Cubic Transportation Systems Takes MobilityXX Pledge to Increase Gender Diversity in Transportation

New industry initiative aims to increase the number of women in the mobility sector by 10% in 10 years.

SAN DIEGO – Oct. 4, 2021 – Cubic Corporation’s Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) business division has taken the MobilityXX pledge, dedicated to increasing the number of women from all backgrounds in the transportation sector by 10% in 10 years.  

Alarmingly, women make up only 15% of the transportation workforce, and according to census data, the proportion of women in transportation occupations only increased by 3% from 2005 to 2019. Undoubtedly, transportation isn’t the only field where women are underrepresented, but the percentage is relatively low compared to other occupations. Women make up 36% of physicians and 37% of lawyers in the U.S., for example, but their participation in those fields has grown steadily. 

MobilityXX is a partnership of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), The Ray, and WTS International. It is engaging the broader transportation industry to give more women a seat at the table by pledging to complete two or more action items over the next year that promote diversity and increase the number and influence of women within their organization. CTS is committed to advancing corporate sponsorship and employee resource groups and diversifying industry panels as part of its pledge.  

“At Cubic Transportation Systems, we are constantly discussing inclusivity with our employees, and it’s time we take action and break the barriers for women,” said Jeff Lowinger, president of Cubic Transportation Systems. “Throughout many of our teams at CTS, we have bold, innovative women making ground-breaking changes that are helping our company strengthen and grow, and we would love to see more of that in the industry. We are proud to pledge with MobilityXX.” 

It’s essential to bring more women and women of color into transportation, particularly into decision-making roles. Having more diverse voices to weigh in will help solve critical challenges in the transportation space, which will improve the traveler experience and organizational success. According to McKinsey & Company, companies in the top quarter for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to outperform on profitability.  

Interestingly, despite the lack of women in the mobility industry, they spend more on transportation than men, often due to handling household trips and errands and opting for safer mobility options. The median extra costs women pay in New York City compared to men, for example, is $26-50 per month.  

“With women using and investing more in transit, they deserve a seat at the table and an opportunity to share their experiences,” said Bonnie Crawford, vice president and general manager of Umo. “There is a natural assumption that transit events must be filled with executives, who are often men. Instead of stacking a conference panel with senior leaders, the transportation industry would benefit by leveraging talented women who often hold subject matter expert roles at various levels. Operators and product specialists have a perspective and proximity to the customer base that’s incredibly valuable – and often inaccessible by the C-suite. By gathering a broad cross-section of people, the entire industry will benefit from their shared experiences.” 

Today, Mobility XX launched its #10in10 campaign, primarily on social media, to build awareness and encourage organizations to take the pledge. Check out Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for the first ten days of October and help spread the word. To learn more, visit https://www.mobilityxx.org/.  

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