Mexican logistics rests on a foundation that is rarely seen: unpaid work and the role of women in the economy . In this sense, the sector is beginning to rethink its own structures at a time when talent shortages, turnover, and insecurity are putting pressure on the trucking industry.
In this context, the inclusion of women in the trucking industry emerges as an operational necessity. Currently, 46% of women in Mexico are employed or seeking employment, but only 6% hold management positions and 55% work in the informal sector, according to José Mucio Jiménez Orozco, Operations Manager for Western Mexico and Primary Distribution at Coca-Cola FEMSA , speaking at The Logistics World Summit & Expo.
He pointed out that these conditions not only reflect inequality, but also a missed opportunity for the logistics sector .
José Mucio Jiménez commented that the challenge is evident in the freight transport sector. Despite women representing 52% of the population in Mexico, their presence in this industry is limited: only 13.8% of the workforce is female, and there are barely seven thousand federal licenses for female drivers, compared to more than 700,000 for men .
This low participation occurs in an environment facing structural problems: high operator turnover, an aging workforce, and increasing competition for talent, including from the United States, which has attracted Mexican operators.
Given this situation, integrating more women not only expands the available talent pool but also brings operational improvements . According to shared experience, female operators exhibit lower accident rates, greater fuel efficiency, and a high level of commitment to route execution.
Inclusion , however, does not happen automatically. It requires structural changes within companies: from infrastructure improvements, such as bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, and dormitories, to the redesign of recruitment, training, and operational processes .
“We can say that we are going to hire more women, but if we don’t have the right conditions, the model doesn’t work,” Jiménez pointed out.
One of the concrete efforts to advance along this path is the Juntas en la Ruta (Together on the Road) program , developed by Coca-Cola in 2024 , to train professional female truck drivers. From more than 200 applicants, 10 were selected for the first cohort, which underwent a six-week theoretical and practical training program.
These types of initiatives not only aim to provide training , but also to break down paradigms in an industry historically dominated by men. In fact, the perception that women cannot operate heavy equipment has begun to fade in light of tangible results in safety, productivity, and performance.
In addition, complementary actions have been promoted such as safe rest stops with adequate infrastructure for women , road safety certification programs and alliances with actors in the sector to professionalize female talent.
Even so, the challenge remains significant . Globally, less than 3% of trucking operators are women, while in logistics they represent between 20% and 25% of the workforce, primarily in administrative roles.
The transition to more inclusive logistics is not solely driven by diversity goals, but also by the need to strengthen a key industry for the economy. In Mexico, sectors such as manufacturing, commerce, and agriculture depend directly on transportation, making it a cross-cutting pillar of development.
“Inclusion is not just a goal, it is the path to building a stronger, more diverse and sustainable industry,” the executive concluded.
With this, the participation of women in road transport is beginning to emerge as a strategic piece in the transformation of the sector, at a time when every talent counts.
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