Female public bus drivers initiative falls flat

An ambitious yet lacking awareness about the law of the land plan, to enlist female drivers for government operated buses in Karachi has hit a snag and in turn exposed the short-sightedness of the provincial transit authority.

Last month the Sindh Mass Transit Authority had called for applications from women who wanted to drive public buses, under the Karachi Mobility Project. Successful applicants were to be trained in driving heavy vehicles and then would be able to get a job as bus drivers with the authority. Resultantly, about two dozen women applied.

However, the authority quickly realised that they had erred by inviting applications because they had overlooked the basic requirement for obtaining a heavy transport vehicle (HTV) licence. The prevalent traffic laws in Sindh mandate that to be eligible for an HTV licence, one needs to have had a light transport vehicle (LTV) licence for a minimum of 3 years.

A significant majority of the two dozen female applicants did not even have an LTV licence let alone have one for the stipulated time frame. Bashir Mirjat, Deputy Director of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority, whilst talking to the Express Tribune, acknowledged the department’s lack of awareness about vehicle licensing laws but was quick to add that the female applicants were now being trained to operate heavy vehicles. “Driving training is being provided to the female applicants at the National Highway and Motorway Training Institute, to enable them to be economically self-sufficient,” explained Mirjat, adding that the applicants would be eligible to be bus drivers in the future.

“By the time the Yellow Line buses are introduced, these women will have the requisite experience to obtain a HTV licence.” Kamal Dayo, Managing Director of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority, agreeing with Mirjat’s optimistic take, informed that the authority has now invited fresh applications for female drivers and will train them with the help of National Highway and Motorway Police so that they can have employment in the near future. However, the Yellow Line project, under which 268 buses will serve the populace of Karachi from Landhi Dawood Chorangi to Khudaabad, has a completion timeline of June 2025; therefore, it remains to be seen how the authority envisions that women bus drivers will become economically sufficient soon.

Nevertheless the authority’s vision has precedent in the Tharparkar area of the province, where women have been driving trucks and dumpers for more than 5 years. As per Khatao Jani, a journalist from Tharparkar: “At least 25 women belonging to different areas of Thar like Mithi, Islamkot, and Nagarparkar, have been driving trucks and dumpers at the coal plant for 6 years now.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2023.