Face of trucking in Manitoba is changing

The deep rumble of a diesel engine pulling into a grain elevator or construction site usually draws little attention.

But when the cab door opens and a young woman steps down from the driver’s seat — or a driver in his 20s — it can still raise eyebrows. For decades, the image of a trucker has been nearly universal: middle-aged, male, and seasoned by years on the road. But across Manitoba, that picture is beginning to shift.

A new generation of truck drivers — many of them women and younger men — is carving out space in an industry facing both opportunity and urgency. While long seen as a male-dominated trade, trucking is gradually welcoming drivers who don’t fit the traditional mould. And their presence is not just symbolic — it may be essential to keeping goods moving in the years ahead.

For Ellie Hodgins, trucking was less about career choice than family destiny. Growing up surrounded by trucks, she earned her Class 1 license in 2021, the moment she turned 18. Today, she hauls in the construction sector, often being the only woman — and the youngest driver — on site.

“Being a young woman driving a truck is the most rewarding part, because a lot of people don’t think you can do it,” Hodgins told the Sun. “But the challenge is constantly having to prove yourself. I show up to jobs, and people ask for my boss, assuming I can’t be the driver. When I step out of the cab, the looks on people’s faces make me proud every time.”

Her days start before sunrise with a full walk-around inspection — checking brakes, tires, lights, and hydraulics — before climbing into the cab for hours of hauling aggregate and material across worksites. The labour is demanding, but the independence fuels her. “Every day is different. You’re not stuck behind a desk. There’s freedom in it, but you also have responsibility. That’s what I love,” Hodgins added.

While Hodgins entered trucking straight out of high school, Kaile Preston came to it later, after starting a family. With a background in health care, Preston wanted a career that would keep her closer to home while supporting her husband’s farm work. Trucking proved to be the answer.

“With trucking, I can strap in a car seat and take the kids with me. It just worked for our family,” Preston told the Sun. “At first it was terrifying, but training gave me the confidence. The neat thing is knowing you’re part of the chain that keeps the economy moving — moving crops from fields to the world.”

Her work follows the rhythm of the harvest season, with days spent hauling grain from fields to elevators. The hardest part isn’t the hours, she said, but the unpredictability of sharing the road with smaller vehicles. “The hardest part is when car drivers think a truck can stop on a dime. You’ve got 100,000 kilograms behind you. That’s what makes me most nervous,” she added

In the oilfields of southwestern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, Nicole Miller has carved out her own space in a sector that remains “overwhelmingly male.” A single mother, when she started trucking three and a half years ago, she saw the job as both a financial necessity and an opportunity to build independence.

“The biggest challenge is time away from my family. But I’ve been lucky — I’m home most nights with my kids,” she said. “The industry has been very welcoming. Sometimes I still get surprised looks when I climb out of a truck hauling heavy loads, but there’s a lot of support too. Even kids come up and ask me to honk the horn. That makes it worth it.”

For Miller, the satisfaction is as much personal as professional. “We’re all rooting for each other. If you’re on the fence about it, just do it and give it your all. It’s a rewarding career if you give it a chance.”

While women are breaking gender stereotypes, young men are challenging assumptions of experience.

Akinwole Omole, who entered the industry out of both passion and practicality, says youth itself can be an obstacle.

“One of the biggest challenges is earning respect in an industry where experience is everything. People assume you lack skill, so you constantly feel the need to prove yourself,” Omole said.

His typical day starts with inspections before long stretches on the road. The hours can be isolating, but Omole takes pride in the essential nature of the work. “Every load I deliver keeps shelves stocked, businesses running, and families supplied. Trucking teaches you resilience, patience, and pride in your craft.”

At the training level, the shift is visible.

More women are enrolling each year, Professional Transport Driver Training School general manager Ryan Kyle told the Sun.

“We’ve had six women go through in the last 12 months, and three more are scheduled this fall. Every year there seems to be a small increase,” Kyle said.

Young women, he added, often approach training with determination. “They come in eager, ready to prove themselves, and often put in more effort than most of the guys. They want to do it to the absolute best of their ability.”

Young men bring motivation, too, though Kyle says training has had to adapt. “Most fails on Class 1 tests are now because of basic Class 5 mistakes — things like making right-hand turns on reds or forgetting you’re 72 feet long at an intersection. So we’ve started bringing in Class 5 manuals to reinforce the basics.”

Kyle also cautions that the industry faces a looming generational gap. “If companies don’t invest in proper mentorship for new drivers, we risk worsening the shortage. In the next five to 10 years, there could be real trouble filling seats when older drivers retire.”

That shortage is already a priority for the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA), its executive director Aaron Dolyniuk told the Sun.

“Between 2016 and 2021, there was a 43 per cent increase in women joining driving roles,” he said. “Beyond the driver’s seat, women are also playing greater roles in administration, safety, HR and leadership.”

Still, the challenges remain significant: long hours, isolation, sedentary health risks, and the lack of safe, secure rest stops. Dolyniuk said those issues must be addressed to keep recruiting fresh talent.

“The rewards are meaningful — drivers play a vital role in keeping goods moving across the country, from stocking grocery shelves to delivering medical equipment,” Dolyniuk said. “They take pride in making a difference every day.”

As National Trucking Week approaches, the stories of drivers like Hodgins, Preston, Miller, and Omole showcase both the challenges and the opportunities of a changing industry. Each represents a step toward greater inclusivity and sustainability in the workforce.

Hodgins perhaps summed it up best: “It’s fun, it’s empowering, and it’s worth it. If you love driving, go for it.”

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola