Women in Trucking Australia (WiTA) has unveiled what it describes as the most comprehensive study yet into Australia’s female heavy vehicle workforce.
The 64-page WiT Report – A National Workforce Intervention Strategy 2026-2028 – released today on National Female Truckies Day – calls for sweeping reforms to recruitment, workplace culture and training as the industry grapples with chronic driver shortages.
The report is built on six years of research and the outcomes of WiTA’s three-year Foot in the Door (FitD) pilot program, which was funded by the Commonwealth and administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator through its Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative.
WiTA CEO and report author Lyndal Denny says the detailed study is intended to be more than a research document.
Instead, she describes it as a practical blueprint for reform that can help reshape recruitment practices, improve workplace culture and strengthen the long-term sustainability of Australia’s road freight workforce.
“Through targeted training programs and stakeholder support, WiTA will ensure newly licensed female drivers are equipped with the skills and qualifications necessary to succeed, ultimately strengthening the workforce and enhancing long-term industry resilience,” Denny said.
At the heart of the comprehensible report is a simple message: Australia’s driver shortage cannot be solved without significantly increasing female participation in the industry.
The report notes that women still make up only about two per cent of Australia’s heavy vehicle driver workforce, despite ongoing labour shortages and what it says is strong evidence that women perform well in safety, compliance and retention measures.
Rather than simply highlighting the barriers, however, the report also focuses on what governments, transport companies and industry organisations should do next.
Among its key recommendations is the creation of structured, nationally coordinated recruitment pathways that bridge the gap between obtaining a heavy vehicle licence and securing a first driving job.
WiTA argues too many women invest in obtaining licences only to find employers reluctant to offer them their first opportunity behind the wheel.
The organisation wants industry to adopt more consistent transition-to-work programs backed by mentoring, employer education and stronger partnerships with registered training organisations.
The report also recommends greater accountability from employers through measurable diversity targets rather than relying on public statements supporting inclusion.
It says gender diversity should become part of business planning, procurement processes and leadership performance indicators instead of remaining largely symbolic.
Workplace culture also features prominently throughout the report.
WiTA calls for stronger action to eliminate bullying, harassment and discriminatory behaviour, alongside practical improvements including better personal protective equipment, amenities designed for female drivers and more inclusive workplace policies.
The report argues many of the barriers women continue to encounter today are cultural rather than technical, with outdated attitudes still limiting recruitment and retention despite decades of industry change.
Education is another major focus.
The report recommends expanding employer education programs to challenge long-held misconceptions about female drivers while promoting the commercial benefits of a more diverse workforce.
It points to research suggesting women generally record strong safety outcomes, lower workplace injury rates and high compliance with company procedures.
Building on the success of the Foot in the Door pilot is another priority.
The national program supported 52 graduates across Australia, delivered an 80 per cent recruitment rate and helped women gain HR, HC and MC licences along with other industry qualifications. The average investment per graduate was about $4600.
WiTA says those results demonstrate that targeted investment can produce measurable workforce outcomes and should be expanded into a permanent national initiative.
Looking beyond the report’s recommendations, WiTA is also proposing the launch of Australia’s first female heavy vehicle driver recruitment agency, DriveHer Recruitment Agency.
The report says the agency would help overcome one of the industry’s biggest problems by giving employers access to work-ready candidates while ensuring newly licensed women are not left trying to enter the industry alone.
“DriveHer Recruitment will coordinate end-to-end applicant preparation, delivering targeted training, pre-employment readiness, licensing pathways and structured onboarding – while actively tracking retention and providing mentoring and ongoing support throughout each driver’s early career.”
Underlying all of the recommendations is WiTA’s longer-term ambition to create what it describes as a “grow our own driver” culture.
The report argues Australia cannot continue relying on an ageing workforce while overlooking one of its largest untapped labour pools.
Instead, it calls on governments, regulators, transport operators and training providers to work together to create sustainable pathways that encourage more women to enter and remain in trucking careers.
To download a copy of the WiT report, click here.