Most of Tranvías’ 282 bus drivers in A Coruña are men: 28 are women and 254 are men. At 25, Verónica Barallobre Ferreira is the youngest driver in the workforce. Tranvías, the city’s basic bus company, employs 321 people in total. The figures show how wide the gender gap remains.
Barallobre got behind the wheel early, earning her car license at 20. Before driving buses, she worked in hospitality and cleaning. Her uncle, a Tranvías driver, encouraged her to try the job. She completed her training and passed every exam on the first try. She joined the company three and a half months ago, attracting local media attention in a field where women rarely lead city buses.
Her first shifts were on the university line, which was quiet over the summer. She still drives that route most days and sometimes covers other lines. She adapts quickly. "You have to enjoy driving and be ready to handle stress, roadworks, people in a hurry, and all kinds of personalities. It takes people skills," she says.
The city itself is the real test: narrow streets leave little room for error, and badly parked cars bring surprises at every turn. "It’s like a gymkhana. Every day brings something new to learn," she says. Still, she finds joy in the job’s human side. "A really pleasant passenger can make my day. I always try to greet people with a smile. If someone responds in kind, it makes the work much more enjoyable, especially in times when empathy is in short supply." One kind word can change everything.
Driving a bus is still seen as a man’s job, as are taxi and truck driving. But Barallobre sees things shifting. "Society still has some macho attitudes, but women are no longer frowned upon for taking the wheel of something as big as a bus or a truck. Society evolves, and women are daring to do more," she says. The shift is gradual, but real.
People are often surprised when they hear what she does. Friends and strangers ask if she is scared to lead such a big vehicle or squeeze through tight city streets. She replies: "The bus doesn’t scare me, but it does command respect. We are responsible for many lives." She takes that responsibility seriously.
Barallobre wants to lead the busiest lines in the city. The 2A and the 22 connect basic neighborhoods and hospitals. She laughs at the idea of being daunted by the busiest routes. She is ready for whatever comes next. Nothing fazes her.
Her story stands out against the bigger picture for Spanish drivers. As reported earlier, many learner drivers in Spain fail their tests the first time. It takes determination to succeed in this field. Barallobre has it.
She brings empathy to the job and adapts with professionalism. If more women followed her path, the sector could look very different. Her presence behind the wheel marks a personal win and shows old barriers beginning to fall. In a city where most drivers are still men, her example proves change is possible. Public transport’s future could look different from its past.
