The streets of Atlanta are witnessing a new trend in the ride-sharing economy—a service that heeds the call for safety among its women patrons. A company called Heride has made a timely entrance, offering an all-female driving crew catering exclusively to women passengers. The initiative rides the waves of growing concerns over safety in rideshares, particularly the unsettling figures of sexual assault cases associated with major players in the industry. According to a FOX 5 Atlanta report, one in every six American women has been a victim of rape, with thousands reporting sexual violence while using a rideshare app.
Heride's founder, Jillian Anderson, turned her personal experiences as a former driver for other rideshare companies into an entrepreneurial venture. Drawing from the nights ferrying passengers and hearing accounts of women cancelling rides until they received a woman driver, Anderson has created a niche service set on empowerment and security. "The things women want, or need are sometimes overlooked. They think we're too emotional and that's why we're saying the things we're saying," Anderson told FOX 5 Atlanta. Heride currently boasts over 250 drivers and aspires to recruit a fleet sizeable enough to accommodate on-demand services as well as scheduled rides.
The company's expansion is opportunistic in its own right, as larger rivals Uber and Lyft have withdrawn from markets likes Minneapolis, following disputes over minimum wage regulations. In this vacuum, Heride sees potential for growth. Entry into the Minneapolis market marks an assertive stance towards fulfilling the demand for safer transportation options for women—showing Anderson’s business acumen in addressing a niche market. Leverging women's economic power as consumers was a sharp move, as she explained in the same statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta: "Women are consumers. Women spend the most money of the genders."
Despite its still budding stage, Heride has been met with enthusiasm. An earlier Atlanta News First article noted HeRide's limited number of available drivers, requiring rides to be booked in advance. However, the company is seeking over $1 million in funding to expand its on-demand capabilities this summer. Such fundraising efforts are anticipated to transform the way Atlanta’s women navigate the night. "Our slogan is, ‘Choose to be unbothered,’" Anderson advocated in the Atlanta News First interview. As the app grows and evolves, Heride may indeed become the beacon of untroubled commutes, freely chosen by the women of Atlanta.
