120 Female Drivers Take to the Roads in Izmir

As part of the “Eşitliğe Sür” (Drive for Equality) project developed by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s ESHOT General Directorate to increase female driver employment and strengthen awareness of gender equality, 120 female driver candidates have started training at Izmir University of Economics (IUE). The project, supported with a €100,000 grant from the French Development Agency (AFD), was launched with a lively opening ceremony hosted by the University.

The ceremony was attended by Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay, Izmir Chamber of Commerce Assembly President Selami Özpoyraz, IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Hakan Abacıoğlu, Izmir Metropolitan Secretary General Ramazan Tezcan, ESHOT General Manager Övünç Özgen, IUE Rector’s Advisor Asst. Prof. Dr. Burçin Önder, who provides the training for women, and other guests. AFD Turkey Director Tanguy Denieul also joined the program online.

“10 TRIPS AROUND THE WORLD”

Expressing his excitement about the project, Mayor Tugay said they are committed to working harder toward achieving equality for women in society, social and work life. Highlighting ESHOT’s vital role in Izmir's public transportation, covering 50% of the city’s needs, Mayor Tugay said, “ESHOT is indispensable. Every day, it transports 1 million passengers across Izmir on over 437 routes with more than one thousand 700 buses, making 27 thousand 663 trips daily. Our buses collectively travel 403 thousand 932 kilometers a day; that’s the equivalent of circling the world ten times. That’s how vast this institution is.”

“WOMEN WILL BOTH DRIVE AND REPAIR THE BUSES”

Stating that their efforts for women to participate in the labor force are not only about driving, Tugay said, “Soon, we’ll make another first by recruiting women to work in our workshops in maintenance and repair roles. One day, women will be the ones both driving and repairing the buses. This isn’t just a dream; it’s a goal we can make real. These efforts are crucial steps in making Izmir a pioneering city for gender equality. Next year, we’re purchasing 620 new buses, starting with 120, and they’ll be allocated to female drivers.”

“WE WON’T ACCEPT WOMEN FALLING BEHIND”

Speaking on gender equality, Mayor Tugay said, “We do not accept women being held back compared to men. If we do so, we cannot progress as a society. As Ataturk said, humanity consists of both women and men, inseparably linked. If you want to advance a society but leave half of it behind, the other half cannot move forward either. When half of a society is chained to the ground, the other half cannot rise. So, we must ensure women have all the rights that come with equality, and we must enable them to showcase their skills for the benefit of our country. When given a task, women succeed admirably. I’m deeply grateful to all the women of Izmir and Turkey.”

“MUNICIPALITIES ARE OUR KEY PARTNERS”

Joining the ceremony online, AFD Turkey Director Tanguy Denieul recalled their support in employing women on the Konak and Karşıyaka tram lines. He said, “AFD is proud to have helped many metropolitan municipalities improve their public transport systems. We’ll keep working to transform public transport into a gender-equal sector. We place great importance on investment in public transportation. It must serve everyone safely, especially women, and enable access to employment. AFD supports gender equality, social inclusion, and improved employment access for women. Municipalities have a key role to play and are our critical partners in this mission.”

“OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY”

IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Hakan Abacıoğlu expressed great pleasure in supporting the training of female driver candidates. Abacıoğlu said, “What makes this project special is how well it exemplifies our 'CampusIzmir' approach. We call the unity formed with the energy of our University, the entrepreneurship of Izmir Chamber of Commerce and the potential of Izmir; CampusIzmir. Today, the potential of Izmir and the energy of our University came together”. Explaining that the prospective female drivers received training in four modules: awareness, communication skills, stress management, anger control, and gender equality within the scope of ‘Driver Excellence Training Micro-Credential Program’, the Rector said, “By developing assessment and evaluation methods and rubrics, participants who exceed the qualification threshold would receive digital badges via email. As far as we know, this is the first time such training has been structured as a micro-credential program in Turkey and is among the rare examples globally. Micro-credentials are a strategic priority and a strong area of expertise for our University, and we’re proud to be a national leader in this field.”

“WOMEN CAN SUCCEED IN EVERY FIELD”

Asst. Prof. Dr. Burçin Önder, the Rector’s Advisor, who provided the training for women, said: “The ‘Drive for Equality’ project is more than just a hiring initiative. It carries deep meaning, brings hope to society, and represents an important step for the future. Having women behind the wheel in public transportation is a major leap forward for gender equality in Izmir. It shows that women can succeed in all fields and sends a clear message to young girls, ‘Don’t be afraid to dream, you can do it too.’ These women are not just driving passengers; they’re carrying change, courage, and hope. This reflects Izmir’s spirit of freedom and equality. We’re proud to be partners in this project as a University.”

“THIS WAS ALWAYS MY DREAM”

Sinem Diker, a mother of two who participated in the training, said, “For 18 years, I’ve been a foster mother to children in need at the Karşıyaka Orphanage. A friend suggested this project, and I was thrilled to hear about it. This has always been my dream. I’m here to make it come true. We’ve completed the training. Women can succeed at anything. Despite the prejudice that women can’t drive buses or become drivers, the truth is, when a woman wants something, she has the strength to move the whole world.”

“I’M A TOWER CRANE OPERATOR”

Melek Çakar, also a mother of two, said, “I’ve been driving for 20 years and working as a private corporate driver. I’m also a tower crane operator. I was 50 meters up when I got the news from ESHOT. I knew I wanted to be part of this project. I’m very hopeful, it’s exceeding all expectations.”

“PASSION AND EXCITEMENT”

Tuğba Hepyalçın, a swimming coach and mother of one, said, “I have good relationships with people. I’ve been transporting students for 18 years. Driving large vehicles is a passion and thrill for me. I fully trust ESHOT and believe in myself, which is why I took this step. I’m very happy.”