Delhi’s DTC set to induct 30 women bus drivers, taking total to 60

DTC is gearing up to induct its third batch of women bus drivers later this month, which would take their number to more than 60 across the fleet

In India, driving public buses is largely seen as a male domain, but in August 2022, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) sought to break this stereotype, employing 11 women to drive its buses on routes scattered across the city.

Despite the expansion of the Delhi Metro network, buses are still a very popular mode of public transportation in the Capital, with around 3.3 million people travelling on DTC-operated vehicles every day. The women currently in the DTC fleet have had encouraging experiences over the past 10 months. (HT Archive)

The experiment has been highly successful, and now, the DTC is gearing up to induct its third batch of women bus drivers later this month, which would take their number to more than 60 across the fleet.

A DTC official aware of the developments said, “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. In fact, DTC has also written to the Delhi government to give the women drivers a salary hike.”

A Delhi government official said, “The training of 30 more women drivers is complete and they are ready to hit the streets and pilot the buses. At a function later in June, transport minister Kailash Gehlot is likely to hand over the certificates of joining to another batch of women bus drivers. Delhi already has 34 women bus drivers.”

Despite the expansion of the Delhi Metro network, buses are still a very popular mode of public transportation in the Capital, with around 3.3 million people travelling on DTC-operated vehicles every day. The women currently in the DTC fleet have had encouraging experiences over the past 10 months. “When I entered the exclusive male club of DTC drivers last year, almost everyone looked at me with surprise. Now, more and more people look at me with respect and appreciation. We do receive some negative comments from naysayers, but we ignore them,” said Pooja, 22, who drives on the Nangloi to Nizamuddin Railway Station route.

Meena, 36, said: “Driving a bus in Delhi is a challenging task because all the time we are surrounded by vehicles from almost all sides. We drive very carefully to ensure no inconvenience is caused to anyone.”

For some women, getting a job as a bus driver came as a boon. Bharti Yadav, 27, has completed her Masters in Sanskrit but was unable to find a job. She said driving a DTC bus has financially helped her family. “My family members supported my decision to take up bus driving,” she said.

DTC hires women up to the age of 50 as bus drivers on a contract basis. Selected candidates have to train on driving test tracks as well as in the classroom for at least four months before they are allowed to drive a DTC bus.

Each driver engaged by DTC on a contractual basis is paid around ₹8 per km, which amounts to ₹800-1200 per day.

Under the Mission Parivartan — an initiative to train women to obtain heavy motor vehicle (HMV) licences — the Delhi government also provides financial support to women who want to learn how to drive a bus.

To be sure, the gender ratio of DTC bus drivers is horribly skewed — the transport operator has 15,000 male drivers — but the government plans to address this by mandating that by 2025, the city’s public bus fleet has 8,000 electric buses, with at least 20% driven by women.

Gahlot said, “The women who have been driving DTC buses have performed as per expectations and are setting examples of women empowerment. Under the leadership of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi government wants to ensure more participation of women in the city’s public transport fleet. It is likely to make the roads of Delhi safer and more passenger friendly.”