Ask the Experts: Driver Shortage & Women in Supply Chain
Today, we’re launching our brand-new content series, where we’ll be speaking with executives and analysts from supply chain and transportation, along with carriers and shippers. The format is simple: one thought-provoking question, two expert answers with a goal to start a dialogue around key issues impacting the industry. Over the next few months, we plan to discuss everything from talent acquisition to supply chain visibility, so check back for more!
For the first post in our series, we spoke with two industry experts and two Transfix executives. Here’s what they said:
What are your two cents on the driver shortage? What is the impact that it’s going to have over the next decade?
“People have been talking about a truck driver shortage for over 20 years and some shippers are always skeptical. I think we really need to be thinking creatively around this and really change the structure of the industry. It’s just an idea and it may not be viable but it’s almost having drivers be a shared resource?”
-Adrian Gonzalez, President at Adelante SCM & Founder/Host of Talking Logistics
“It’s more important now than ever to leverage technology to improve the utilization of the carriers we have. Trucking is an imperative piece of the puzzle for the economy and the truck driver shortage can have detrimental effects on both companies and the end consumers.
For us, that includes using data and our carrier matching capabilities to make sure carriers are never driving empty. It’s about taking the limited supply of truckers we have and using them more efficiently and intelligently.”
-Jonathan Salama, Co-founder & CTO, Transfix
What would be the one piece of advice that you have for women in the supply chain industry that aspire to become leaders like you?
“I tell other female professionals that they always need to surround themselves with people that are strong [and have] diverse backgrounds. It’s just so important that they don’t have many versions of themselves that they’re hiring.”
-Shana Riggs, VP, Logistics, Customs & Supply Chain Operations, Chico’s, FAS Inc.
“Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of perfectionism. It’s a cliche, but I think women in particular can benefit from reminding themselves that perfect is often the enemy of good.
When you release yourself from expectations of perfection at all costs, that’s when you open up the biggest opportunities for personal and professional growth — when you can raise your hand for a hard task, or ask for the promotion you think you deserve. It’s freeing.”
-Andrea Blankmeyer, CFO, Transfix
