Ashima Bhalla standing in her bakery - Made by AKB, Calgary on Monday, July 1, 2024.Bhalla is a 23 years-old woman who started her business two years back. (Photo by Snehpreet Kaur/The Press)
Despite a steady push for women’s participation in business, the trucking sector remains largely male-dominated. Women represent a mere fraction of the workforce in trucking.
“We only had three to four female truck drivers at a time since we started our company,” said Simrandeep Kaur Sandhu, co-owner of Syndicate Trucking, Calgary.
According to Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) research in the year 2023 about 18.4 per cent of business in Canada were owned by women. However, only 4.3 per cent women in Canada are the part of trucking industry.
This pie chart shows the participation of men and women in the sector of trucking according to data by immigration.ca.
There are various issues that women are facing in business and trucking which are related to societal perspective and psychological factors. From having the responsibilities of being primary caregivers to concerns like gender bias, pay gaps, and lack of opportunities in industries saturated with male workforce, the participation of women in the economy is still low.
“Being a mother, raising a child, and looking after the household is the first preference for many women,” said Sandhu.
These societal expectations paired with deep-rooted bias in industries like trucking, hold women back from leading the workforce and jobs like such.
Long-haul trucking requires drivers to be on the road for weeks which is not always convenient to the family responsibilities that many women prioritize.
Problems faced by women because of their gender
A Podcast with Ashima Bhalla, the owner of a bakery named Made By AKB. The podcast shows her struggle and problems faced by her while she started her own business.
Due to patriarchy, women are not liked in both trucking and business. Women are expected to do household chores and some light jobs instead of business and truck driving.
“I got a lot of support from women when I opened my storefront, but I didn’t get as much support from men,” said Ashima Bhalla, owner of Made by AKB, Calgary.
Another problem faced by women both in trucking and business is harassment and abuse.
Research by American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) showed that every day one in six female drivers is harassed or discriminated because of her gender while being on road by their male fellow drivers.
The harassment is not only bound to trucking, it can be seen in all professions.
“People don’t like a girl standing in a store alone and I often face bad comments from the opposite gender,” said Bhalla.
Factors affecting the increase of women's participation in business
Post-COVID women started participating more in business, this is because of the necessity and skills that women naturally have related to cooking, art and craft.
“In COVID, I saw there was a lack of home bakers as everything was closed and I thought to polish my skill of baking and starting it as a business,” said Bhalla.
According to research by Guidant, about 14 per cent food businesses and restaurants are owned by women.
On the other hand, various psychological factors keep women away from sectors like trucking and in the vicinity of business.
A study in developmental psychology conducted in 2021 highlights how early gender preferences can influence career choices. The study found that girls prefer dolls and soft toys, enjoying nurturing and pretending to be caregivers, while boys loved trucks and action figures.
These early interests often reflect in real-life roles and career preferences, taking women away from fields like trucking.
Comparison of women's participation in business. In 2017 15 per cent of total businesses in Canada were owned by women, in 2023 there was an increase of 4 per cent.
