Women at the wheels of Delhi buses

Women Bus drivers

Author

Phanivikranth Kaja
February 22, 2024

Women at the wheels of Delhi buses

"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater"

More safety for women on board, financial independence for women were the primary objectives invisioned - Delhi Transport Minister, Kailash Gahlot

Target 2025: Delhi public bus fleet will have 8,000 electric buses, with at least 20% driven by women[1]

IMPACT

-- 60+ Women drivers already appointed at DTC[2]
-- 123 women already trained [3]
-- Few women drivers trained at DTC are now employeed at IKEA Pune driving 50 ft long trucks [4]

“None of the women drivers have met with an accident so far, nor have they been involved in any act of indiscipline or rash driving”[1:1]

Mission Parivartan Highlights[3:1]

  • An initiative to train women to obtain their Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) licences

  • 50% of the training (nearly Rs 4,800) for each woman is being borne by the Transport Department, government invited fleet owners and aggregators to sponsor the remaining 50 percent

  • Relaxed the norms and eligibility criteria to recruit women as drivers

    • Reduced minimum height criteria from 159 cm to 153 cm

    • Reduced experience criteria to one month

  • 4 months of training, includes training on driving test tracks as well as in the classroom[1:2]

Scheme perception and impact

I always loved driving. Thanks to an initiative by the Delhi city transport corporation. More women will soon join the profession. - Yogita Puri, a bus driver [5]

I feel more confident and safe when travelling in this bus. - A women passenger onboard on the DTC bus [5:1]

Initiative helps women empowerment and making them financially independent. - Transport minister Kailash Gehlot [5:2]

I feel proud of myself that I am known as the ‘first-ever female bus driver’, some days, I feel disheartened that why more women are not coming forward? My passengers like my driving skills, and I am often praised by them. They wait to ride on my bus. - Saritha, DTC bus driver [6]

Watch International coverage of this Initiative, DTC bus drivers and passenger reactions at Australian new Coverage

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