A new rideshare competitor launches with early praise as a service for women, by women driving as Uber’s female safety record tarnishes. Rolling out nationwide, SafeHer delivers safety and opportunity for greater numbers of women.
My Quick Take:
It is a feeling all to familiar to females – that little tinge of nervousness when hailing a car via ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. We have all heard the horror stories and know the dark side of the crowdsourcing movement upon which these companies rely. Aimed at reducing the safety concerns faced by drivers and riders alike across all platforms, SafeHer launched for women riders in cars driven exclusively by females. Prices are comparable to, if not slightly cheaper than, Uber and Lyft and is aimed at providing peace of mind to female riders AND and opportunity to women drivers who have stayed on the sidelines because of safety concerns. NYPD Police Commissioner Bill Bratton suggested women “double-up” when taking cabs; 8%+ of rapes reported in NYC in 2015 occurred in rideshare, according to the nydailynews.com. The safety risks and business opportunities for women are real.
What It Is:
It is the genesis of a male Uber driver who faced one too many troublesome Uber riders. If he, as a man, was uneasy driving strangers, Matthew Pelletz, co-creator of SafeHer, thought:
“What if I was a woman?…“How would a woman handle that situation, especially when I was so nervous myself?”
He recognized the opportunity for riders and drivers alike, as his wife admitted to feeling too nervous to try driving for Uber because of safety concerns, an issue the company is under fire for. And that’s how the company was born.
According to the website, SafeHer for Women allows women to make some extra income and drive as little or as much as they like, 24 hours day, knowing they are in a safe environment picking up women and children only. The company is committed to safety by pursuing the following checks that Uber and Lyft don’t currently carry out. In addition to thorough background checks, inside the app:
- Drivers have to answer a random security question that changes daily to ensure her identity before starting work to eliminate drivers switching out.
- When a passenger requests a ride, a safe word pops up on the driver and passenger’s phone. If the driver says the correct word, the ride may begin. This eliminates risk of getting into the wrong car
- Passengers get access to driver’s photo, car details and GPS tracking and maps, similar to Uber and Lyft too
Fine Print:
Off to a good start in Boston, a key for SafeHer is launching successfully in sister cities in a way that upholds a strong reputation through safety, many drivers and price competitiveness. Women will not want to wait 15 minutes for a SafeHer driver when Uber or Lyft options can arrive faster or for cheaper. Currently, the company is working on a website redesign and has temporarily disabled driver signups but is currently reviewing existing applications.
A nice added bonus of riding with a SafeHer driver knowing that 2% of your fare goes to charities supporting women, which you can vote on during your ride.
Learn about it here:
