Highly anticipated mentoring program

road transport sector begins the year staring down the barrel of an ageing driver workforce, a burgeoning freight task and critically depleted driver stocks.

THE business case for increased numbers of female heavy vehicle drivers is clear, with current schools of thought recognising increased profitability and productivity, safer roads and an easing of current driver shortages.

Given so many US trends permeate Australian consumer culture, recent figures released by US trucking tech

In this difficult climate, Women in Trucking Australia continue to field daily calls from employers desperate to keep their wheels turning – employers praying that somewhere we have a warehouse filled with off-the-shelf experienced female drivers.

The good news is that nationally, there are – in fact – countless numbers of licensed female truck drivers. The not so good news is that gender bias has precluded most from getting that elusive foot in the door – forcing them to put their heavy we have inexperienced, licensed women out there wanting trucking careers.

Despite limited research on female interest in trucking careers, one particularly compelling data source is the WiTA Facebook page – one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the sector. In less than three years, the site has garnered 1 new follower every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

With female workforce participation rates sitting at just 1.6 per cent, it’s interesting to note in January 2023 that the site’s 46,000 followers show a 44 per cent female/55 per cent male gender split – a clear indication that contrary to current numbers of women into trucking careers.

Many are now committed to providing robust training programs to develop female driver capacity. In doing our bit, WiTA will continue to work with stakeholders to create female connections, opportunities and momentum – in addition to providing advice on the introduction of the internal cultural shifts necessary to ensure companies are well prepared for gender diverse workplaces.

In Q1 this year, WiTA will launch its highly anticipated ‘Foot in the Door’ pilot program funded through the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Australian Govern

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THIS article is the ending of an era for the transport industry with the demise of this magazine under the restructure and rationalisation of News Corp

It is a sad day for all of us in the industry as Big Rigs magazine has been a part of our lives for almost 30 years.

For some, their entire careers so far.

It will leave huge gap as the editors and staff have supported the industry, provided fair and rational debate and given everyone a fair say in industry doings to all, as well as stories, pictures and news of our people, our trucks and our unsung heroes.

Our lives will be the poorer for its demise; being a columnist for Big Rigs for the past year and half has allowed me to fulfil yet another childhood dream, to write, and it has given me great pleasure and I hope it has at least been enjoyed by some.

While so many are focused on the negatives of the industry, I have tried to focus on the positives aspects or those issues about which I am most passionate and have a chance of making a contribution to change.

I began writing column when I was returned as Transport Women Australia Limited chair in November 2017.

In the interim, TWAL has had many successes and achievements.

It has expanded the relationship with Girl Guides Australia and been involved with several successful projects with them, the Victorian Snoozefest in April 2018, the “Great Bag Migration” for the International Jamboree in Sydney in October 2018 and other interactions that are expanding the knowledge of the transport industry.

We launched the Women Driving Transport Careers initiative with our partners Wodonga TAFE and Volvo Group at the 2018 TWAL Creating

Across

1 Name a renowned Roman general, Julius (6)

8 What was the title of an earlier Austrian s overeign prince (8)

9 Name a month of the year containing 31 days (6)

10 What are sudden bursts of ill humour (8)

11 To be crazy, is to be what (6)

13 To picture mentally, is to do what (8)

16 What are apothecaries known as (8)

19 Name small linear measurements (6)

22 What do we call a beekeeper (8)

24 What might we call proposals of marriage (6)

25 To be more cordial, is to be what (8)

26 What are waistbands known as (6)

Down

2 What is a sky-blue colour (5)

3 Name a renowned Australian explorer, Charles (5)

4 What were old goods trains known as (8)

5 What might we call a person seen to be closest to an admired stereotype (4)

6 When one adds lustre, one does what (6)

7 To stand with hand on hip and elbow bent outwards, is to stand how (6)

12 Name a coastal resort on the Riviera (4)

14 What are callers known as (8)

15 What is a ticklish sensation (4)

17 Which short stroke is used to connect the parts in Melbourne.

In November 2019 we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the organisation (TWAL) with a fabulous gala dinner at The Windsor Melbourne where we also presented our first four winners of the Driving the Difference scholarships with our amazing sponsor, Daimler Truck and Bus Asia Pacific.

We also presented the inaugural Trish Pickering Mem- orial Award, sponsored by the wonderful Wes Pickering.

This was awarded for longterm outstanding contribution by a female to the road transport industry, the inaugural winner was Pam McMillan the longest serving director and chair of Transport Women Australia Limited.

This is an annual award and the recipient of the 2020 Trish Pickering Memorial Award of a compound word (6)

18 Which term implies a deficiency in quantity (6)

20 What are low-priced restaurants (5)