According to new data from the 2023 WIT Index from the Women In Trucking Association, the percentage of female equipment technicians in corporations with for-hire or private fleets in the commercial freight transportation industry has shown a substantial increase.

The 2023 WIT Index shows that more than 7% of technicians in companies in transportation are women. This number reflects an increase of nearly 4 percentage points from the reported 3.7% of women in technician roles in the 2022 WIT Index.

Still, nearly half of the respondents said they employ no women technicians. Another 24% reported that between 1 and 4% of their technicians are women. On the other hand, nearly 10% of respondents said their technician workforce was made up of at least 20% women.

“A major concern of the trucking industry is the widely reported shortage of professional truck drivers, who play a vital role in the U.S. economy by safely transporting the nation’s freight,” said Jennifer Hedrick, president and chief executive officer of WIT. “But drivers cannot complete that mission when their trucks are in the shop or broken down on the side of the road — whether it’s caused by a problem with the engine aftertreatment system, an electrical issue, or a problem with the truck’s brakes. That’s when it becomes abundantly clear that skilled truck maintenance technicians are indispensable in keeping professional drivers productive, on the road, and delivering on-time.”

Initiated in 2016, the WIT Index is based on reported statistics by companies in transportation, including for-hire trucking companies, private fleets, transportation intermediaries, railroads, ocean carriers, equipment manufacturers, and technology companies.

Data involving the 2023 WIT Index was confidentially gathered from January through April of 2023 from 350 participating companies of various sizes operating in the trucking industry. Percentages are reported only as aggregate totals of respondents rather than by individual company.

In 2022, WIT expanded its collection of the percentage of women to include not only technicians but also operations, human resources, and talent management. The WIT Index also identifies the percentage of women in leadership roles and professional drivers in the commercial freight transportation industry.