It’s a promising step forward…

If you use the bus to shuttle around the city, you may see someone different sitting behind the wheel – a female driver.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has recently recruited three female bus drivers for deployment on the internal bus network. It’s the first organisation in the Middle East region to take this initiative.

The announcement was made on social media via the RTA official’s Twitter account.

The three ladies started their new roles on July 3. According to a press release issued by the RTA, the move was designed to create job opportunities for women in a field that has been traditionally dominated by men.

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Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, added that the step promotes the culture of using public transport in the community, thus contributing to the delivery of better services to clients.

At the moment, it is just three, but we may see more women being recruited in the future.

The women drivers will be deployed on three internal routes: the first is the Circular Route 77 linking Baniyas, Deira City Centre, and Dubai International Airport’s T1, and T3. The second is Route F36, a metro link service that commutes between Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Science Park and Al Barsha South. The third is Route F70, which is also a metro link service, shuttling between Burjuman, Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi and Burjuman.

But this isn’t the first time ladies are sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle owned by RTA.

According to the release, RTA currently employs 165 female taxi drivers, 41 female limo chauffeurs, and one female school bus driver.

Images: RTA