How Women Are Changing the Face of the Transit Industry
When it comes to transit agencies reflecting the needs of their riders, the divide in women’s participation between industry leadership and overall ridership is especially vast: women make up about 55% of U.S. transit riders yet only as little as 15% of the transportation workforce. But recent developments underscore just how urgent it is to incorporate women in transit decisions — paying not only economic dividends for transit agencies but also providing an integral way forward as agencies continue to recenter services on their core riders. Recent changes at Keolis, as well as other transit operators and agencies around the world, show the ways women can change the face of the industry, from route planning and execution to employee success and welfare. For us, it is critical that our organization reflect the communities we serve.