1942:  A manpower shortage leads Los Angeles Railway to begin hiring women as streetcar and bus operators on a trial basis.

 

The test turns out to be so successful that the railway soon hires over 300 women as Motormen, Conductors and Coach Operators to replace men drafted during World War II.

They were then referred to as Motormanettes, Conductorettes, Coachettes and Driverettes.

Numerous other photos of these new female employees can be found in the September, October and November 1942 issues of Two Bells, the Los Angeles Railway employee newsmagazine.