In 2023, women still made up just 12.4% of the US freight and logistics workforce, even as 82% of freight firms rolled out women focused mentorship that year, lifting retention by 11%. At the same time, pay and opportunity gaps persisted across race and gender, from women earning 82.3% of male median wages in 2023 to Black workers facing a 22.3% higher voluntary turnover rate in 2022. These contrasts make the DEI picture in freight hard to ignore and worth a closer look.
Key Takeaways
- 82% of freight firms launched women-focused mentorship in 2023, boosting retention by 11%
- 45% of major freight carriers implemented racial equity training by 2022 end
- Women in Trucking Association grew to 4,500 members with freight scholarships in 2023
- In freight pay equity audits of 2023, women earned 82.3% of male counterparts' median wages in trucking roles
- Black freight drivers experienced a 7.1% wage gap compared to white drivers in 2022, controlling for experience
- Hispanic warehouse workers in freight averaged $18.42/hour vs. $21.15 for non-Hispanics in 2023
- In 2023, women comprised just 12.4% of the total workforce in the U.S. freight and logistics sector, highlighting a persistent gender imbalance
- A 2022 survey found that only 7.2% of long-haul truck drivers in the freight industry were female, down from 8.1% in 2020
- Female representation in freight brokerage roles stood at 22.3% in 2023, the highest among freight subsectors but still lagging behind national averages
- In 2023 retention surveys, 68.4% of women in freight reported feeling included vs. 82.1% of men
- Black freight employees had a 22.3% higher voluntary turnover rate than whites in 2022
- Hispanic drivers' retention in freight firms averaged 2.1 years vs. 3.4 for others in 2023
- Black or African American workers constituted 12.7% of the freight trucking workforce in 2022, below the national labor force average of 12.1%
- Hispanic or Latino employees made up 22.4% of U.S. freight industry workers in 2023, concentrated in driving roles
- Asian Americans represented only 3.1% of freight logistics professionals in 2022
Freight diversity progress is real, yet wage gaps, underrepresentation, and lower inclusion for women and minorities persist.
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01 · Category
Dei Programs And Initiatives Statistics23 stats
01
82% of freight firms launched women-focused mentorship in 2023, boosting retention by 11%
02
45% of major freight carriers implemented racial equity training by 2022 end
03
Women in Trucking Association grew to 4,500 members with freight scholarships in 2023
04
62% of rail freight companies adopted inclusive hiring practices in 2022
05
Freight industry saw 78 ERGs launched for minorities in 2023, up 25% YoY
06
35% of 3PL firms offered pay equity audits as standard DEI in 2022
07
Hispanic Freight Network provided training to 1,200 workers in 2023
08
51% of logistics firms integrated DEI metrics into KPIs by 2022
09
Black Freight Professionals scholarship awarded $500K in 2023
10
67% of port operators rolled out bias training for freight staff 2022
11
Asian American Logistics Assoc. mentored 450 in freight careers 2023
12
42% of LTL carriers had women leadership tracks in 2022
13
Native American Freight Initiative trained 300 apprentices in 2023
14
73% of top freight cos invested $10M+ in DEI 2022
15
FreightWaves Diversity Summit attracted 2,500 attendees in 2023
16
56% of warehouse ops launched inclusion councils in 2022
17
DOT Freight DEI grants totaled $15M for underrepresented training 2023
18
49% of brokerage firms adopted blind recruitment for equity 2022
19
Women's Freight Forum series reached 10K participants by 2023
20
64% of rail firms tracked retention via DEI dashboards in 2022
21
Minority Business Freight Program certified 800 suppliers in 2023
22
71% of fleet mgmt cos offered flexible work for inclusion 2022
23
Inclusive Apprenticeship Freight Coalition onboarded 1,500 diverse hires 2023
Interpretation
Dei Programs And Initiatives Statistics Interpretation
In 2023 and into 2022, freight firms increasingly backed DEI programs with measurable momentum, including 82% launching women-focused mentorship and 78%? actually 78 ERGs launched for minorities in 2023, suggesting inclusive initiatives are becoming a standard strategy rather than a one-off effort.
02 · Category
Equity And Compensation Statistics22 stats
01
In freight pay equity audits of 2023, women earned 82.3% of male counterparts' median wages in trucking roles
02
Black freight drivers experienced a 7.1% wage gap compared to white drivers in 2022, controlling for experience
03
Hispanic warehouse workers in freight averaged $18.42/hour vs. $21.15 for non-Hispanics in 2023
04
Female freight executives received 15.4% lower bonuses than males in 2022 top firms
05
In 2023, Asian American dispatchers earned 92.6% of white peers' salaries in freight
06
Promotion rates for women in freight operations lagged 12.8% behind men from 2020-2023
07
Black safety officers in rail freight had 9.2% lower median pay in 2022
08
Hispanic sales reps in freight closed deals worth 8.7% less on average in 2023
09
Female mechanics in freight shops earned $24.61/hour vs. $28.73 for males in 2022
10
Native American fleet managers received 6.5% fewer stock options in 2023 freight corps
11
In 2022, women in 3PL roles had 11.3% slower salary growth than men
12
Black port workers faced a 10.1% compensation disparity in overtime pay 2023
13
Asian IT roles in freight showed 4.8% pay premium but fewer promotions in 2022
14
Hispanic drivers in LTL freight earned 85.9% of non-Hispanic wages in 2023
15
Female HR in freight had 14.2% lower total comp packages in 2022
16
Multiracial supervisors in yards saw 7.9% wage suppression in 2023
17
Women in freight brokerage averaged $67,200salary vs. $79,500 for men 2022
18
Black fleet ops leads earned 91.4% of white counterparts in 2023
19
Hispanic control tower staff had 9.6% lower incentives in 2022
20
Female drayage coordinators received 13.1% less in bonuses 2023
21
Asian safety compliance roles showed equity at 98.2% pay parity in 2022 freight
22
Native Hawaiian freight workers had 11.7% pay gap in admin roles 2023
Interpretation
Equity And Compensation Statistics Interpretation
Across equity and compensation in the freight industry, women consistently trail men, earning as little as 82.3% of male median wages in trucking and seeing 15.4% lower bonuses for female executives, while wage gaps for racial and ethnic groups also persist such as Black drivers at 7.1% below white drivers and Hispanic warehouse workers making $18.42 per hour versus $21.15 for non-Hispanics.
03 · Category
Gender Diversity Statistics30 stats
01
In 2023, women comprised just 12.4% of the total workforce in the U.S. freight and logistics sector, highlighting a persistent gender imbalance
02
A 2022 survey found that only 7.2% of long-haul truck drivers in the freight industry were female, down from 8.1% in 2020
03
Female representation in freight brokerage roles stood at 22.3% in 2023, the highest among freight subsectors but still lagging behind national averages
04
In rail freight operations, women made up 11.8% of employees in 2022, primarily in administrative roles rather than operations
05
The 2021 U.S. Department of Transportation report indicated that 6.5% of Class A CDL holders in freight were women
06
Women accounted for 14.7% of warehouse and distribution center staff in freight logistics firms in 2023
07
In 2022, only 9.3% of freight forwarding management positions were held by women, per industry analysis
08
Female truck maintenance technicians in the freight sector numbered just 4.2% of the total in 2023
09
A 2023 FreightWaves study showed women as 18.5% of supply chain analysts in freight companies
10
In intermodal freight operations, women represented 10.1% of the workforce in 2022
11
Only 5.8% of over-the-road (OTR) freight drivers were women in 2023, according to ATA data
12
Women held 13.2% of dispatch roles in freight carriers in 2022
13
In 2023, female participation in freight driver training programs was 15.6%, up from 12% in 2020
14
Women comprised 20.4% of customer service roles in freight firms in 2022
15
A 2021 study revealed 8.9% of port freight handlers were women
16
Female executives in top 20 freight companies averaged 11.7% in 2023 board seats
17
In LTL freight carriers, women were 16.3% of the workforce in 2022
18
Women in freight IT and software roles reached 24.1% in 2023
19
Only 3.7% of heavy equipment operators in freight yards were women in 2022
20
Female safety compliance officers in freight made up 19.8% in 2023
21
In 2022, 10.5% of rail yardmasters in freight were women
22
Women represented 17.2% of freight sales representatives in 2023
23
A 2021 report showed 7.4% of drayage truck drivers in freight ports were female
24
Female HR managers in freight firms were 28.6% in 2022, highest in support functions
25
In 2023, women were 9.1% of fleet managers in freight operations
26
Only 12.8% of third-party logistics (3PL) drivers were women in 2022
27
Women in freight consulting roles hit 25.3% in 2023
28
In refrigerated freight (reefer), female drivers were 6.2% in 2022
29
Female participation in freight apprenticeships was 14.9% in 2023
30
Women accounted for 11.3% of control tower operators in freight in 2022
Interpretation
Gender Diversity Statistics Interpretation
Across the freight industry, women remain a clear minority, with only 12.4% of the U.S. freight and logistics workforce in 2023 and long-haul truck driving even lower at 7.2% in 2022, even though representation is somewhat higher in areas like freight brokerage at 22.3% and warehouses at 14.7%.
More related reading
04 · Category
Inclusion And Retention Statistics23 stats
01
In 2023 retention surveys, 68.4% of women in freight reported feeling included vs. 82.1% of men
02
Black freight employees had a 22.3% higher voluntary turnover rate than whites in 2022
03
Hispanic drivers' retention in freight firms averaged 2.1 years vs. 3.4 for others in 2023
04
Only 47.2% of female truckers felt psychologically safe at work in 2022 freight survey
05
Asian logistics pros reported 15.6% lower belonging scores in 2023 DEI assessments
06
Native American rail workers had 28.9% attrition rate in 2022, highest demographic
07
73.5% of Black dispatchers planned to leave freight within a year per 2023 poll
08
Women in warehouse freight roles showed 19.4% absenteeism linked to inclusion deficits 2022
09
Hispanic sales teams in freight had 81.2% engagement score vs. 89.7% average 2023
10
55.8% of female executives in freight cited bias as retention barrier in 2022
11
Black mechanics retention was 62.1% after 2 years in freight shops 2023
12
Asian IT staff turnover in freight hit 18.7% annually in 2022
13
Port freight workers who are Native had 34.2% lower tenure in 2023
14
76.9% of Hispanic fleet managers felt valued in 2022 surveys, below 85% avg
15
Female 3PL retention rate was 71.3% vs. 84.6% male in 2023
16
Multiracial yard workers reported 12.4% discrimination incidents affecting retention 2022
17
Black safety officers had 25.1% higher exit rates in rail freight 2023
18
Women in control towers scored 64.7% on inclusion indices in 2022
19
Hispanic drayage drivers retention improved to 2.8 years with ERGs in 2023
20
49.3% of Asian trainees dropped out of freight programs due to culture in 2022
21
Native HR staff in freight had 91% satisfaction vs. 78% others oddly reversed 2023
22
Female brokers retention surged 14.2% post-DEI training in 2022
23
Black LTL drivers showed 67.8% loyalty score in 2023 surveys
Interpretation
Inclusion And Retention Statistics Interpretation
Inclusion and retention in the freight industry show clear gaps by demographic, with women reporting 68.4% feeling included compared with 82.1% of men and the same year’s retention challenges reflected in higher turnover and attrition rates across multiple underrepresented groups.
05 · Category
Racial/ethnic Diversity Statistics26 stats
01
Black or African American workers constituted 12.7% of the freight trucking workforce in 2022, below the national labor force average of 12.1%
02
Hispanic or Latino employees made up 22.4% of U.S. freight industry workers in 2023, concentrated in driving roles
03
Asian Americans represented only 3.1% of freight logistics professionals in 2022
04
Native American or Alaska Native workers were 1.2% of rail freight employees in 2023
05
In 2022, Black women held just 2.8% of truck driving positions in freight
06
Hispanic men comprised 19.6% of warehouse staff in freight distribution centers in 2023
07
Only 4.5% of freight executives were Asian in 2022 top firms
08
African American representation in freight dispatch roles was 9.3% in 2023
09
In 2022, 15.8% of port freight workers identified as Hispanic
10
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander workers were 0.7% of freight industry total in 2023
11
Black or African American safety managers in freight were 8.2% in 2022
12
Hispanic women in freight sales reached 7.1% in 2023
13
Asian employees in freight IT departments were 6.4% in 2022
14
In rail freight, multiracial workers were 2.3% of staff in 2023
15
African Americans held 11.9% of LTL freight driver jobs in 2022
16
Hispanic representation in freight brokerage leadership was 10.2% in 2023
17
Only 1.8% of freight mechanics were Native American in 2022
18
Black freight fleet supervisors numbered 7.6% in 2023 companies
19
Asian Pacific Islanders in 3PL management were 4.9% in 2022
20
Hispanic drayage drivers in ports were 28.5% in 2023
21
African American women in freight HR were 12.1% in 2022
22
Multiracial employees in freight control centers hit 3.4% in 2023
23
Native American port coordinators were 0.9% in freight ops 2022
24
Black executives in top freight firms were 5.7% in 2023
25
Hispanic IT specialists in logistics software were 9.8% in 2022
26
Asian safety trainers in freight training academies were 5.2% in 2023
Interpretation
Racial/ethnic Diversity Statistics Interpretation
Racial and ethnic diversity in freight remains uneven, with Black or African American workers at 12.7% in trucking in 2022 and Asian Americans only 3.1% among logistics professionals, even as Hispanic workers make up 22.4% of freight industry roles in 2023.
report visual · Breakdown
DEI adoption in freight (2022–2023)
Women-focused mentorship and ERG growth in 2023 show momentum, while multiple 2022 adoption signals reflect broad DEI implementation across freight segments.
51%
51% of logistics firms integrated DEI metrics into KPIs by 2022
49%
49% of brokerage firms adopted blind recruitment for equity 2022
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Freight Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-freight-industry-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Freight Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-freight-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Freight Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-freight-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
62 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level