Women in Trucking Statistics 2026: Where Women Stand Behind the Wheel

For the bigger picture, read our US truck driver shortage 2026.

In 2026, women make up somewhere between 7% and 10.5% of CDL drivers, depending on fleet size. That number has barely moved in two years. Meanwhile, women now hold almost a third of trucking's executive seats and nearly half of its dispatch jobs.

So women clearly want careers in trucking. The question is why so few of them end up behind the wheel, and why so many who do end up leaving. Here are the numbers, where they come from, and what they mean for drivers and carriers.

Women in trucking: key numbers at a glance

How many truck drivers are women in 2026?

The most current number comes from the Women In Trucking Association's 2026-27 WIT Index, released in August 2026. It surveyed about 210 organizations between November 2025 and April 2026.

On average, women make up 9.5% of CDL drivers, exactly the same as in the 2024-25 index. The share depends on company size:

• ★Small fleets (under 500 employees): 10% of CDL drivers are women
• ★Mid-size and large fleets (500 to 4,999 employees): about 10.5%
• ★The biggest fleets (5,000+ employees): about 7%

These figures only count drivers of medium and heavy-duty trucks, not delivery vans. WIT says the numbers stayed relatively flat compared to the previous index.

You may see other numbers online. Some articles quote Bureau of Labor Statistics data, but the BLS groups heavy truck drivers together with light truck, delivery, and driver/sales workers. That makes it a poor fit for measuring women in Class A trucking specifically.

The trend: a drop, then a plateau

The big story is not growth. It is a reversal that has not recovered yet.

The 2023-24 WIT Index put women at 12.1% of professional drivers. One year later, that fell to 9.5%, the lowest point in five years. The 2026-27 index shows the same 9.5%, so the drop has not reversed. Industry observers pointed to several reasons: lack of quality childcare, safety concerns, an aging driver population heading into retirement, and misperceptions about what a driving career looks like.

The pipeline is shrinking too. According to a National Transportation Institute survey, women were 10.7% of CDL students and trainees in 2024, down from more than 15% in 2022. Fewer women in training today means fewer women drivers tomorrow.

Women already run much of trucking, just not the truck

Here is the contrast that surprises most people. According to the 2026-27 WIT Index, women hold:

• ★31% of C-suite and executive roles
• ★37.5% of supervisory leadership roles
• ★29% of board seats
• ★76.5% of HR and talent management roles
• ★45.5% of dispatcher roles
• ★44% of safety roles
• ★2.5% of diesel technician roles

Women are planning the loads, managing safety, and hiring the drivers. They are just not driving the trucks in the same numbers.

Why women leave trucking

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) published a major study in 2024 on the challenges women truck drivers face. Its findings explain a lot of the numbers above.

Safety is the top reason women walk away. 24.7% of women surveyed had left the industry at some point over personal safety concerns, compared to 11% of men.

Harassment is a daily reality for many. About 17% of women drivers reported harassment or discrimination every day, compared to 8.4% of men. Another 12.4% said it happens weekly.

Respect comes first. When asked why trucking is harder for women, 31.3% pointed to attitudes toward women and disrespect. Personal safety (12.6%), restroom access (12.2%), and physical demands (11.6%) followed.

Parking and restrooms are a constant problem. About 2 in 5 women drivers said they struggle to find safe parking and clean restrooms.

Truck stops are the riskiest place. The FMCSA's 2022 Crime Prevention for Truckers Study found that 23% to 30% of harassment incidents against women drivers happen at truck stops, more than at shipper and receiver locations or fuel stations. Around 42% of affected women never report incidents.

Training can be the hardest stretch. ATRI flagged discrimination during training as an especially pressing issue, made worse by a shortage of women trainers.

Looking for a carrier that takes driver safety seriously? Trucky helps CDL drivers find companies that fit their life. Talk to our recruiting team

Women drivers have better safety records

This is the number carriers should pay the most attention to. The same ATRI research found that women drivers were safer than men in every statistically significant category, with fewer crashes, convictions, and violations.

For a fleet, that means lower risk, fewer claims, and potentially better insurance outcomes. Losing women drivers is not just a diversity problem. It is a safety and cost problem.

What is getting better

There is real progress, even if the driver numbers have not caught up yet.

The ATA's Women In Motion council partnered with the Trucker Path app to help women find safer stops. More than 12,000 truck stops now list at least one women-focused amenity, such as lighted parking, restroom access, showers, laundry, or on-site security. Nearly 250 offer all seven.

In 2026, the program named its first three women-friendly truck stops: Compass Travel Center in DeMotte, Indiana; Garden Inn Truck Plaza in Mound City, Missouri; and Talent Truck Stop in Talent, Oregon. Congress also approved $200 million for truck parking expansion.

What this means for drivers

If you are a woman thinking about a CDL career, the numbers say two things. First, the industry needs you, and women already succeed in it at every level. Second, the company you choose matters a lot.

Before you sign on, ask carriers about their trainer policies, how they handle harassment reports, how they plan routes and parking, and what home time really looks like.

What this means for carriers

With the driver shortage still squeezing fleets (see the 2026 shortage numbers), women are one of the largest groups of qualified drivers you are probably not reaching. They also come with better safety records.

The fleets that win here will be the ones that fix the reasons women leave: safe parking plans, vetted trainers, a real harassment policy, and recruiting that speaks to women directly. That work starts before the driver signs, not after orientation. Here is why retention starts during recruiting.

FAQ

For drivers: Ready to find a carrier that fits your life? Trucky connects CDL drivers with companies that respect their time and their safety. Talk to our recruiting team

For carriers: Want to reach more qualified drivers, including the women most fleets miss? See our CDL recruiting services or book a 30-minute strategy call with the Trucky team: calendly.com/hello-drivetrucky/meet-with-us

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