LADIES ON BOARD...
It goes without saying that coaches and buses play a critical role in getting the nation to work and our children to school; as well as forming a vital method of cost efficient transport for the leisure industry.
According to a research an impact of World War II was that women took on roles traditionally reserved exclusively for men. In the transport industry this meant that women, who during peace time were bus conductors, had the opportunity to work as bus drivers.
Fast forward to today and women are seen in a wide range of careers and achieving success in a range of formerly male dominated industries. In fact women ' s economic empowerment is one of
Photography By: Habiba Khanam
the biggest social changes of our time, notwithstanding the fact that there is still a considerable way to go before workplace equality is truly achieved. That change, however, does not seem to have fully materialised in the coach and bus industry where it is estimated that only 5 % of drivers are women.
There is this question I asked, why the low percentage of women in bus industry unlike other industries, and here are the responds I got from people:
50 / 50: what do you think about the low percentage of women in bus industry?
Mr Ebrahim: I think some women are shying away from taking to the steering wheel of a bus.
50 / 50: Why do you think they are?
Mr Ebrahim: because there are some reasons and one of the primary factors of this, is the perception amongst women that the job is a male preserve.
cont..
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