A new taxi app designed around the safety of women has launched in Cardiff. RideSafe allows passengers to choose whether they would like a male or female driver and also lets them leave reviews of their drivers.
Its founder and CEO Ben Cole-Edwards, a dad-of-two from Maesteg, Bridgend, said his mum and aunt had mulled over the concept of safe taxis for women about 20 years ago. But it was only last year that Ben, now 27, decided to turn the idea into a reality.
"The way my mother wanted to do it years ago was the same way it's been done before. A couple of women across the UK have bought taxis, started a business and hired women," said Ben.
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"But then they've been taken to court and had to shut down because of discrimination. So I'm doing it in a way that it's basically Uber, but you can choose whether you want a male or a female driver."
Ben, who is a life coach and author, said it's his first foray into the taxi app industry. He's already off to a flying start, with the app, which launched in the capital on Friday, December 9, set to launch in Bridgend county on Wednesday, December 14 - and he's even been given the go ahead to operate in Los Angeles.
"The idea is just to expand as fast as I can and as far as I can. Because even if I get one driver in every county, if that can help one woman in every county then that would be brilliant," he said.
He started speaking to women in his home town last year to gather views on the idea. "Every woman I spoke to had a bad experience with a taxi driver. And if you Google 'attacks on women in taxis' unfortunately you're inundated with results - and they're just the ones that have gone to press."
He even spoke to a 39-year-old woman who had avoided using taxis for 20 years after a bad experience with a male taxi driver. "She said that when she was 19, she was thrown out a taxi in the middle of nowhere, because she wouldn't do what the driver said.
"For the next 20 years, she didn't drink on a night out because she wanted to make sure she could drive herself and her friends home. So I 100% believe that that taxi driver would have forgotten about that two or three days later, but that event affected that woman for the next 20 years of her life."
The app has the following features to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers:
- Male or female driver/passenger preference
- Selfies of driver and car so passengers know who to look out for
- Message and call driver/passenger in-app
- Leave reviews of drivers and passengers
- Real-time tracking
- One-time password before taking off
- SOS integrated
Explaining the features, Ben said people's preferences for the sex of the driver or passenger isn't obvious. "If there is a woman passenger looking for a woman driver, a male driver can't see that he's been discriminated against, because it doesn't show up that it's a woman looking for a woman. He's just going to see that there are no passengers available."
Drivers can also choose whether they would like male or female passengers. "The initial reason behind it was for women drivers who didn't want to pick up drunk men. But after speaking to male drivers, it sounds like it's a problem as well with women. So it will work both ways," Ben said.
He also explained how the review system can help female passengers stay safe. "If a driver makes an inappropriate comment to you when you're in the car, but you still need to use taxis, every time you book, you're going to be dreading just in case you get in driver.
"With RideSafe, you can review your driver, which will do one two things: other passengers can see that driver has made inappropriate comments to young girls in the past, but also that driver can see their own review and make them rethink their choices and rethink their words."
He said the one-time password feature means passengers receive a random four digit code on their RideSafe app, which they must tell their driver to input into their app before the ride begins. He added the SOS integration means there is an 'SOS' button in the corner of the app - passengers can register a number which is automatically called when they press the button.
Passengers must also create an account on the RideSafe app, so they can also be identified if necessary. Ben said: "With passengers attacking drivers, or passengers running away without paying, all the taxi firm has is that person's number - whereas with us you have to create an account, upload your photo and all your details, so everything is saved."
RideSafe has been working with universities, schools, businesses, job centres, Cardiff and Bridgend councils, and the community, and several drivers have already signed up to the app. With most taxi drivers being male, Ben said the job centre in Maesteg are working with Bridgend Council to see if they can provide funding to get more women involved.
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