Bologna – An Albanian woman chosen as the first female driver of the newly completed tram

Eva Lleshaj, an Albanian professional driver, could become the first woman to drive the tram in Bologna, after being selected among the first 50 candidates by the public transport company Tper, ilrestodelcarlino.it writes.

Training for the candidates is expected to start by the end of November, preparing them to drive trams on the city’s new lines, including the red line and the green line.

For Lleshaj, this opportunity is much more than a new professional step.

“For me it is a great wish, I cannot wait,” she said emotionally, describing the opportunity as a real dream.

Eva has worked for years as a bus driver and now hopes to move from buses to the tram.

Her story also has a family dimension.

“I am Albanian and my father was a bus driver in my country. For me this means a lot,” she said.

If she successfully completes the training and starts driving the tram, Lleshaj could become the first woman to drive a tram in Bologna, turning this professional opportunity into a special moment for her family as well.

The city of Bologna is carrying out one of the most important public transport projects, building the new tram network that aims to significantly change the way people move around the city.

The project includes several lines, while the Red Line and the Green Line are among the main interventions. For these two lines, the planned economic frameworks amount to more than 780 million euros.