Bill Summary
This legislation, known as the "Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act", aims to increase the representation and opportunities for women in the trucking industry. It requires the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to establish an advisory board, called the "Women of Trucking Advisory Board", to promote programs and organizations that provide education, training, mentorship, and outreach to women in the trucking industry. The board will also identify industry trends and risks that discourage women from pursuing careers in trucking, and make recommendations on strategies to address these issues. A report on the board's findings and recommendations will be submitted to Congress, and the board will terminate after the report is submitted.
Possible Impacts
1. By requiring the establishment of an advisory board focused on creating opportunities for women in the trucking industry, this legislation could potentially provide more job opportunities for women in a male-dominated field. This could lead to more gender equality and diversity within the trucking industry.
2. The legislation also emphasizes the need for coordination between trucking companies, nonprofit organizations, and trucking associations to support women pursuing careers in trucking. This could potentially lead to improved training, mentorship, and education programs for women, making it easier for them to enter and succeed in the industry.
3. By requiring a report to be submitted to Congress on the strategies and actions taken to promote women in the trucking industry, the legislation could bring attention to the issue of gender inequality in the field and potentially lead to further legislation or initiatives to address it.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2858 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2858
To require the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration to establish an advisory board focused on creating
opportunities for women in the trucking industry, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 14, 2019
Mr. Moran (for himself and Ms. Baldwin) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration to establish an advisory board focused on creating
opportunities for women in the trucking industry, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Women in Trucking
Workforce Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) women make up 47 percent of the workforce of the United
States;
(2) women are significantly underrepresented in the
trucking industry, holding only 24 percent of all
transportation and warehousing jobs and representing only--
(A) 6.6 percent of truck drivers;
(B) 12.5 percent of all workers in truck
transportation; and
(C) 8 percent of freight firm owners;
(3) given the total number of women truck drivers, women
are underrepresented in the truck-driving workforce; and
(4) women truck drivers have been shown to be 20 percent
less likely than male counterparts to be involved in a crash.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING WOMEN IN TRUCKING.
It is the sense of Congress that the trucking industry should
explore every opportunity, including driver training and mentorship
programs, to encourage and support the pursuit of careers in trucking
by women.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration.
(2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Women of Trucking
Advisory Board established under section 5(a).
(3) Large trucking company.--The term ``large trucking
company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section 13102 of
title 49, United States Code) with an annual revenue greater
than $1,000,000,000.
(4) Mid-sized trucking company.--The term ``mid-sized
trucking company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section
13102 of title 49, United States Code) with an annual revenue
of not less than $35,000,000 and not greater than
$1,000,000,000.
(5) Small trucking company.--The term ``small trucking
company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section 13102 of
title 49, United States Code) with an annual revenue less than
$35,000,000.
SEC. 5. WOMEN OF TRUCKING ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) Establishment.--To encourage women to enter the field of
trucking, the Administrator shall establish and facilitate an advisory
board, to be known as the ``Women of Trucking Advisory Board'', to
promote organizations and programs that--
(1) provide education, training, mentorship, or outreach to
women in the trucking industry; and
(2) recruit women into the trucking industry.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Board shall be composed of not fewer
than 7 members whose backgrounds allow those members to
contribute balanced points of view and diverse ideas regarding
the strategies and objectives described in subsection (c)(2).
(2) Appointment.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall appoint the
members of the Board, of whom--
(A) not fewer than one shall be a representative of
large trucking companies;
(B) not fewer than one shall be a representative of
mid-sized trucking companies;
(C) not fewer than one shall be a representative of
small trucking companies;
(D) not fewer than one shall be a representative of
nonprofit organizations in the trucking industry;
(E) not fewer than one shall be a representative of
trucking business associations;
(F) not fewer than one shall be a representative of
independent owner-operators; and
(G) not fewer than one shall be a woman who is a
professional truck driver.
(3) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of
the Board.
(4) Compensation.--A member of the Board shall serve
without compensation.
(c) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Board shall identify--
(A) industry trends that directly or indirectly
discourage women from pursuing careers in trucking,
including--
(i) any differences between women minority
groups;
(ii) any differences between women who live
in rural, suburban, and urban areas; and
(iii) any safety risks unique to the
trucking industry;
(B) ways in which the functions of trucking
companies, nonprofit organizations, and trucking
associations may be coordinated to facilitate support
for women pursuing careers in trucking;
(C) opportunities to expand existing opportunities
for women in the trucking industry; and
(D) opportunities to enhance trucking training,
mentorship, education, and outreach programs that are
exclusive to women.
(2) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit to the
Administrator a report describing strategies that the
Administrator may adopt--
(A) to address any industry trends identified under
paragraph (1)(A);
(B) to coordinate the functions of trucking
companies, nonprofit organizations, and trucking
associations in a manner that facilitates support for
women pursuing careers in trucking;
(C)(i) to take advantage of any opportunities
identified under paragraph (1)(C); and
(ii) to create new opportunities to expand existing
scholarship opportunities for women in the trucking
industry; and
(D) to enhance trucking training, mentorship,
education, and outreach programs that are exclusive to
women.
(d) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
of the House of Representatives a report describing--
(A) any strategies recommended by the Board under
subsection (c)(2); and
(B) any actions taken by the Administrator to adopt
the strategies recommended by the Board (or an
explanation of the reasons for not adopting the
strategies).
(2) Public availability.--The Administrator shall make the
report under paragraph (1) publicly available--
(A) on the website of the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration; and
(B) in appropriate offices of the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration.
(e) Termination.--The Board shall terminate on submission of the
report to Congress under subsection (d).
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