If you visit Sweden this summer and take a Roslagsbanan train from Stockholm East, do not be surprised if the male driver strides purposefully up to the cab wearing a skirt.
This outbreak of mass transit semi-transvestism has its roots in a change of operating contractor earlier this year. The line is owned by Stockholm County Council but operated by private companies. The contract changed from a joint venture to one owned by the UK transport conglomerate Arriva. They operate trains and buses in Britain but have been expanding in mainland Europe.
Apparently during the hot weather, the driving cabs of the trains can reach 35 Celcius (95 Farenheit). The male drivers started to wear shorts instead of their uniform long trousers in an effort to get some relief from the heat.
Unfortunately Arriva then decided that this did not look "neat and tidy" and banned shorts. The ban was confirmed at a staff meeting - no doubt there was heated discussion. The drivers had to wear the official uniform pending a further meeting in September when, of course, the problem would have abated as the seasons progressed.
Rather than getting hot and bothered by the ruling, some of the drivers took the company at the word. They were perfectly prepared to wear the official uniform but noted that women drivers were permitted to wear skirts. At least 13 now turn up on hot days in their comfortable lower garments.
Naturally the drivers attract some attention when they walk to their train cab at the termini:
"Of course people stare at you a little when you are on the platform, but you just have to put up with it," train driver Martin Åkersten told the local Mitti newspaper
http://www.thelocal.se/...
The company have been forced to accept their choice and endorsed it:
Åkersten's employers Arriva have meanwhile responded positively to the move and have given their approval to the men in skirts. "To say anything else would be discrimination," communications head Thomas Hedenius told the newspaper
No doubt cooler heads will prevail at the September meeting and a suitably smart design of shorts can be agreed.