After female taxi drivers, Dubai now has the first female bus drivers in the region. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has recruited the first batch of three female bus drivers for deployment on the internal bus network, making Dubai the first city in the Middle East to take this initiative.
RTA currently has 165 female taxi drivers, 41 female limousine chauffeurs, and one female school bus driver. The three female bus drivers started driving passenger buses from July 3 on different routes in Dubai.
“This initiative goes with the best global practices of employing female drivers along with male drivers. The step creates job opportunities for women in a field dominated by men,” said Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the RTA’s Public Transport Agency. He observed that the initiative would further promote the culture of using public transport in the community with better services for commuters.
“RTA is always keen to continue its pioneering efforts. The initiative of employing female bus drivers is unprecedented in the Middle East region. The step is also in line with the RTA’s principle of empowering women and achieving gender balance across various jobs,” he noted.
(This article originally appeared on Gulf News)
