Tag Archives: trucking

Does your recruiting ad attract women?

What makes a word relate better to a male or a female? According to Kat Matfield, who created a gender decoder for job ads (http://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com), “we all use language that is subtly “gender-coded” and this affects job advertising as well.

Matfield based her web-based tool on a study by professors from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada and Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Her goal is to remove gender bias in hiring, starting with the recruiting ads.

woman-truck-driver

Before Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, many job ads were grouped under headings signifying the specific gender of the applicant. For example, stewardesses looked under the job listings for women and truck drivers could find carriers hiring under the listings for men. Continue reading →

How can you attract and engage your female drivers

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If you are a typical trucking company, you have one female driver for every 19 males. This is the national average (around five percent). There are some carriers who enjoy a much higher female driver pool. What are they doing differently?

First, they have a culture that values and appreciates women. Years ago you could walk into a terminal and see more women in the mechanic’s calendars than you did in trucks. There were only men’s restrooms and showers and the few female drivers who entered the lounge were teased mercilessly.

Fortunately, that has changed, but not everywhere. There are some places that haven’t changed the environment and those are the carriers that have a hard time attracting women to the workforce.

Look at the company’s recruiting ads. Do they always show a male driver with his mind on the “wife and kids at home?” One recruiting ad said the company was looking for “a few good mustaches.” Another ad read “take your wife to the big island.” Do they really think women feel included in these recruiting efforts?

Are there women visible in management roles at the carrier? If so, women will feel welcomed and valued by the company when they see more women in leadership roles.

Another thing to think about is your pet policy. For many women, a pet is not only a companion, but a safety feature. A barking dog has scared away more than one predator in a parking lot and many women require a pet friendly company policy.

Following are ways some carriers that have joined Women In Trucking Association as corporate members are engaging their female drivers.

1. Find a way to bring them together. Host an event or give them all t-shirts that identify them as drivers for your company.
2. Sign them up as members of Women In Trucking so they can enjoy the benefits as well. They’ll receive invitations to networking events, opportunities for mentoring, a weekly e-newsletter, a lapel pin and membership card and more, for only $10 under the corporate membership.
3. Send them to the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel held each March at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky. They’ll receive a red t-shirt and a bag filled with goodies from the sponsors while they enjoy the chocolate fountains and entertainment. Visit salute2women.com for information about the event.
4. Direct them to the Women In Trucking Association Facebook page where over 5,000 drivers share tips, trials, and successes with one another. The site is monitored by drivers for drivers and the information is current and relevant.
5. Encourage your current drivers to mentor a newcomer. You can direct them to the Women In Trucking website, or just ask your own drivers to offer support and encouragement to those new to the company.

There are carriers that are becoming more aggressive in their efforts to recruit female drivers because of the benefits women bring. Not just as drivers filling a need, but as well qualified employees who bring a different perspective to the job.

As drivers, women take fewer risks according to Ron Kipling, author of “Safety for the Long Haul.” Kipling credits this trait as being related to differences in the level of testosterone between men and women.

Trucking company executives often tell me that women are better at completing their paperwork and often treat their equipment better than their male counterparts. Regarding communication, women are often viewed as being better with customers as well.

As trucks become more driver friendly and the freight is no longer being “fingerprinted” by drivers, the opportunity to become a professional driver extends beyond those who are big, muscular, and mechanically minded. The length of haul is getting shorter and time at home is viewed as crucial in attracting and retaining drivers.

Adding women to the driver pool is not just something we should do to fill a need; it’s something we should be doing because we have an opportunity to utilize under-represented potential.

As carriers, you can attract and retain more women and you should WANT to be increasing your percentage of female drivers. Use these suggestions and maybe you can enjoy more safe and conscientious drivers in your fleet.

Spice up Father’s day with surprises

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We are well aware, trucking isn’t an easy task. Hard work and dedication whipped with tight schedules and less sleep just to make sure the load heavy. The service these dedicated truckers provide does not benefit only our families but it is also included as an integral part of our economy.

Father’s day is round the corner, show your father how much you care and appreciate his hard work. A token of appreciation through an amazing gift will do wonders. Truck fathers, sit back and wait, gift will roll your side by the weekend.

XM/Satellite Radio

Being on road all alone is boring indeed. This may also make the trucker fall asleep while driving. It is difficult to keep a track of new frequencies and with time, they keep going on and off which is frustrating. What would be better than a satellite radio meeting your needs and you enjoy your trucking journey. There are stations dealing with trucking, turn on to channel 128 which provides news and info for truckers, or choose your favorite station and enjoy your journey all day and night long.

In-Truck Kitchen Accessories

While being on road all day, you can surely not get all the comforts of home but by putting together amenities like a mini fridge, hot plate, slow cooker and coffee pot to stay healthy and enjoy home-made-food rather than stopping by the truck shops and fast food restaurants. This will let your truck father to stay healthy all day and enjoy his meal.

Smart Gadget

Pretty much with the technology, you can gift your dad a tablet or laptop which provides him the opportunity to surf the web and relax after a long journey. Wi-Fi is available for free everywhere. So this will make your journey enjoyable, eliminate boredom and time can be killed easily. Another advantage of gadgets is to e-file returns online throughm.tax2290.com. This is the mobile version of tax2290.com through which your father can file taxes online without any hurdles to cross and eliminating the wait.

Sleeper Cab Fan

Trucking is not based on timing, any day and any time truckers have to drive miles and miles, which includes sleeping in the truck which is sometime really awful. A sleeper cab fan can surely help by providing the best sleep and stay fresh on the roads. Even accidents can be controlled when the trucker rest well.

Electric Blanket

With the weather changes, no one can predict what a will it be like in the nights. It might be warm, hot and sometime chilling. In such cases, an electric blanket can keep the trucker’s temperature in check; keep him warm and toasty providing sufficient rest as required.

Plug-in Coffee Mugs

After a peaceful sleep, the first thing in the morning is a cup of tea/ coffee whichever is preferable. Some coffee mugs are plug-in so they can be charge and let the element stay warm for a quite awhile on the first leg of the day.

Pressure Relieving Cushion

T.R.U.C.K.I.N.G sounds simple and interesting but long hours of continuous sitting will make the journey uncomfortable and sometime painful. To get relief from pain, gift the right cushion and make a huge difference.

Audiobooks

Satellite radio can be great but books cannot be left behind. If you have tried reading books while you are behind the wheels, stop doing that. It is indeed dangerous and can bring in destructive results. An audio book can provide you with the best of both the worlds. There are many applications which can provide you with the various audio books and kill your time.

Spa Coupons

Truckers’ job lies behind the wheels all day, traveling from one destination to another, moving out from one client to another. Irrespective how many hours and miles are crossed each day, body ache and crave for some rest. There are restricted movements within the seat. So here, kids gift your dad a massage certificate to ease the pain and make him feel relax again.

Bonus! A favor of deed

If you feel all these gifts will not make a difference, you can surely take a call with E-filing for your father. U.S truckers are required to file their return on Heavy Vehicle Used Tax orHVUT every year. As this is pre-paid, you can take a chance. Get the important documents from your dad and choose an authorized service provider like tax2290.com to file your return. Oh yes, you can always rely on our support team in order to get your way clear when you are stuck with anything. We will help you with every important support required. The new 2290 tax year for 2013-14 is round the corner, you can start your 2290 filing from July 1^st 2013. E-file your tax return and get your stamped schedule-1 copy in minutes.

Well, this will be the biggest gift for your dad. We can assure you one big task for the year is over…

Sunday- 16^th June is not so far. Time to buckle up your shoe and run down the streets to choose the gift you would like to surprise your dad with. Truckers, you may be on road, behind the wheels or at home relaxing,Tax2290.com wishes you a safe and prosperous Happy Father’s day.

You serve the country with all dedication; you serve your family with all attention… We are honored to honor you this day. Happy Trucking Fathers!

Size matters!

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Remember when you were a kid and the bully on the playground liked to pick on the little ones? He couldn’t have been a bully if he were a skinny little youngster. His bulk gave him more confidence than his brain provided. His size was a factor.

Think about what you would do if you found a penny on the sidewalk? Would you reach down and take the time to pick it up? What if that coin were a silver dollar? Would that make a difference? Does size matter when it comes to money?

Why is a marathon so challenging? Couldn’t we just let runners run a mile and give them ribbons for their success in the race? Does the length (size) of the race make a difference?

Does size really matter when it comes to associations? Would you be as willing to join a group that has four members or one that has four hundred or four thousand members? Why does size matter when it comes to Women In Trucking?

There are many reasons that size is crucial for the success of a nonprofit association such as Women In Trucking.

First, when we approach potential members and ask them to join, they want to know how big the organization is and how many people have already joined. They want to be sure that we are a solid, well-established group before they write a check for their dues.

Another reason size matters in associations relates to how much influence we have in regulatory matters that affect our members. If we want to meet with an agency to address concerns about an issue, the more people we represent, the greater the level of power we have as a group. The bigger the association is, the larger our voice is when it comes to matters that concern our members.

Size is also an issue when it comes to member benefits. In order to offer you a member discount on a product or service, we need to show the vendor that they will have a great deal of exposure to potential consumers. The more things we can offer to our members, the more money you will save through your relationship with us.

Why do large families buy things in bulk and purchase items by the case? It’s because the greater the size the less costly the item, but only when more is better. Doing things on a larger scale decreases the cost per person and is more cost effective. Size matters when it comes to shopping.

Companies who join Women In Trucking Association are interested in obtaining exposure to the greatest number of people who might want to do business with them. The more members we represent, the more corporate members we will attract as well.

You’ve heard about ways to increase your strength, increase your financial situation, and increase your status at work or socially. For associations, the goal is to increase members.

This is why we need you. Whether you are a student, driver, dispatcher, maintenance technician, carrier executive, or other industry employee, we need you to help us increase our size. You can do this by becoming a member, or if you’ve already joined, then invite someone else to be a member of Women In Trucking Association.

The more members we represent, the more we can accommodate your needs as an advocate for women in the trucking industry. It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, as we welcome anyone who believes in our mission* to join us. We are focused on representing you, and the more of you who support us, the more we can assist you.

Think about it … size does matter and you are an important part of our growth. Call us at 888-464-9482 or join online at www.womenintrucking.org.

*Mission: Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.