Goal

Increase the number of women saying “Me too I wanted the truck”.

Background

In Italy, for every woman driver, there are more than 98 men at the wheel of a truck. The pink quotas of Italian road haulage count 10 thousand drivers of heavy vehicles, equal to 1.6% of the total number of professional drivers, according to Istat data of 2018 [1]. The two sectors in which the gender inequality rates are the highest are transport and storage with a disparity rate of 56.3%, and the job of driving vehicles and lifting machinery at 96.8%. However, according to a study of Comitè National Routiere (CNR), a trucking company can save from 5,000 to 15,000 € by hiring a woman [2].

Moreover, the Italian Ministry of Labour, in concert with that of the Economy and Finance, ratified a decree in November 2019 which implemented a reduction of 50% of contributions for those employers (in economic sectors characterized by a marked employment disparity of gender) who wanted to hire women [3].

Measure

Uomini e Trasporti is an Italian magazine that keeps the transport companies informed with updates on technology, laws, contracts, agreements, trade union issues, and much more since 1982. In April 2020 it started promoting a project named Anche io volevo il camion (Me too I wanted the truck).

The aim is to break down cultural barriers and provide practical tools that can make this profession more compatible with the life of women (and men). The activities include the proposal of a manifesto with 10 possible benefits deriving from this action and 10 main measures to be put in place [1]. Moreover, a blog is created to share with the community the positive experiences of women working in this sector [4].

Outcome

The expected outcome is based on two main objectives to be reached in Italy by the end of 2023. The first one is to increase the female percentage in the transport and storage sector from 21.9% to 25%. The second one is to have 5% of women as truck drivers, compared to 1.6% in 2018.

Sources:

[1] Press release describing the “Me too I wanted the truck” initiative.
https://www.uominietrasporti.it/un-manifesto-di-uomini-e-trasporti-aumentare-occupazione-rosa/

[2] CNR study of employment and pay conditions of international lorry drivers in Europe.
http://transportgenderobservatory.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CNR-Comparative-study-of-employment-and-pay-conditions-2016.pdf

[3] 25 November 2019 Decree
https://www.lavoro.gov.it/documenti-e-norme/normative/Documents/2019/Decreto-interministeriale-n-371-del-25-novembre-2019.pdf

[4]  A blog where positive experiences of women working in this sector are shared.
https://www.uominietrasporti.it/categoria/uet-blog/anche-io-volevo-il-camion/