According to recent statistics from the Swedish Transport Administration, the number of women who obtain a heavy truck driver’s license has increased significantly and almost tripled between the years 2017 and 2023.
– I think that more people dare and feel that they can handle it, says Ebba Persson from Matfors in Västernorrland who, at the age of 23, took the step from just having a driver’s license to becoming a truck owner.
It is not only the number of women who obtain heavy truck driving licenses that is increasing, but also the interest in transport training among young girls. It can also be seen in high schools. At Liljaskolan in Vännäs, Västerbotten, 8 out of 20 girls are enrolled in the transport education.
– You almost always get a job right after graduation, so that’s good. says Unéa Fröling from Stöcke, south of Umeå.
Positive for the industry
The industry states that it is a positive development to see more women take their seats. According to a report from the Transport Union’s Occupational and Working Environment Committee, TYA, which Teknikens värld recently published, on average eight out of ten people with a truck driver’s license get employment in the industry.
It is an indication of the great demand that prevails in the sector and which is expected to continue for a long time to come.
– We need fifty thousand new drivers in the next ten years, so we need to attract everyone who can think of working with this, and it is a profession that works for everyone, says Göran Danielsson, industry representative at Sweden’s Åkeriföretat.
Steps towards an equal workplace
For Ebba Persson, haulage owner from Matfors, things are going well and she is positive about getting more female colleagues in the industry.
According to her, this is a step towards a more equal workplace and a sign that change is possible, even in industries that have traditionally been male-dominated.
– It’s a great job, but you have to be a little tough, says truck owner Ebba Persson.