Topic
Female Truck Drivers.
Women drive trucks. They drive HGVs, artics, rigids, vans and tankers - in the UK and around the world. They're a small share of the driving workforce today, and a growing one. This page is for the women already on the road, the women considering driving as a career, the operators trying to attract and retain more of them, and anyone curious about what life actually looks like behind the wheel of a 44-tonne lorry. You'll find female truck drivers' profiles, first-person stories, links to the operators and training schemes that are actually moving the dial, and clear answers to the practical questions most people have before getting into the cab. The 2021 UK driver shortage put HGV driving on the front pages and pay went up sharply - but the cultural and infrastructure work to make driving a job that works for a mixed workforce is just as important, and that's what most of the women here are pushing on.
Female HGV & truck drivers across the UK
Women make up around 1-2% of HGV drivers in the UK - one of the lowest gender ratios of any major occupation. That figure is creeping up as operators invest in sponsored training, better facilities, more flexible shift patterns and recruitment campaigns aimed specifically at women. The women below are some of those already doing the job across the UK - from supermarket distribution to tanker work, owner-drivers to fleet operators.
Female truck drivers worldwide
The picture varies by country - the US, Australia and parts of Europe have higher female driver representation than the UK - but the shift towards more women in driving is global. The women below are driving for a living around the world, from long-haul in the US to regional distribution in Europe and beyond.
Why women in driving matters
The UK has a structural shortage of HGV drivers - tens of thousands of unfilled roles even after the post-2021 pay rises - and an ageing workforce. Solving that means recruiting from groups the industry has historically ignored, which means making driving a job that women actually want to do and can stay in. That requires more than recruitment campaigns: it means decent facilities at depots and on the network, kit and cabs designed for a wider range of body sizes, shift patterns that work for people with caring responsibilities, and a culture that doesn't tolerate the worst of what's still out there. Visibility helps. Seeing other women doing the job - and doing it well - is one of the most consistent things female drivers cite as the reason they considered the career in the first place.
Get into driving, hire a driver, or nominate one
Considering HGV driving as a career? Many UK operators offer sponsored training schemes, and there are dedicated programmes aimed at attracting women into the cab - the stories above are a good place to start. Hiring drivers and want to widen your pipeline? Use this page as a starting point and look at the operators and groups that are actually doing the recruitment work. Know a female driver who should be on this page? Nominate her - drivers are an under-represented part of the directory and we want to fix that.
Groups & networks
Females in Freight
A friendly UK community connecting women working across freight forwarding, haulage and logistics operations through meet-ups and online conversation.
UK & Ireland · Community for women across freight
Women in Sustainability
Membership network and regional hubs for women working on sustainability - highly relevant if your remit covers responsible sourcing or decarbonising supply chains.
UK & Ireland · Network for women driving sustainability
Women In Trucking Association
The original non-profit for women in trucking - driver support, mentoring, an online member community and the Accelerate! conference.
North America · From the driver's seat to the C-suite
Transport Women Australia
National association advocating for women in road transport and logistics, from drivers to owner-operators and executives.
Asia Pacific · Women in the Australian transport industry
Frequently asked
How do I become a female truck driver in the UK?+
You'll need a Cat C (rigid) or Cat C+E (artic) HGV licence on top of a standard car licence. The process involves a provisional licence application, medical, theory test, off-road manoeuvres test and an on-road practical. Many UK operators now run fully-funded driver training schemes that cover the cost in exchange for a commitment to work for them, and there are dedicated programmes - Think Logistics, Generation Logistics, and operator-led initiatives - aimed at attracting women into the role.
What percentage of UK truck drivers are women?+
Roughly 1-2% of UK HGV drivers are women - one of the lowest gender ratios of any major occupation in the country. It's slowly increasing, particularly in the supermarket and parcel sectors where operators have invested most heavily in recruitment and retention initiatives aimed at women.
Is truck driving a good career for women?+
Pay has risen significantly since the 2021 driver shortage - experienced HGV drivers can earn £35-50k+ depending on sector, hours and licence category. Schedules can be more flexible than people assume, particularly with multi-drop and tramper work. Operators are increasingly investing in facilities, cabs, kit and culture that work for a mixed workforce, though there's a long way to go on truckstops and roadside facilities.
What's the difference between an HGV and a truck?+
In the UK they're effectively the same thing. 'HGV' (Heavy Goods Vehicle) and 'LGV' (Large Goods Vehicle) are the legal terms used in licensing - any vehicle over 3.5 tonnes. 'Truck' and 'lorry' are the everyday words for the same vehicles.
Are there safety concerns specific to female drivers?+
The biggest concerns women drivers consistently raise are facilities (truckstops, depot toilets and showers), security at overnight stops, and harassment. Operators that take this seriously - proper depot facilities, vetted overnight locations, clear policies - see better retention. It's not a reason not to drive; it's a reason to choose your operator carefully.
Where can I read stories from female truck drivers?+
See the stories section above for first-person accounts from women currently driving in the UK and abroad. The career stories archive has the full set.