Female subway drivers working on Line One pose for a photo. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A subway driver team consisting of 13 female members, aged 21-25, is at work along Line One in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Though they are young, they have excellent driving skills and are highly professional.

Line One is the first urban rail transit line in Guiyang. It began operation on December 28, 2017. The 13 female subway drivers are the first group of drivers in the city.

They start to work at around 4:00 am, when many people are still sound asleep. The first thing they must do to get ready for work is to check their appearance, so they usually get up 20 minutes earlier every day than the male drivers.

There is a ritualistic process they must follow before work. First of all, they copy their driving accounts, and then take an exam on the computer. The exam is about common sense in train operations.

Subway driving is a job which requires long-term training, and a high sense of responsibility and mission. The drivers not only need professional skills and excellent psychological qualities to deal with emergencies, but also a spirit of dedication and hard work.

They seem to have a sociable job but in fact they are always alone and each of them has to be able to undertake the tasks alone.

These women have been making great efforts to master the skills to ensure passengers' safety. Only when they have a break can they ease their nerves and become as lively and talkative as other girls of the same age.

 

Two drivers look at the subway map at a station along Line One in Guiyang. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

The drivers help one of their colleagues to tidy her hair before work. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A driver makes working records. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A driver takes an alcohol test before work. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A driver listens to the tips of the officer arranging work in shifts (R) before getting keys and other necessities for driving. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A driver makes a routine security check. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]A driver checks the equipment in a carriage. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]A driver checks whether the operation system is working properly before departure. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

Drivers reiterate the key points in security regulations and check them again to ensure safe operation. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

The drivers check the boarding of passengers on the platform before shutting the doors. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A driver checks the subway train. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]

A driver works in the cab. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]A driver inspects the operation system in the cab. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]The team members pose for a photo. [Women of China/Zhang Jiamin]