17 OCTOBER 2018
Charlotte Bayn is one of the first female bus drivers in Ghana’s capital Accra, but she took a unusual route to get there. She had nearly finished her four-year-long training to become an accountant, although she didn’t hesitate to change careers when the opportunity came along. “I’ve wanted to drive buses and trucks since I was a child,” she says.
Charlotte earned a bus driver’s licence free of charge by taking part in “Women moving the city!”. It’s a campaign initiated by Scania West Africa, the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Scania believes in a balanced workforce
“Scania’s goal is to offer equal career opportunities to men and women. We believe in a balanced workforce, and more women driving buses in Accra will have a positive impact on traffic safety and customer service,” says Fredrik Morsing, Managing Director, Scania West Africa.
Read more: Scania empowers women to move the city of Accra
Accra’s population has grown to over four million inhabitants, and there’s been a big increase in the city’s traffic. Charlotte is happy, though – driving a bus is a fulfilment of her lifelong dream.
“Behind the steering wheel, I’m happy. I’m cool.”
