In a previous post, we discussed some of the issues facing female truck drivers. But, diversity extends beyond gender diversity.

In March, YRC and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) agreed to a set of changes to YRC’s hiring practices, designed to increase the diversity of its truck driver and dockworker workforce. According to the EEOC, YRC has agreed to:

   •   Expand its sponsorship of Women in Trucking, an organization established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry;

   •   Continue its “Diversity Days” initiative, an innovative program bringing together community and good faith placement agencies and human resources personnel to promote minority hiring;

   •   Enhance YRC’s recruiting efforts generally through a variety of measures to increase community awareness of opportunities at YRC for women, African Americans and Hispanics; 

   •   Provide new training to its managers designed to identify and remove unintentional yet significant barriers to hiring women and minorities into dockworker and driver positions; and

   •   Improve the work environment for women and minorities at YRC facilities.

The EEOC clearly has its eyes on the trucking industry, and it would behoove all trucking companies to take note of these changes. Failure to use hiring practices that attract diverse applicants can have a serious impact on your bottom line. EEOC regulations apply to small businesses as well, so even if you don’t have a fleet of thousands, not following the rules can have serious repercussions.