For the first time in its 75-year history, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has recruited women to get behind the wheels. Women drivers with heavy vehicle licenses underwent a rigorous three-month training, while those without the license were trained for a year. At the end of the training, a test was conducted and those who cleared it went through another 80-day training program.
28 women have been recruited as drivers-cum-conductors for the state bus corporation. The MSRTC ridership went up mainly due to concessions given to women and senior citizens. Not only will they be driving within city limits, but soon will also drive long-distance inter-city routes.
Most of the women drivers were inducted in 2019; however, the pandemic delayed the process so many of them opted out. MSRTC aims to have at least 100 women drivers-cum-conductors to operate buses by the end of this year.
Image source: Hindustan Times