While working as a full-time driver for a major company, HERide founder Jillian Anderson became fed up after encountering an angry customer who refused to leave her vehicle when she wouldn’t stop at a fast-food joint during his trip home. This wasn’t her first encounter with a customer that made her feel unsafe and, like many female rideshare drivers and passengers, Anderson was tired of dealing with this persistent plight.
After researching the sexual assault rates of rideshare competitors, Anderson created HERide in 2019 to provide a safe alternative for women seeking rideshare services. The company officially launched to the app store in March 2020 and so far has received 215 driver applications and over 20,000 app downloads.
“I knew that there were other women that drive in the gig industry that felt unheard and unseen so I created HERide; a female-friendly rideshare app that keeps women’s safety in mind,” Anderson said.
Based in Atlanta, HERide prides itself on doing thorough, comprehensive background searches on all its drivers before employment. They are committed to the overall safety and empowerment of women and aim to help improve the lives of women everywhere. The company has listened to the voices of thousands of women around the world seeking safer transportation options.
“For years, women have stated that they feel safer when riding with another woman and we listened,” she said.
Currently, HERide is servicing the Atlanta Area as far north as Kennesaw, as far south as Fayetteville, as far east as Lithonia, and as far west as Lithia Springs. Anderson says the company has plans to expand and scale to every major city in America without having to change their manual driver onboarding process or compromise how much their drivers earn.
Through HERide, passengers can book their ride either right at that moment or schedule a future ride. Based on their location, the app will connect them with the closest available driver to take them to their destination. HERide is providing a vital service to female residents and travelers seeking an additional layer of safety when moving around the city.
“Solutions like ours do not solve issues like this overnight, but it is a step in the right direction and an opportunity for women to be a part of the conversations we’re having to develop robust safety features,” she said.
HERide reminds its riders that when they support the brand they are supporting gender balance and greater participation of women in the rideshare industry. This year, the company plans to onboard 1,000 drivers in the Atlanta area and raise at least 1.25 million dollars in pre-seed funding. Anderson credits her team with the strides HERide has made thus far and says the future of the company is bright.
“My co-founder DeVynne Starks and driver admin specialist Ciera Norman have been the key to our success so far,” she said. “Without them on the team, HERide would not be making the progress it has so far.”
A new force in the transportation industry, HERide is changing the way rideshare companies view safety for their passengers. By allowing riders to be unbothered and carefree on the trips, HERide is the new standard for trust and security for female travelers commuting from Point A to Point B without the hassles.
