More women should be in the transportation industry
In 2021, women constituted a hair above fifty percent of the licensed U.S. motorist population – that’s an impressive 117.6 million female drivers in the United States alone. Yet, the stark discrepancy of women in the mobility industry continues to cast a shadow on this statistic, resulting in many female drivers and passengers bearing the brunt of distressing, hazardous driving conditions.
A Federal Reserve report suggests that female entrepreneurs face significant hurdles in securing business loans as compared to their male counterparts. This financial challenge often inhibits their ability to procure necessary vehicles to expand their businesses. Here is where mobility companies can serve as the deus ex machina – annihilating these impediments for women aspiring to magnify their ventures. As the CEO of Fluid Truck, I can attest to this paradigm shift. Our platform, offering commercial vehicles at the click of a button, has become a catalyst for the birth of numerous women-led businesses that now sidestep the daunting task of securing a business loan.
Our co-founder and chief legal officer, Jennifer Synder, embodies this spirit of transformative leadership in the transportation domain. She pointed out the grueling reality: “With interest rates on the rise and dwindling funding sources, sourcing capital to initiate a business is becoming increasingly formidable. If female entrepreneurs found it tough previously, the current economic environment presents an even steeper uphill battle.”
It is crucial for mobility companies to grasp the requirements of women and strive to dismantle the obstacles they encounter. This involves embracing female voices across the board, from vehicle design to the creation of safe driving conditions, and beyond.
A vehicle’s safety mechanism should inherently accommodate all drivers. However, the reality often deviates from this ideal. Women are statistically more likely to be injured than men, even when driving identical vehicles under identical crash conditions. This is partially attributed to crash test dummies, typically designed after the average man. The incorporation of women’s experiences and voices into the design process enhances the safety of vehicles for both female drivers and passengers. The introduction of the first female crash dummy in 2022 underlines the predominantly male-oriented bias in this field.
At Fluid Truck, we ensure the inclusion of female perspectives – customers and employees alike – in our product development process. This exchange allows us to effectively address the challenges confronted by our female clientele. Snyder stated, “An exemplary customer experience is imperative for all. Women, particularly those juggling the demands of business ownership, often find themselves stretched thin. If we can simplify, expedite, and enhance the safety of vehicle access, we provide substantial value to our female users.”
Historically, women have been at the helm of remarkable improvements in vehicle safety. From June Hill Robertson McCarroll, who introduced the concept of traffic lanes, to the inventors of windshield wipers and turn signals, all were women who identified issues with driver safety and sought solutions.
Public transit and ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, are often perceived as unsafe for women. A study of Public Transport Customer Satisfaction Surveys between 2008 and 2019 showed that women were 10% more likely to feel unsafe in metro stations than men. An additional survey revealed that 23% of female Uber riders and 15% of female Lyft riders reported uncomfortable encounters with drivers.
For many women, particularly in urban areas, public transportation and ride services are indispensable. The daily commute should not be marred by a sense of insecurity, and these unsafe conditions considerably limit women’s mobility. Uber’s initiative of investing €1 million to support female drivers across Europe represents a promising step towards change.
The trucking industry remains a male stronghold. However, the acute driver shortage has propelled women to take the wheel. The attractive wage potential, travel opportunities, and flexible scheduling present compelling incentives for women to join the trucking workforce
