Gendered negotiations of material and social interactions in public transport

The social construction of gender through the design of technological artefacts, such as automobiles, motorcycles and domestic technologies, has received growing interest within feminist technology studies (FTS). Building on the extant FTS literature, in this research we explore how design of public transport (bus, minibus, metro) as a sociotechnical system shapes women's experiences of commute in their everyday lives. Drawing on empirical data that comes from interviews with 32 women, we focus on the complex entanglements of the women’s interactions (1) within the vehicle as a technological artefact with its layout, interior elements and technologies such as cameras, and (2) with other passengers (both men and women) and the driver. These entanglements constitute gendered experiences in public transport. Our findings specify the strategies women develop with concerns of (physical and social) personal space, safety, and travel hours in public transport; some of which have gained more prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic. We underline the diversity of these strategies depending on vehicle types, routes, and time of travel within which women negotiate the material and social interactions. We argue that such interactions can, and should, inspire all stakeholders for responsible innovation for inclusive and egalitarian public transport design.