Mother of two, Megan Umba, has spent the last six months navigating the streets of Port Moresby as a taxi driver, a role traditionally accustomed to men.

Mother of two, Megan Umba, has spent the last six months navigating the streets of Port Moresby as a taxi driver, a role traditionally accustomed to men.

YOUNG MUM TAKES UP TAXI DRIVING

Post Courier  - April 25, 2023

BY CLAUDIA TALLY

Mother of two, Megan Umba, has spent the last six months navigating the streets of Port Moresby as a taxi driver, a role traditionally accustomed to men.

Ms Umba, a social works graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea, said her passion in the field of providing care for survivors of violence inspired her to take up the role and so far enjoys her time out on the road.

“I graduated from the University of Papua New Guinea in 2018. I was working, case management of gender-based survivors and that is how I was motivated to run the taxi.

At first, it is a man’s job and it is risky but I tried it for two weeks and thought it’s not that bad. So I decided to run for a month and saw that it is safe and profitable,” she said.

The 30-year-old who hails from Daulo in Eastern Highlands Province also shared that customers are always surprised when they see a woman behind the wheels.

“Yes people are always surprised when they see me. I get a lot of customers that I do pick up and drop offs in the morning and afternoons.

When I am in line at taxi bays, other taxi drivers respect me and even if I am at the back of the queue, they send me off with customers.

You have to experience it yourself instead of hearing it from others,” Ms Umba added.

According to her, when she left her job in 2021, branding her taxi with Asia Pacific Taxis and hiring a driver was no profitable as drivers are often careless.

After operating for the last six months, Ms Umba is looking forward to purchasing two new taxis to start her own fleet.