A Bengaluru commuter shared a wholesome experience of an auto ride journey with a woman driver. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the user named Sneha revealed that a "lady driver" pulled up when she booked an auto. "My friends got more excited than me lol 'omg omg it's a woman driver," she wrote, further adding that she "obviously had to talk to her".
The driver told her that she was trained by Namma Yatri and earns around Rs 45,000 per month, and sometimes even more. The driver, whose identity was not revealed, said that there are around 300 women auto drivers across the Koramangala region.
Safety is one of the major factors stopping women from considering auto driving as a career option, but the driver told Sneha that she's never been teased, and also said people are "mostly supportive".
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See the post here:
The driver, who is an inspiration for many other girls, said that she likes when youngsters chat with her at signals, especially girls who are proud and happy for her.
"She didn't get any subsidised loan. no special interest. not even because it's an electric auto," Sneha wrote, concluding her post describing the ride as "insanely wholesome" and highlighting the rarity of seeing a woman auto driver.
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Social Media Reaction
The post, which went viral with 282,500 views, sparked widespread praise online, with users appreciating the driver's confidence and kindness. Many called for more women to join the auto driving profession, citing the positive impact on city commutes and women's safety.
"I have a blanket policy of paying 1.5x to 2x for electric autos, they are soooo much better. I really wish the apps would let me only book e-autos like they do with cabs. I've in fact written letters to all the apps but no reply alas," one user wrote in the comment section.
"Need to normalize more of this.. society needs more women to participate in the economy.. India's GDP could easily be 20% more if women's participation went up," another user said, suggesting why more and more women must contribute to the nation's economy.
"Glad to hear that women auto and cab drivers are slowly but steadily increasing in our country as it would really help in ensuring the safety of women travelling alone, especially at night. Another great step towards ensuring women's safety," a third user wrote.
