Baja California’s Mujeres al Volante program has now trained more than 240 women to drive commercial and public transit vehicles across the state’s three largest cities. Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda attended the second-generation graduation ceremony in Ensenada on April 28.
The graduates completed both theoretical coursework and hands-on truck simulator training. They are now qualified to work as operators of public transit buses and corporate personnel transport vehicles in Mexicali, Tijuana, and Ensenada.
State Officials Detail Program’s Reach
Alejandro Arregui Ibarra, Baja California’s Secretary of Labor, confirmed the 240-graduate milestone at the ceremony. He said the program aims to open doors for women seeking formal employment and economic independence in the transport sector.
Jorge Alberto Gutiérrez Topete, head of the Instituto de Movilidad Sustentable (IMOS), the state’s sustainable mobility agency, said the collaboration is helping Ensenada’s transit system evolve toward what he called a more humane model. IMOS oversees public transportation policy across Baja California.
Multi-Agency Training Effort
Four institutions coordinate the program. The state employment service recruits and enrolls candidates. IMOS provides regulatory oversight and industry connections. Conalep, the national technical college system, delivers the classroom instruction. Canacintra, the national chamber of manufacturing industries, connects graduates with private-sector employers who need drivers.
The training includes time on truck simulators before participants move to real vehicles. This approach reduces risk while giving women experience with the large commercial rigs and buses they will operate professionally.
Workforce Context in Ensenada
Ensenada, a port city of roughly 444,000 residents about 80 miles south of the U.S. border, depends heavily on commercial transport for its fishing, agriculture, and wine industries. Women have historically been underrepresented in the city’s driving workforce.
The program’s expansion from Mexicali and Tijuana to Ensenada means all three of Baja California’s major urban centers now have active cohorts. State officials have not yet announced dates for a third generation of trainees.
Originally reported by Jornada BC and Ensenada Noticias.