For Bhutan’s small but growing community of women taxi drivers, the steering wheel represents more than a means of earning a living. It offers flexibility, daily income and, for many, a degree of financial independence that few other occupations can provide.
Yet the work also places them in situations where the risks extend far beyond traffic and difficult roads. Women drivers speak of sexual harassment, intimidation and physical danger, particularly during late-night trips. Many have responded by ending their shifts earlier, sacrificing some of the most profitable hours in order to protect themselves.
There are currently about 198 women taxi drivers operating across Bhutan, making them a small minority in a profession still dominated by men. Many are single mothers, divorcees or the primary earners in their families. Taxi driving allows them to organise their working hours around childcare and household responsibilities while earning cash on a daily basis.
However, evening and late-night journeys, when passenger demand and fares are often highest, can expose women to serious threats. Intoxicated passengers and isolated destinations can turn an ordinary fare into a dangerous encounter.
One driver in her mid-40s, who requested anonymity, recalled being attacked by a younger passenger inside her taxi late one night last year.
“It was around 11.30 p.m.,” she said. “I screamed and kept pressing the horn, but I could not get away because he was holding me down. He punched me and strangled me. I truly believed I was going to die.”
She later learned that some people nearby had heard her cries but assumed they were listening to a disagreement between a couple and did not intervene. The passenger raped her before police personnel on duty in the area and local residents reached the vehicle.
Despite the trauma, she has returned to work. Driving remains her source of income, and she says giving it up is not an option.
Other women drivers describe encounters that, while different in severity, reveal a persistent pattern of harassment.
One driver said a passenger travelling from Paro to Thimphu repeatedly pressured her for sexual intimacy in exchange for money. After initially claiming that his destination was in Thimphu, he asked to be taken farther to Changzamtok and promised to pay an additional fare.
When they arrived, he refused to leave the vehicle.
“As I tried to get out, he grabbed my hand and touched my thighs,” she said. “I immediately stepped out, removed his belongings from the taxi and drove away. I was so frightened that I did not even collect the fare.”
She did not report the incident, partly because she felt ashamed. Counsellors and women’s support workers say such feelings often prevent survivors from approaching the authorities, leaving many cases undocumented.
Another driver recalled a passenger offering her several thousand ngultrum to spend the night with him. When she refused, he increased the amount.
“He said he would pay me Nu 6,000,” she said. “I warned him that I would report him to the police. It took a lot of effort to get him out of the car.”
The incident changed the way she worked. She stopped driving late in the evening and no longer remains on the road until 10 p.m., as she once did.
Her decision reflects a broader dilemma faced by women in the profession. Evening hours and weekends often bring the highest demand, but they also carry greater personal risk. By ending their shifts before dark, women lose access to an important share of their potential earnings.
Recognising these challenges, Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women, or RENEW, has begun working directly with female taxi drivers. The organisation conducts awareness programmes and training sessions to help women identify harassment, respond safely and understand how and where to report abuse.
Dolma, RENEW’s director of Operations and Coordination, said the organisation chose to engage taxi drivers not only because of the dangers they face but also because of their ability to influence and inform others.
“They are in a unique position to create awareness and share information about the services RENEW provides,” she said. “We also recognise their strength and their potential to contribute to the empowerment of other women.”
The programmes address both workplace safety and the pressures of combining income generation with parenting.
Tshering Choden, a taxi driver and divorcee, said she has had to shoulder the responsibilities of both parents.
“The workshop taught me useful ways to balance my work and my responsibilities at home,” she said. “It helped me understand how to manage my time better with my child.”
For Nima Deki Sherpani, a single mother and taxi driver, the training also provided practical information about responding to verbal and sexual harassment.
“I learned which authorities I can contact and where I can seek support,” she said. “The workshop also helped me think about how to manage my work while spending more time with my children.”
RENEW is conducting a wider assessment of the experiences and needs of women taxi drivers. The findings are expected to inform future programmes and advocacy efforts.
According to Suman Pradhan, a senior counsellor at RENEW, the organisation has dealt with cases involving physical violence, sexual abuse, economic abuse and workplace harassment.
“RENEW has received a total of 597 cases, including cases involving female taxi drivers,” she said.
Other safety measures have also been proposed. Earlier reports indicated that the Bhutan Taxi Association was exploring a pilot programme to install cameras in vehicles driven by women. It also planned to establish location-based, women-only communication groups through which drivers could seek help during emergencies.
Survivors of violence can also contact the national 24-hour 1098 helpline for women and children, which provides confidential assistance and referrals.
For many women drivers, however, one of the most valuable forms of support has come from other women in the same profession. RENEW’s sessions have allowed them to speak openly about experiences that were often carried in silence.
The meetings have gradually created a network of women connected not only by their occupation but also by shared responsibilities and concerns. They exchange information, discuss safety and offer reassurance to one another.
For these drivers, the road remains a place of both opportunity and vulnerability. Taxi driving gives them control over their income and working lives, but that independence is still constrained by the threat of violence and by the earnings they must forgo in order to feel safe.
Their experiences point to the need for stronger reporting systems, safer vehicles, greater public awareness and a culture in which cries for help are not ignored or misunderstood. Until then, Bhutan’s women taxi drivers will continue navigating two journeys at once: one through the country’s streets and another towards safety, dignity and equal access to work.
