Women in Iran (Archive photo)
Photo :AP
New in Tehran: Female bus driver, but only for women
In city in which men and women only allowed to ride on bus together if it is separated into two distinct sections, it is decided to employ female bus driver who will transport only women in order 'to make their movement and security easier'
It was reported in the Iranian news agencies that the first female bus driver in Tehran started work Wednesday. Being a bus driver is a profession that was previously reserved for men.
The woman will drive on a women-only line that spans about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). The price of a trip on this line is about NIS 0.5 (12 cents).
Riding Comfortably
'Ladies' Safe Trips' company aimed at women who feel uncomfortable riding in close proximity with members of opposite sex
The manager of the bus company in Tehran, Muhammad Ahmadibufunda, told that Iranian news agency IRNA, "The bus is meant for women only, and is operated in a special framework of the company."
According to the law in the Islamic republic, men and women are allowed to ride together on the bus only if they sit in two separate sections.
According to Ahmadibafunda, "Our goal is to develop public transportation use, and to ease the movement of women and their security."
He noted that more women will join their team of drivers if the program proves successful.
There is more good news for women in the Iranian capital. Last month, the first private, women-only taxi company went into operation in the city. Masuma Bolki, the first female taxi driver in Tehran, said, "This is expected to have a positive impact on the morale of women in the country."
