Welsh taxis are being stocked with free period products thanks to a new taxi app designed for women's safety. RideSafe is working with an Asda store in Wales to stock sanitary towels in all of its private hire vehicles.
"We’re aiming to help women in ways that no-one else is. The Welsh Government ‘aim’ to provide free sanitary products by 2026 so we’re all just getting ahead of the game a little," said RideSafe CEO Ben Cole-Edwards, 27.
He said there had been "so much support", particularly from females, since announcing the free sanitary towel initiative. A community champion at Asda's Maesteg branch has arranged for the store to provide 10 packs of sanitary products each month to be placed in RideSafe vehicles in Cardiff and Bridgend county.
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"The pads are there for passengers to take when needed and we’ll just replenish them when the drivers notify us. The pads will be kept in the backs of vehicles tucked into the front seats," Ben added.
The pads are being sent out to RideSafe drivers this week and Ben said they have all been "super supportive of this movement". They will each receive a pack of 10 sanitary towels supplied by the local Asda, with the supermarket committed to offer monthly supplies.
"We have 1300 passengers signed up now and we’re currently looking for more drivers to meet demand," he added. As the number of drivers signed up to RideSafe grows, he said he will approach more Asda stores to supply more sanitary products.
RideSafe launched in Cardiff and Bridgend county in December 2022, and it's been given the go ahead to operate in Los Angeles. Ben 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 decided to turn the idea into a reality.
The app allows passengers to choose whether they would like a male or female driver and also lets them leave reviews of their drivers. Other features to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers include:
- Selfies of driver and car so passengers know who to look out for
- Message and call driver/passenger in-app
- Real-time tracking
- One-time password before taking off
- SOS integrated
A spokesperson for Asda said: "We always encourage our Community Champions to support the needs of their local communities, so we’re really pleased to see Donna supporting RideSafe in her role as Community Champion at our Maesteg store by helping to provide sanitary products."
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