Mexico’s public transit modernization includes more women drivers
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In several Mexican cities, public transportation companies are actively recruiting and training women to become bus drivers, changing a traditionally male-dominated field.
Grupo CISA, which operates the first line of the Metrobús in Mexico City since 2005, currently employs 177 female drivers across the country and plans to exceed 400.
Jesús Padilla Zenteno, president and general director of Grupo CISA, initiated a program focused on hiring, training, and creating work conditions that support the professional development and retention of these drivers. The city of Hermosillo, Sonora, has seen significant progress with its Movilidad Integral de Hermosillo (MIH) hiring and training 86 women as urban bus drivers. In Mexico City, Conexión Centro-Aeropuerto (CCA), the Metrobús operator, has 40 female drivers on the Quetzalcóatl route, while Zonal Xochimilco (Zoxo) employs 21.
Zoxo’s approach involves training women from local communities to create employment opportunities and strengthen the connection between transportation services and passengers. Experts note this shift also addresses a shortage of drivers in the transportation sector, caused by workers seeking better pay and conditions. They also highlight the potential for increased economic independence and positive effects on families when women have access to employment.
Grupo CISA intends to build on its current workforce by increasing the number of female operators through continued recruitment and professional development programs.
