On the busy streets of Bengaluru, a gradual but noticeable shift is underway. A profession once largely dominated by men is slowly seeing more women. According to official data, as many as 2,788 women have registered as auto drivers, while hundreds more are currently undergoing training to enter the profession.For many of these women, an auto is more than just a vehicle. It represents survival, independence, and a way to support their families. Many of those entering the profession come from marginalised communities, single-parent households, or families where they are the primary earners.Better earnings and flexibility are among the main reasons drawing women to auto-rickshaw driving. In sectors such as domestic work or garment factories, women typically earn between Rs 12,000 and Rs 13,000 a month. In comparison, driving an auto can bring in around Rs 1,000 a day during peak hours, and Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 a day if they work through the day, translating to about Rs 30,000 a month.Flexibility is another key factor. Many women drivers choose to work during the morning and evening peak hours, earning close to Rs 1,000 during those periods. They often return home in the afternoon to cook, rest, or take care of their children before resuming work later in the day. Unlike many other jobs, auto driving also allows them to be their own bosses.Autos are also preferred over cabs because the entry barriers are lower. Cab driving often requires more driving experience and prior work in the sector. Auto driving, on the other hand, offers women from economically weaker backgrounds a more accessible way to enter the transport workforce and earn a steady income.Government schemes and subsidies have also played a role in encouraging women to take up auto driving, helping many of them reshape their lives and become financially independent.Finding independence“I started auto driving 10 years ago to drop my children to school, but then I thought – ‘Why not learn it properly and empower other women?’ This thought has changed my life and also the lives of the women I teach,” said Jancy, who has been associated with Uber for over five years.Story continues below this adBased in Bannerghatta, Jancy first learned to drive out of necessity. A mother of two who studied till Class 10, she had earlier worked at tea stalls and delivered tiffin boxes while looking for a stable source of income. Jancy with her autorickshaw. (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement)Initially, she drove only to drop her children to school. With her husband’s support, she later decided to pursue auto driving professionally. Today, she ferries schoolchildren in the mornings and also operates through Uber.On weekends, she trains other women free of cost. So far, around 50 to 60 women have learned to drive through her sessions, many of whom now drive independently and are attached to Uber.For Tulasi, auto driving became a path to financial independence. A single mother, she began driving two years ago and now operates through Rapido, Namma Yatri, and Uber, often keeping all three apps active to maximise rides.Story continues below this adBefore entering the profession, Tulasi worked as a tailor while trying to learn both auto and car driving. “Because of family responsibilities, work, and children, I could not fully commit to it earlier,” she said.Determined to improve her circumstances, she saved Rs 25,000 as a down payment to purchase an autorickshaw. Today, she funds her children’s education through her earnings and has even married off one of her daughters.“Sometimes passengers refuse to pay extra if I drop them somewhere beyond the destination shown on the app. But more than those experiences, I have also met passengers who appreciate seeing a woman driver. Some pay extra, some thank me, and some even ask for selfies,” Tulasi said.Free training programs and support networksSeveral platforms and organisations are now supporting women who want to enter the profession by offering training, financial assistance, and access to vehicles.Story continues below this adThe women’s driver program run by Namma Yatri is one such initiative. According to Nagalakshmi, program coordinator of the platform, more than 360 women are currently associated with the initiative.“They underwent training, and many of them have transformed their lives through this opportunity,” she said.Sudha, a single mother, is among those who benefited from the program. After her husband’s death, she struggled to raise her two children alone and worked as a housekeeper and in other informal jobs. “There were days when we did not even have food,” she recalled.Sudha said financial stress had pushed her to a point where she even contemplated ending her life. About eight months ago, she joined the auto-driving training program run by Namma Yatri and was later provided with an electric auto.Story continues below this adToday, she earns a steady income. “My children now eat full meals every day,” she said, adding that she saves about Rs 500 every month for them.Another driver, Prema, who survived a childhood polio attack, also rebuilt her life through the program. Prema is the mother of four children, two of whom died due to illness. Her husband did not support the family, leaving her to care for the children alone.Before learning to drive, she worked at a school for children with disabilities, but the school shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.Now driving an auto rickshaw rented through Namma Yatri, she earns around Rs 1,500 a day. Despite mobility challenges caused by polio, she continues to support her two daughters, both of whom have intellectual disabilities.Story continues below this ad“This has given me a new life. If I had known about it earlier, I would have learned sooner,” she said.Through collaborations with organisations such as United Way Bengaluru and Parihar, along with support from the Bengaluru city police, more than 100 electric autos were provided to women from marginalised communities and single-parent households in 2025.Under the Namma Yatri training program, women drivers are expected to earn around Rs 1,200 a day. Of this, Rs 400 goes towards the auto’s EMI, another Rs 400 is set aside as mandatory savings, and the remaining Rs 400 is their daily income after expenses.During the eight to nine months of training, the savings from this Rs 400 contribution are accumulated and later used as a down payment to buy their own auto-rickshaw. Once they start working independently, the income from rides helps them repay the loan while also supporting their families.Financial support and loan optionsStory continues below this adWomen entering auto driving have access to several financial schemes and loan options to help them purchase vehicles and earn independently. Loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and through nationalised banks are available, even for those without a CIBIL score or collateral.In addition, some aggregator platforms have partnered with organisations to provide targeted support. For instance, the Namma Yatri program works with Swathi Jyothi Mahila Sanga to help women drivers, particularly single parents, access loans without needing a male guarantor or credit history.Women-only mobility: Sakhi auto serviceAnother initiative encouraging women’s participation in the sector is the Sakhi App, which operates with women drivers exclusively serving women passengers.The service launched with an initial fleet of 50 women drivers and aims to prioritise both safety and economic empowerment. By ensuring that both driver and passenger are women, the platform seeks to create a more secure and supportive environment in the city’s transport network.Government push for women driversStory continues below this adThe state government has also begun supporting such initiatives to encourage more women to take up driving as a profession.Recently, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy launched a free auto-driving and skill development program benefiting 500 women from nine assembly constituencies.“Our aim is to develop skills and create opportunities. Women who approach RTOs for driving licences will be supported, and we are trying to ensure the process is done free of cost so that more women come forward,” Reddy said.He added that the government is exploring the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds and other financial resources to support women drivers by helping them with initial deposits for vehicles. As of now, over 500 women and transgender persons have already received professional auto-driving training under a CSR-supported program across nine Assembly constituencies.“We want this program to expand further and help more women lead self-reliant and dignified lives,” he said.For many of the women now behind the wheel, the impact goes beyond income. For Jancy, being invited to the inauguration of the Indiranagar RTO alongside women police officers and other achievers was a moment of recognition. For Tulasi, every school fee paid and family milestone celebrated is a reminder of how far she has come.Across Bengaluru’s streets, women auto drivers are gradually reshaping a profession long dominated by men – steering not only their vehicles, but also their families toward financial stability.