37-year-old Gladys Jepkemoi Kiprotich is among three women making headlines in Dubai as the first female double-decker bus driver in the Emirates.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on Thursday, March 30, Jepkemoi expressed her joy for achieving the milestone noting that she failed several times before finally getting her licence.
Further, she detailed that she pushed herself and went for further training to enable her to drive the double-decker bus.
"I failed twice before securing the bus driver’s licence. I did not give up and continued the rigorous training.
“And even when I was already driving a bus, I took further training, and now I’m driving a really big bus,” she stated.
Kiprotich, who is also a breadwinner in her family, added that she was proud of her work because she was a role model to her 14-year-old daughter Tifanny, who was studying in a high school in Kenya.
“I have really inspired my daughter to do well in life and in school. I’ve shown her how to be courageous and persevering,” Kiprotich stated
The three women including two Filipinas were first deployed by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in the city’s internal bus network in July 2020.
However, on March 23, they started driving the double-decker buses taking on longer routes around Dubai.
“The buses are 40-foot long, 15-foot high and 6.5-foot wide two-storey bus that can carry around 120 passengers,” Kiprotich noted.
Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, RTA's Chief Executive Officer lauded the women noting that the buses the women drove were safer compared to those driven by men.
The women affirmed that their road safety records were because of their caring nature and because they were mothers.
“This pioneering effort of employing female bus drivers is compatible with RTA’s principle of empowering women and achieving gender balance across various jobs,” Hashim stated.
