Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act

Bill: 117-hr-1341
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gallagher, Mike [R-WI-8]
Introduced: 2021-02-25
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Advisory bodies

Congressional oversight

Employee hiring

Employment and training programs

Government information and archives

Minority employment

Motor carriers

Transportation employees

Transportation safety and security

Women in business

Women's employment
Latest action: action_date: 2021-02-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-02-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act</b></p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1341 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 25, 2021 Mr. Gallagher (for himself and Ms. Davids of Kansas ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act . 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. 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. 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. 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).