Women revolutionizing Istanbul’s public transportation

Women are putting their mark on Istanbul's public transportation, as the number of women drivers working at the Istanbul Metro has risen to 99 out of the total 772.

Carrying commuters all day and working underground in different shifts, women metro drivers strictly oppose being called "vatman," a word of French origin, which means tram drivers, representing male workers.

"The era of vatman has finished. The era of vatwoman has begun," said 30-year-old Burcu Kasap, a female metro driver.

"I have graduated from Kocaeli University's Human Resources Faculty. I previously worked as a digger operator for a construction company and am now working at the Istanbul Metro," Kasap added.

Stating that she graduated from Anadolu University's Public Administration Faculty and is now working as a tram driver at the Istanbul Metro, 37-year-old Havva Çakmak said she works four days a week.

"I am the ruler of this big tram," she said.

Hande Nur Gülek, who controls the Üsküdar-Çekmeköy line, said that it was her dream to work in a metro.

When asked how men react when they see a women metro driver working, 26-year-old Kübra Sucu, who controls the Yenikapı-Hacıosman line, said, "Even my father could not believe it."

"I took graphic design training in my university. When I applied for this job, even my father opposed me, saying that it was a man's job," she said, adding that her father got surprised when she passed exams and became a driver.

Kasap also faced people disagreeing with her choice of profession, questing her capability if she could do such a job.

"Some of my friends said that I was a 'puny plaza girl.' They did not find the job [of a tram driver] suitable for me," Kasap said.

Noting that her mother...