TInnGo: Transport Innovative Gender Observatory. Spanish hub. Taxi case study

Abstract

It is well - known that women are generally under-represented in some technical fields, as it is the specific case of the transport sector. This lack of balance gender-wise is even more visible in the taxi industry, leading to a gender gap that should be filled in the next years. Flexibility, loyal customer network and friendly environment are some of the opportunities that make this job appealing for all the population segments. However, entry barriers like the initial investment, misunderstandings between colleagues at the beginning and shortage of communication skills prevent access to this sector by certain population categories.In the present study, an exhaustive analysis of the situation of the Spanish taxi sector is presented and analyzed. Based on real interviews to female taxi drivers, the main opportunities, and entry barriers and obstacles of working in this field are collected and used to assess how the transport sector fits the key needs of the interviewees and favor the work-life balance. The evolution of the taxi sector from a gender point of view has been also considered and explained through real lived experiences. All data regarding the city and participants to the case study are kept anonymous.This analysis is done in the framework of the European project TInnGO which main objective is to create a framework and mechanisms for a sustainable game change in European transport through a transformative strategy of gender and diversity sensitive smart mobility.