GOING HER OWN WAY: AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN TRUCKING

With the Australian government and the trucking industry itself pushing for more women working in transport, we thought it was time to look back on some of the wonderful women in trucking we’ve featured in the past on the Isuzu Content Hub.   

According to the National Women in Transport initiative, Australia’s transport sector is the third most male-dominated sector behind construction and mining, with women making up around 27.4 per cent of the country’s rail, road, sea and air workforce.   Meet some of the women in transport we’ve already featured and see what they’ve said about being part of the trucking industry.  

BELINDA MCKIMMIE, SNOWY MOUNTAIN LIVESTOCK TRANSPORT  

Belinda McKimmie and her husband Mal own and manage a Black Angus cattle farm in Victoria’s Snowy Mountains region.   When we talked to Belinda in September 2021, the couple had diversified from straight farming into livestock transport, with Belinda providing all the trucking duties at M&B McKimmie Livestock Transport - short carting and long-distance heavy haul livestock jobs.   “I think once there are a few more females breaking into trucking, women will see there’s jobs that they could easily do, enjoy and be rewarded. There’s no reason whatsoever that women can’t drive trucks,” she said.   “There’s a lot of farm work that women can handle too. Think about what else you can do on the farm that will compliment your business—it might be driving a cattle truck or expanding your skills and services in some other way.”  

COURTNEY HODGSON, APPRENTICE SERVICE TECHNICIAN  

When we talked to Courtney Hodgson in June 2021, she was in her third year of her apprenticeship and looking forward to a career of working with trucks.   

Courtney was the first female technician to work at Mount Gambier Isuzu.   “I’ve wanted to work with trucks my whole life,” she said. “My dad was a diesel mechanic, so I grew up watching him work on cars and trucks. I just found it fascinating how everything comes together and how much trucks can do. It was a massive thing for me growing up.”  

JACQUELENE BROTHERTON, TRANSPORT INDUSTRY ICON

Jacquelene Brotherton is the current chair of Transport Women Australia Limited, and has just celebrated 50 years in the trucking industry.   When we spoke to Jacquelene in 2019, she was the transport manager of Oxford Cold Storage, co-chair of the Wyndham Industrial Liaison and Development Committee, a columnist at Big Rigs and a life member of the Livestock and Bulk Carriers Association of New South Wales.  

“When I joined the Livestock Transport Association Committee to replace my father-in-law, I was not only the only woman involved in that committee, I was also the second-youngest person on that committee,” she recalls. “Now I’m one of the old-timers.”   Jacquelene said the transport industry had to adapt to be more female friendly, with flexible schedules and job sharing.   

“As an industry, we need to find a better way of attracting the younger generation. This is also a fantastic industry with plenty of opportunities for women. As a truck driver, women earn the same pay rate as men. Nobody cares whether you are male, female, transgender, gay, or anything. As long as you can drive, do your job properly, work the hours, you get equal pay. It’s an equal opportunity industry.”  

“If women want an exciting career in an industry that not only offers equal opportunities — but a career with a huge variety of roles and skills that are easily transferable overseas — then joining the transport and logistics industry is perfect. There is also a lot of fun to be had which is also important.”  

EMMA NEWELL-COURTNEY, SNAP-ON TOOLS FRANCHISEE 

Former diesel mechanic Emma Newell-Courtney is the owner-operator of a Snap-on tools franchise in Southeast Queensland.    When we talked to Emma in August 2022, she revealed she had been dealing with naysayers since she was an apprentice.     

“There have been times where I have had to pull out my trade certificates and say, ‘where does it say that I can't do this job because I'm a girl?’” Emma said.       “When it comes to a mechanic, gender shouldn’t matter, but there can be a lot of negative attention if you don’t fit the prescribed mould - if you are a person of difference.”   

THERESA MONTGOMERY, PARTS MANAGER   

Veteran parts manager Theresa Montgomery grew up around trucks and farming equipment, and then became a qualified sign writer.    While working at a cotton processing plant, Theresa was asked to look after the warehouse, where it became clear she had a good working knowledge of all things mechanical. She was offered a job in the spare parts department, where she thrived.    When we talked to Theresa in January 2021, she had been at Kenway and Clark, a farm machinery dealership with four branches, for five years.   

“It (the automotive sector) has always been a male dominated industry, and still is today, but now when I go to conferences, I see more women around,” Moree-based Theresa said. 

“Fifteen years ago, there were women in spare parts roles but they weren’t in any management positions, they’d be interpreters or below. Now there are more female parts managers. My parts department is a 50/50 split between female and male.”   While you wait for part two of the women in trucking roundup, discover the wonderful world of international truck shows.