! I AM a man! Not a Neantherthal, as someone suggested. I'm a MAN... with SOME of the foibles and insecurities that come with the territory, but also with the decency, dignity, and responsibility that marks a TRUE man. Oh... did I mention "sensitivity?"

Any woman on this board, or elsewhere, who thinks ALL men are "alike," is a fool! And, dare I say... probably ALONE!

Hobo

[mapleleaf_1]

Hobo, I welcome your input in this forum, just as I hope my input is accepted in the other forums. The only thing I don't care for is when some guys make comments that are putdowns to women, rude or just plain crude. Whether it be in this forum or any other. I am a woman truck driver and damn proud of it. I try to show a positive appearance (not sure if those would be the right words to use) to people I see and deal with on the road. I know truck drivers are given a bad rap cause a select few. As for me....let me help you take that rope off. It's not needed. Enough said.

Drive safe everyone.