Photo: La Rolita
Bogotá’s public bus company La Rolita, an all-electric fleet with a focus on gender equity, is a bet by Mayor Claudia Lopez that public investment can help shift perceptions of mass transportation. La Rolita’s 195 electric buses are accessible for passengers with disabilities, offer Wi-Fi, USB outlets and security cameras, and are charged nightly using certified clean energy. Women make up 48% of its drivers and say their traditional roles as caregivers make them more sensitive to the needs of riders in the traffic-clogged metropolis of 8 million people. La Rolita has paid for its drivers, many of whom are single mothers, to upgrade their driving licenses, and enables employees to access social security, which includes a pension. Drivers make 1.7 million pesos ($376) monthly, compared to the national monthly minimum wage of 1.16 million pesos. The company’s focus on electric mobility is also intended to boost the city’s commitment to combat climate change, aiming to reach carbon neutrality in 2050.
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