Trucking Women

[Timothy Ross]

Big rig-driving women are the new queens of the road Here’s something I betcha didn’t know: The number of female truckers has increased by 68% since 2010, due in part to a trucker shortage... and the promise of good pay. Mother truckers make bank… or at least equal wages The gender pay gap is problematic in many industries, but not trucking. Truckers are paid by the mile, per load, hourly, and sometimes even by salary... regardless of gender.  New technology and changes in warehouse protocol have leveled the playing field. XPO trucks boast a modern transmission system that makes driving less strenuous. And, increasingly, at many warehouses, drivers -- male or female -- are not responsible for loading and unloading the truck. As e-commerce gets bigger, there will be even more demand for transportation workers. Ladies, do your thing. But life on the highway isn’t always easy Rookie truckers must spend hours on the road with a trainer, and most are men. Plus, finding a safe place to park overnight can be challenging: Lots are often full at the end of the day, which means late arrivals must drive past their limits or park illegally on the side of the road… which can be scary for anyone. Meanwhile, trucking turmoil is afoot -- er -- awheel? More than 3.6k Mack Trucks employees represented by United Auto Workers are strikingfor fair pay and job protections. This strike comes as the UAW’s nationwide strike against General Motors reaches its 1-month mark.

» Tell ‘em Large Marge sentcha

[Timothy Ross]

In Alaska, women are about as likely as men to take up farming Enter the Alaskan femme… farmtales? As Modern Farmer reports, a niche crop and good funding opportunities have made farming an increasingly attractive career path for women.  Everything’s coming up… err… well, not roses About 36% of US farmers are women. But in Alaska, women make up almost half the number of farmers -- and that number has risen rapidly. Between 2012 and 2017, the number of women working on farms shot up by 56%.  An increased demand for cut peonies is one factor contributing to the female farmer boom. In Alaska, these showy blossoms -- typically a spring flower in the continental US -- grow through late summer. In the 2000s -- before the craze caught on -- there weren’t many farms devoted to peonies. Now, there are at least 128. Farming can be a family-friendly enterprise, and that also entices some women to turn to agrarian careers. Martha Lojewski started Mount McKinley Peonies so she could work while caring for her young children. Lojewski and her husband went on to start a peony co-op. The majority of the farms involved are owned by women or families. There’s money for new female-fronted farms Meanwhile, organizations like the USDA Farm Service agency set aside grant and loan money for women and minorities starting new farms. With these funding opportunities available, it behooves farming families to organize their businesses so a woman is the principal producer.