Izmir Metropolitan Municipality ESHOT General Directorate has undertaken an exemplary project by adopting the principle of gender equality and with the vision of increasing women’s employment in the public transportation sector. Within the scope of the “Drive to Equality” project, which was implemented with the 100 thousand Euro grant support provided by the French Development Agency (AFD), the training of 120 female driver candidates continues uninterrupted. The project will not only realize a first in Izmir, but will also create a model that will guide all of Türkiye by transforming the obtained data into academic publications.
The aim is to have more women behind the wheel
The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality is meticulously carrying out the “Drive to Equality” project with the aim of supporting gender equality and ensuring that women take a more visible and active role in the public transportation sector, which is traditionally seen as male-dominated. This project, which is being carried out under the coordination of the ESHOT General Directorate, aims to create a strong awareness that women can successfully take part in the driving profession. Within the scope of the project activities, the candidates first increased their awareness by attending gender equality and awareness trainings at Izmir University of Economics (IUE), with which a cooperation protocol was signed. Then, in the comprehensive training program held in Fuar Izmir Seminar B Hall, expert trainers provided theoretical information to female driver candidates on basic topics such as “Traffic Etiquette, Rules and Signs”. ESHOT Human Resources and Training Department officials and experienced driving school representatives also attended the program and emphasized the importance of the project.
From Theory to Practice: Female Candidates at the Wheel
After the successful completion of theoretical training, field training, one of the most important stages of the project, has begun. The 120 female candidates included in the project have begun receiving 10-hour practical driving training with experienced instructors from expert driving schools. In these trainings, all the basic information and skills required for the profession, such as detailed introduction of buses, general traffic information and applied driving techniques, are conveyed. During this intensive practical training process, planned to cover a period of six months, female candidates will have the opportunity to develop their professional competencies and gain experience in real road conditions.
Candidates Are Highly Motivated: “It Was My Dream, I Wanted It So Much”
The female candidates who participated in the trainings have high belief and motivation in the project. Aylin Sezer Eren, one of the candidates, stated that she took her fellow women who successfully practiced this profession as an example and said, “Since women do every job properly in every field, I wanted to try my luck. It is a very nice project. It was my dream anyway, I wanted it very much, we received great training. Since ESHOT is the best in this business, I want to continue here. There is nothing a woman cannot do. I received negative criticisms such as ‘You are a woman, you cannot do it, you cannot stand it’ but I did not give up. I wholeheartedly congratulate the women who do this job,” and expressed how meaningful the project is to her.
Another candidate, Bahar Doğan, said, “As a driving enthusiast, I was very happy when I heard about the project and wanted to try my luck. I saw a female driver on a bus route and said, ‘You can do the job you love the most.’ I applied and I am slowly getting closer to my dreams. I am proud of female drivers,” expressing the courage the project gave her and her hope for the future.
Ayşe Gişten also expressed her pleasure in taking part in the project and emphasized the importance of the support she received from her surroundings by saying, “I love driving. I get excited when I see a female driver at ESHOT. I wanted to be in their place. Every place a woman touches becomes more beautiful. Every job needs a woman’s touch. My family and friends are very supportive.”
The Izmir Model Will Be an Example for Türkiye
Determined female candidates who successfully complete awareness and field training will receive safe and defensive driving training at ESHOT’s Driving Techniques Training Center as the final stage of the training process. Female candidates who successfully complete this critical training will be eligible to take the driving test that ESHOT will meticulously implement. Candidates who are successful in the test will be employed as drivers within ESHOT and achieve their dreams. ESHOT, which also values the scientific aspect of the project, will share the valuable data collected during the training process in a special workshop to be organized during the year and this data will be converted into academic publications, providing an important scientific contribution in the field of gender equality. Thus, the “Drive to Equality” project, which was launched with great devotion in Izmir, will be a source of inspiration not only for Izmir but for all of Turkey and will constitute an important model for increasing women’s employment in public transportation.
Great Interest in the Project: Full Support from Women
The “Drive to Equality” project, announced by the ESHOT General Directorate via social media, public announcements and radio broadcasts, was met with an interest from women that was higher than expected. Among the many candidates who applied, 263 women who met the specified conditions were invited to an interview. ESHOT officials put the candidates who were invited to the interview through a meticulously implemented three-stage evaluation process. During this process, psychological and psychometric evaluations of the candidates were conducted and their driving skills were tested. At the end of all these evaluation stages, 120 women candidates who were selected according to their success rankings were eligible to participate in this hopeful training program. This intense interest and participation clearly demonstrates the desire and determination of women to take an active role in the public transportation sector.
