Benefits Of Electric Buses for Greater Diversity

The transition to E-Buses creates various new job opportunities. However, gender disparities exist, with women making up only around 20% of the workforce. E-Buses offer a chance for women to enter various roles. As the industry shifts to E-Mobility, training efforts can promote diversity and inclusivity, providing opportunities for women and marginalized groups. Encouraging female representation will lead to a more innovative and inclusive E-Mobility workforce.

Representation and New Employment Opportunities

With the sectoral transition towards E-Buses, new opportunities come along with this change. Workers and communities will depend on new E-Buses, so including and preparing society for this transportation shift is vital.

Female E-Bus Driver. De la Torre, G. TUMI E-Bus Mission (2023)

Jobs in the transportation sector are considered an occupation dominated by men. An article investigating a gender equality transportation survey written by Duxfield (2022) states that women only make up around 20% of the transportation workforce, and these numbers even decrease in transportation management positions. It is crucial to reduce this gap, and E-Buses present an opportunity for women to train and join the workforce in various job positions such as E-bus driver, mechanic, or fleet manager.

As the transportation industry transitions to E-Mobility, it creates new jobs, and workers from traditional automotive and fossil fuel-related sectors may need to acquire new skills. An array of job opportunities can arise, such as the manufacture of batteries and electric motors, jobs in generating and distributing energy, installing charging points, etc. Training and reskilling efforts provide the opportunity to proactively address women and other marginalized groups (for example, people with disabilities) and integrate them into the E-Mobility workforce.

Course Mascot. PEM Motion (2023)

Female Role Models in Electric Mobility

The ‘Electric Women in Transport 2022’ publication by Women Mobilize Women features 15 women working towards the electrification of mobility from around the world. Click on this link to browse through the online publication and learn more about their diverse and inspiring experiences.

Approaches to Promote Greater Diversity

Approaches to increase diversity in the E-Mobility workforce include:

• offer training programs and capacity-building initiatives to enhance women’s skills and knowledge in the E-Mobility sector, which can help bridge skill gaps and build a more qualified and diverse workforce
• encourage women to study careers directed towards E-Mobility and gain skills in these areas by providing scholarships, mentorship programs, and workshops to support their academic and professional development
• create safe and inclusive workspaces that respect and value diversity with the implementation of policies to prevent discrimination, harassment, and bias and ensure equal career growth and advancement opportunities.

Conclusion

Promoting employment opportunities for female drivers in the E-Mobility sector not only contributes to gender equality but also enhances diversity and innovation within the industry. It is essential to provide training and support for women interested in pursuing careers in E-Mobility and to break down barriers that may prevent their participation in this growing sector. If you want to know more about how the workforce is diversified, click on the link: La Rolita.

In 2022, Bogotá launched a public transport entity composed entirely of E-Buses, with about half of the drivers being women. By 2023, it currently operates 195 E-Buses serving 11 routes in the city. Enjoy the ride!

References

• Duxfield, I. (2022). New survey investigates gender equality in the transport sector. Eltis. Retrieved from: Link
• TUMI (2023). Transformative Mobility. Women Mobilize Women. Retrieved from: Link
• UITP. (2021) How to make public transport accessible and inclusive for all. UITP. Advancing Public Transport. Retrieved from: Link