SERP Telangana & MOWO Celebrate First Batch of Trained Women Bus Drivers; Multi-Party MoU Signed to Advance Women’s Participation in Bus Driving Praja Bhavan,Telangana

The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) Telangana, in collaboration with MOWO Social Initiatives, hosted a milestone event celebrating the successful completion of LMV and HMV training by the first batch of 21 women trainees under the Women Bus Driving Program. This marks a pioneering step in enabling women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to enter non-traditional livelihood roles within the transport sector. The event also marked the formal signing of a multi-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SERP Telangana, MOWO Social Initiatives, Vertelo, and FreshBus, an EV Bus provider—establishing a collaborative framework to advance gender inclusion in mobility and energy transition.

Training Completion + Internship Opportunities

The women underwent 40 days of residential training at the TIDES Driving Training Institute, Sircilla, where they learned LMV and HMV driving skills, road safety, simulator practice, route handling, and essential soft skills. In a significant commitment, led by Vertelo : FreshBus announced its support to provide 6–9 month paid internships for the trained HMV drivers, enabling them to gain practical fleet experience. Based on performance during the apprenticeship, FreshBus has expressed its intention to induct eligible women into its workforce—reinforcing its commitment to inclusive growth in the EV bus sector.

Signing of the Multi-Party MoU

The new partnership formalised through the MoU outlines the following roles:

• SERP Telangana & MOWO Social Initiatives — Program Lead & Training Partners
• Mobilise and screen eligible SHG women
• Provide structured LMV and HMV training, residential learning support, and mentorship
• Facilitate licensing, counseling, and placement pathways
• Monitor the program’s social and livelihood impact

Vertelo — Knowledge Partner

• Lead on gender inclusion frameworks for the energy transition and e-mobility sector
• Provide technical recommendations and ecosystem linkages to scale the program

FreshBus — Industry Partner

• Offer 6–9 month apprenticeship opportunities to trained HMV drivers
• Evaluate and induct them into the workforce based on performance and fit
• Strengthen adoption of women drivers in clean mobility fleets

The Women Bus Driving Program will scale to train 100 women drivers over the next 2years, building a strong talent pipeline for Telangana’s growing EV and mobility sector. With combined leadership from government, industry, and social sector partners, the program aims to redefine women’s economic participation in transport and mobility.

Speaking on this occasion

Smt Divya Devarajan, IAS [SERP CEO]

“If SHG women in Telangana can rent buses to the Transport Department, they should also be able to drive those buses and earn sustainable livelihoods from them. This program under the leadership of our Hon’ble Minister Smt Seethakka garu, reflects our commitment to the ‘Women as Crorepathis’ vision by enabling SHG women to claim their rightful space in the mobility economy.” Ms.Jai Bharathi, Founder, MOWO

“At MOWO, we view mobility as a critical enabler of confidence, opportunity, and economic participation for women. Women benefit significantly from structured, community-based learning environments that strengthen their readiness for non-traditional roles. Enabling women to enter such livelihoods requires a coordinated and collaborative approach, and we remain committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation and long-term success of this initiative.” Mr.Andrew Collister,Consul, Australuan Consulate-General,Bengaluru

''The Australian Consulate-General, Bengaluru, is proud to partner with MOWO to support this project training women as bus drivers in Telangana. Australia places gender equality at the centre of our international engagement: it drives economic growth, enhances social cohesion and increases the wellbeing of all members of society.”

Dr. Aastha Dang, Gender Strategy Specialist, Vertelo “At Vertelo, we truly believe that sustainable mobility must also be gender inclusive. This partnership with like-minded organisations like MOWO, SERP, Govt. of Telangana and FreshBus is a pivotal step in expanding opportunities for women in a sector that has historically seen minimal female representation. We hope this initiative can serve as a demonstration model for governments and corporates alike, inspiring wider adoption of inclusive practices across the transport ecosystem through such meaningful collaborations”.

Mr.Sudhakar Chirra , Fresh Bus

Fresh Bus is proud to be the first company in India to formally support a women-led bus-driver training initiative of this scale. This collaboration reflects our belief that the future of mobility must also be the future of inclusion. By giving women real on-ground driving experience and exposure to our electric bus operations, we are not only enabling new career pathways but also helping build a more confident and diverse workforce for the transport sector.

We are grateful to the Government of Telangana, Vertelo, the Australian High Commission, MOWO, and SERP for driving a mission that goes far beyond skilling, it is about shifting mindsets, expanding opportunities, and bringing more women into public transport leadership. Fresh Bus is committed to supporting this transformation every step of the way.