Atlanta, GA
All-female rideshare service now available at Atlanta airport
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – An all-female ride-share service called “HERide” is now available at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Just like Uber or Lyft, passengers book the service through an app.
HERide, however, only has women drivers.
Founder Jillian Anderson says she was inspired to create a service for women, by women, after driving for a different company.
“I would mainly drive at night, and women that I would pick up would tell me that they were looking for women drivers,” she explains. “I was like, ‘Why hasn’t anyone thought of this yet?’”
She started HERide in 2020, the first service of its kind in Georgia, and the traction has been growing.
“Last year, we were sitting around 6,000 sign-ons, and now we’re sitting at 16,000,” she said.
Anderson hopes a new airport partnership will help their service take off. Hartsfield-Jackson made the announcement Wednesday.
“At ATL, we are committed to providing an inclusive and secure travel experience for all passengers,” said Deputy General Manager and Chief Commercial Officer Jai Ferrell. “The introduction of HERide is a significant step toward fulfilling that commitment and contributes to a more welcoming and accommodating environment for everyone who passes through our airport.”
New all-female rideshare company launches in Atlanta
Some travelers we spoke with say it’s a welcome addition.
“I’m a little concerned about getting into a Lyft or an Uber, so we went to rent a car, and it was like $300, but if I knew it was a female-owned business with female drivers, we would definitely take that,” says Catherine Duncan, who had landed at the airport.
“I travel a lot throughout the United States,” says Brigitte Orrick. “I would definitely, from a safety standpoint, want to use that service first, because I would feel much more safe in a car with another woman.”
Lyft on Tuesday announced an initiative called Women+ Connect. If the option is selected, it increases the likelihood of receiving a female driver. It is launching in Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, and San Jose.
Lyft released its first safety report in 2021, disclosing that it received 4,158 reports of sexual assault from 2017 to 2019.
Uber reported 141 incidents of rape and 998 incidents of sexual assault from 2019-2020, according to a report released last year. Anderson hopes HERide can help passengers breathe a little easier.
“I am glad I can provide this service,” she says.
HERide services as far north as Kennesaw and as far south as Griffin. It reaches west out to Douglasville and east to Conyers, as well as the city of Athens.
If anyone is interested in becoming a driver, click here.
Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.