Women are becoming an increasingly important part of the driving industry as well as comprising a larger percentage of drivers. It is gratifying to see a little more balance in an industry that has been traditionally lopsided for much of its history. There are a lot of women who drive solo, but the majorities probably run team. Husband and wife teams are very beneficial when it comes to handling time-sensitive cargoes, such as produce, which often times need to travel long distances in a relatively short period of time. Obviously, drivers running team need not be married to each other, but some companies prefer husband and wife teams because they are considered to be more stable, sharing both their work and their life.
Conditions have begun to improve for women drivers in the last few years. Certainly, truck-stop shower facilities have become nicer, and trucks are now designed with a larger variety of drivers in mind. However, chauvinistic attitudes are still prevalent among many male drivers, and at times, a woman is going to have to stand her ground.
It is also possible to be mistaken for a prostitute at some truck stops, and to be the recipient of unwanted comments and suggestions. Obviously, a woman has to exercise even more caution than a man in most circumstances, but there seem to be many women who have learned how to work safely in the trucking profession.
Some people, both men and women, believe that women are better drivers than men, while others feel the opposite. My personal thoughts are that if you take a large enough sample, you will find just as many good drivers and just as many bad drivers in either category.
