World · India Bureau
Women twice as reliant on public transport for work commute
New data reveals that nearly two-thirds of working women depend on walking, buses and public transport to reach their workplaces, significantly higher than their male counterparts.
LSN India ·

Women account for a substantially larger proportion of public transport users for commuting purposes, with approximately 67 percent of all working women relying on buses, walking, or other public transport modes to travel to work.
This figure stands in sharp contrast to patterns among male workers, indicating that women are roughly twice as dependent on public transport infrastructure for their daily work commutes. The data underscores the critical role that accessible and efficient public transportation systems play in enabling women's workforce participation.
The heavy reliance on public transport among working women highlights the importance of investing in safe, reliable and affordable transit networks. Given that a substantial majority of female commuters depend on these services, the quality and availability of public transport directly impacts women's ability to access employment opportunities and maintain economic independence.
The findings suggest that policy makers and urban planners should prioritize public transport development as a key component of broader efforts to support women's economic participation and mobility in the region.