Just 6% of Barcelona Metropolitan Area taxi drivers are women, a figure stubbornly stagnant for a decade. Despite this low representation, a new study suggests female drivers now feel greater support and acceptance within the traditionally male-dominated profession.
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The Metropolitan Taxi Institute (IMET) reports 793 women currently drive Barcelona’s black-and-yellow cabs. Although this marks a slight decrease from 830 in 2015, the total number of licensed taxi drivers in the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) has also fallen from 14,660 to 13,175. Consequently, women’s proportional representation has edged up from 5.7% to 6%.
This persistent gender disparity makes taxi driving one of Catalonia’s least balanced professions. Women account for 40% of all licensed drivers in the region, as El Periódico reports. Moreover, this imbalance extends beyond taxis to the public transport sector generally.
A Sector-Wide Challenge
The wider transport network reveals a similar story. On metropolitan bus services, women constitute a staggering 80% of passengers yet make up only 15% of the workforce. At Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), operators of the city’s metro and primary bus routes, women represent 22.3% of all staff.
However, progress is evident elsewhere. Regional rail operator Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) leads gender equality initiatives. Through concerted efforts to foster a more inclusive environment, women now constitute one-third of the FGC’s workforce, including nearly half of all station agents and a remarkable 33% of train drivers.
A Shift in Sentiment
Although the number of female taxi drivers remains low, their on-the-job experience appears to be improving significantly. The latest Freenow Observatory of Women Taxi Drivers report reveals 73% of women in the profession feel more supported, a five-point increase from the previous year. Furthermore, an overwhelming 85% of female drivers positively rated the welcome from male colleagues, a figure that has jumped 10 points since 2023.
“While there is still a long way to go, women taxi drivers are finding an increasingly welcoming space that gives them the security and confidence to carry out their professional activity,” the Freenow study highlights.
This shift in workplace culture coincides with the Catalan Parliament’s preparation to debate a sweeping new taxi law. The proposed legislation mandates “foster[ing] positive actions that favour women’s access to taxi service provision, and also their training and promotion,” though specific measures remain undefined.
Safety and Passenger Confidence
Taxis play a key role in providing safe transport, especially for women at night. The Freenow Observatory also highlights passenger perceptions: 84% of female passengers feel safer ordering a taxi via an app with driver details identified in advance. The survey suggests taxis are widely seen as a secure option; over 40% of respondents consider them the most reliable choice compared to other public transport or VTCs (private hire vehicles). Key factors cited were real-time route tracking and driver identification, which “increase trust and contribute to more women feeling safe during their journeys.” As Barcelona continues to address gender imbalances, from its transport networks to its annual Women’s Day marches, improving both representation and safety remains critical.
