A Female-Only Taxi Service Is Coming to the States

Lady cab driver isn’t just a Prince song anymore. The by-ladies for-ladies taxi app SheTaxi, started as part of a social justice movement in India, and is launching in the United States.

If you’ve ever had a bad experience with a driver harassing you from the front seat, you can imagine what a big deal this is. The company, which operates through an iPhone app, allows women to request cars driven by other women in an effort to stop sexual violence and harassment that women experience while trying to hail a car. The company, launching under the name SheRides in New York City, will start on September 16.

Founder Stella Mateo began the company as a way to help women break into the driving business, as well as offer an alternative for women who feel uncomfortable with male drivers, she told The New York Times.

The company has already recruited 50 female drivers, who will start in New York City, covering Long Island and Westchester as well as within the city limits. Mateo hopes to expand the company into other cities in the next year. But already, breaking into the New York City metro market will be a big deal for women who hope to drive a taxi or ride in a female-piloted vehicle as currently only five percent of cars are driven by women.

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