During Women’s History Month in March, we continue to highlight exceptional women and their contributions to the transportation industry.
Elizabeth Duff is our second feature.
Elizabeth broke both gender and race barriers as the first Black woman employed as a bus driver in Nashville, TN.
She was hired in 1974, the week after she learned MTA was looking for women to fill their driver seats.
Soon after she was hired, three other women joined Nashville MTA and the transit authority soon realized they had to make some basic adjustments, like building bathrooms to accommodate their new employees. Breaking gender and color barriers also meant that Mrs. Duff endured sexism and racism, including those who questioned a woman’s ability to drive. But, that never stopped her.
In 2004, she was named Urban Driver of the Year by the Tennessee Public Transportation Association. Duff received the accolade because of her attendance, cooperation, courtesy and safety record. When asked by the newspaper The Tennessean, why she was drawn to driving, she said, “When you really drive, you feel the vehicle itself. You listen to the motor. You feel the road.”
Mrs. Duff retired in 2007 after more than three decades driving through the streets of Nashville. She died last month at the age of 72.
She was recently featured on the TODAY Show during their “Life Well Lived” Sunday segment. You can check it out here if interested.
Check back throughout the month as we feature more impressive women who have influenced the transportation industry.
