From the driving seat

In a world where stereotypes often dictate what roles men and women should play, women have  been breaking  the glass ceiling and taken up the journey  of empowerment.  In a patriarchal society when fronts  have always been occupied by men, there is an exception to it.  Kavita Shinde,  one of the first few cab drivers in the city, explains her journey and challenges to  VUCCD.

Sakshi Pandhare

Kavita in her forties, wakes up early in the morning, prepares food and gets ready to pick up children for school. Kids hug  her before leaving and this is a fifteen years old ritual.  Kavita Shinde is among the first few women van drivers in the city. She  has been driving and taking care of children for the past one and half decades. She loves  the idea of driving and didn’t restrict herself from stepping into a male dominated sector.

She remembers the old days. She said, “Back in 2009 only 2 women started driving, which marked a benchmark for her. She thought of a question “Why not me?”.  After completing her learner’s driving license, she started going on long drives with her family. Her family complimented her and encouraged to buy a van and start earning as a van driver for school.”

It has always been considered difficult for women to enter in the male dominated profession. Kavita was quite lucky as her husband supported and encouraged her passion for driving and  to become an equal partner at home.  Kavita says, “Family support is vital for  professional focus. If you have peace at home, you can chase your dreams. My family supported me. It was quite difficult  in the beginning for them. But they stood with  me.”

She points out complexities of her profession for women. She said, “ This occupation is fraught with complexity and stress. The primary concerns for a female driver are passenger behavior, inadequate parking facilities and restroom facilities.”

For Kavita, her family is important. She mentioned that her husband upholds daily chores like, buying groceries, cleaning house, helping the kids with their homework and every other daily task. Her occupation gave her an identity in society, and reinforcement of financial stability and security.

One important factor, for a female driver is, limited access to clean and safe restroom facilities. In the absence of well-maintained restrooms, it forces her to take a few leaves from her working days. Making it more difficult for her to perform duties comfortably, impacting her overall work.

She has belief in women’s capacities. She says, “  Women are in all domains. Like  driving bikes to trucks, a woman is proving that skill and capabilities have nothing to do with gender. This paves the  way for  an inclusive workforce.”

Women   van drivers are showing that skill, patience, and professionalism are not limited by gender. Their presence on the road uplifts more women to explore driving as a profession.