Two women have created a rideshare company made exclusively for women and by women called HERide in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded by former rideshare driver Jillian Anderson after she noticed a need in the industry.
Anderson partnered with DeVynne Starks to begin the company in 2020 with the goal of empowering women while providing safety. Anderson is the company’s founder and CTO, while Starks is the company’s co-founder and Director of Marketing and Communications.
Anderson came up with the idea after several women she drove as a rideshare driver late at night in Atlanta requested her services.
“After hearing those requests over and over again, I finally started listening to a podcast called How I Built This. And when I found out that it only took two people to found Lyft and Uber, everything clicked from there. And I’ve been locked in ever since.”
HERide was created to prioritize women’s safety as they seek transportation, according to the website. “Built with the needs of women in mind, we aim to improve the lives of women everywhere through safe transportation, job creation, and financial security.”
Anderson and Starks say on their website that only women are hired to drive for the company, and a background check is done on each driver. They are also empowering women by paying a higher rate than the industry-standard as well as with incentives.
“Our in-ride security features make sure you arrive at your destination safely. Our drivers are also paid more than the industry standard and are incentivized to provide best-in-class service. When you choose to ride with HERide, you’re supporting a like-minded driver and elevating your community by helping to improve greater gender balance, choice, and participation in the ride-sharing economy.”
The website includes a tutorial on how to book a ride share with HERide as well as a tutorial to apply to drive for the company. Merchandise with the company logo is also available for sale on the website.