DTC to seek help of NGOs to encourage women to join as drivers

Finding it difficult to recruit women drivers for its bus fleet, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has decided to approach NGOs seeking their help to encourage women to join the state-run body.
After Telangana-based Vankadarath Saritha joined the corporation as its first lady driver in April last year, the DTC failed to get even a single woman driver in the last one year.
"We will write to several NGOs which work for the welfare for women to encourage them to choose driving as a career so that they come forward to apply for such job.
"DTC is also ready to impart training of driving to those women who come forward to take up the task," said a senior official.

The official said most women hesitate to choose driving profession and that, there is need to encourage women to join DTC as a driver.
The decision to hire women drivers was recently taken at a DTC's Board meeting. The state bus-run body has 250 women conductors, but it has only woman driver.

"We have also relaxed rules to encourage women to join DTC. The maximum age limit for male applicant is 35 year but for women aspirants it is 40 year. DTC will also help women drivers get heavy license by giving training to them," he said.
In April last year, Vankadarath Saritha was inducted as the first woman driver of DTC though no other women came forward to take up the task so far.

The capital has seen women driving autos, cabs but a public transport bus is an interesting first.
The then Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai had lauded Saritha - who hails from Nalgonda district in Telengana - for accepting the challenge of driving a bus on the roads of Delhi and complimented DTC officials for their decision.