Uber trips can be rather hair-raising for women if recent news reports are anything to go by.
So it’s rather refreshing to see one app rising to the challenge, called Chariot for Women.
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Marketed as a smart cab service for women only, the US app is the brainchild of former Uber driver Michael Pelletz and offers a number of standout features. For one, the service makes use of female cab drivers, but only children under the age of 13 and women are allowed as passengers.
The service also utilises an in-app system to ensure passenger safety.
“When the passenger requests a ride, a safe word pops up on the driver and passenger’s phone. If the driver says the correct word, the ride may begin. If the driver doesn’t have the same safe word, the passenger then knows immediately not to get into that Chariot, and will then look for the correct vehicle,” read an excerpt from the Chariot for Women website.
Chariot for Women also partnered with Safer Places to screen prospective drivers, adding another layer of safety.
Much like Uber, passengers can also see the driver’s photo, car model and licence plate number on the app. Unlike Uber, the company has seemingly eschewed Surge Pricing in favour of a more conventional pricing model.
In a rather interesting move, the service will also donate two percent of ride fees to female-focused charities, with a rotating list of charities on offer.
Chariot for Women launches in Boston, USA, on 19 April 2016.
