Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act
Bill: H.R.1341 | Sponsor: Rep. Gallagher, Mike (R-WI)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act
This bill directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to establish and facilitate a 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, retain, or advance women into the trucking industry.

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 to encourage and support the pursuit and 
retention of careers in trucking by women, including through programs 
that support recruitment, driver training, and mentorship.

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 more than 100 power units.
            (4) Mid-size trucking company.--The term ``mid-size 
        trucking company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section 
        13102 of title 49, United States Code) with not fewer than 11 
        power units and not more than 100 power units.
            (5) Power unit.--The term ``power unit'' means a self-
        propelled vehicle under the jurisdiction of the Federal Motor 
        Carrier Safety Administration.
            (6) Small trucking company.--The term ``small trucking 
        company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section 13102 of 
        title 49, United States Code) with not fewer than 1 power unit 
        and not more than 10 power units.

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, retain, or advance women in the trucking 
        industry.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Board shall be composed of not fewer 
        than 8 members whose backgrounds, experience, and 
        certifications allow those members to contribute balanced 
        points of view and diverse ideas regarding the strategies and 
        objectives described in subsection (c)(2).
            (2) Appointment.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
                appoint the members of the Board, of whom--
                            (i) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of large trucking companies;
                            (ii) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of mid-sized trucking companies;
                            (iii) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of small trucking companies;
                            (iv) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of nonprofit organizations in 
                        the trucking industry;
                            (v) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of trucking business 
                        associations;
                            (vi) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of independent owner-operators;
                            (vii) not fewer than 1 shall be a woman who 
                        is a professional truck driver; and
                            (viii) not fewer than 1 shall be a 
                        representative of an institution of higher 
                        education or trucking trade school.
                    (B) Diversity.--A member of the Board appointed 
                under any of clauses (i) through (viii) of subparagraph 
                (A) may not be appointed under any other clause of that 
                subparagraph.
            (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) barriers and industry trends that directly or 
                indirectly discourage women from pursuing and retaining 
                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, training and 
                education providers, 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, advancement, and outreach 
                programs that are exclusive to women.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 2 years 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 3 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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