Okay, I have an amazing idea for a new TV show. Let’s film people driving big trucks.
What? That’s it?
Okay, well, driving big trucks over ice!
The rest is history and the phenomenal success of shows like Ice Road Truckers proves life behind the wheel really is fascinating to millions.
But did you know the majority of ladies asked in a new poll aren’t content with simply watching TV shows: they want to do the real thing.
A poll carried out by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) asked ladies if they were willing to drive a 44-tonne truck: 79 per cent of respondents said yes.
The findings have inspired the FTA to explore why more females are not actually coming into an industry that is the lifeblood in the supply chain for so many manufacturing and production companies.
Its importance cannot be underestimated. There is no point in Assembly Operators and Machinists trying to achieve maximum targets, if there’s no one to deliver raw materials or take finished products to customers.
In fact, the logistics sector is a hugely important part of the entire UK economy. An important business in its own right, it is also critical to the success of other businesses of all sizes and sectors – from farms to supermarkets and energy companies to waste handlers.
Currently, however, of the 315,000 registered truck drivers in the UK, only around 2200 are female – that’s less than one per cent.
There is a glimmer of good news: recent statistics show the number of younger women wanting to enter the profession is improving, with 15 per cent of female applicants aged between 21 and 25.
The FTA is also calling on the UK government to provide a suitable loan system.
It believes a big barriers for would-be truck drivers is the cost of gaining a licence and training, which is around £3,000.
The FTA Logistics Report 2016 shows more than 64% of HGV drivers are over 45 – the average age has steadily increased over the past 15 years – and problems with filling vacancies reflect a current shortfall of more than 45,000 drivers.