The search for new operators also involves increasing female participation in the trucking industry. However, despite the efforts made in recent years by companies, organizations, and institutions to incorporate more women into the profession, their presence within the sector remains limited, reflecting that the challenge goes beyond recruitment and is linked to the conditions for attracting and retaining talent.
As of the end of April 2026, Mexico registered 706,936 valid federal licenses , of which 6,857 corresponded to women, equivalent to 1% of the total, according to statistics from the General Directorate of Federal Motor Transport (DGAF) of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) .
Of the total number of federal licenses held by women, 5,471 corresponded to the cargo service, equivalent to 79.8% , while 1,386 belonged to the passenger and tourism segment, with a participation of 20.2 percent .
Low female participation is not unique to Mexico. The most recent report from the International Road Transport Union (IRU) indicates that women continue to be underrepresented in the trucking industry worldwide. In Europe, they represent just 4% of truck drivers, while Australia registers 9% , the highest participation among the markets analyzed by the organization.
For the IRU, increasing the presence of women represents one of the main opportunities to broaden the sector’s workforce. However, it warns that the challenge will not be solved solely through recruitment campaigns, but also through improved working conditions, including greater safety , adequate infrastructure at bus stops and rest areas, sanitary facilities, and work arrangements that promote a healthy work-life balance.
The organization also highlighted that women tend to enter the profession at a younger age than men, so removing barriers to access to training, modernizing the image of the profession, and improving working conditions would open the door to a talent pool that remains underrepresented.
In a context where Mexico has one of the highest rates of operator shortages among the markets analyzed by the IRU, expanding female participation appears not only as an inclusion strategy, but also as an alternative to strengthen the availability of talent in an industry that faces increasing difficulties in meeting the demand for professional drivers.
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