Rideshare Safety for Women: A Safer Alternative on the Road

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have become a staple in modern transportation. With the tap of a button, you can get a ride to the airport, the office, or your best friend's birthday party. But while the convenience is undeniable, for many women, the experience comes with an unsettling question: "Will I be safe?"

Recent headlines have thrown this concern into sharp focus. Uber and Lyft are facing waves of lawsuits from female riders alleging everything from harassment to assault. And these aren’t just isolated incidents. Reports show an average of 6,000 assaults per year – and that's just what's officially reported.

It's clear the current model has serious gaps. That’s why Kimberly Evans founded Just Her Rideshare, a woman-centered rideshare service that prioritizes safety, comfort, and community.

Why Just Her Rideshare Exists

Kimberly created Just Her Rideshare because she experienced firsthand the discomfort of getting into a stranger’s car. Like many of us raised on "stranger danger," she was hesitant to trust the rideshare model. When she started asking around, she discovered she wasn’t alone. Women wanted a choice in how they experience rides, and overwhelmingly, they wanted safer options.

Her research revealed a disturbing truth: over 40% of women using rideshare services reported uncomfortable or even dangerous encounters. Some women were lured into human trafficking rings. Others experienced assault or worse. Kimberly knew she had to take action.

What Makes Just Her Rideshare Different

Unlike traditional platforms, Just Her Rideshare vets its drivers with far more stringent background checks. But this isn’t just a pink-washed version of Uber. Kimberly understands that not every woman is inherently safe simply because of gender. That’s why her company uses robust security screenings for all drivers, regardless.

The platform also helps mitigate risk by matching female riders with female drivers. This isn't about villainizing men – it's about providing options that feel safer and more comfortable. Most women don’t want to spend an entire car ride on high alert, especially when returning from a night out or navigating unfamiliar cities.

Just Her Rideshare also considers the safety of drivers. Many women driving for Uber and Lyft have shared horror stories of being harassed or attacked by passengers. Kimberly’s platform puts those drivers in control. They can accept or decline rides based on their comfort level, including male and non-binary passengers if they choose.

The Hidden Risks of Rideshare

Men often don’t understand the level of fear women feel during a rideshare ride. They don’t experience that split-second panic when a driver takes a wrong turn or the internal alarm bells when a conversation gets a little too personal.

Women, on the other hand, often enter the car with a mental safety checklist:

• Check the license plate.

• Confirm the driver's name.

• Share their route with a friend.

That’s not paranoia. That’s survival instinct.

Even for women like me who are trained in self-defense and carry protection, there's always that thought in the back of your head. But when the driver is a woman? There’s an almost immediate sense of calm.

Real Tragedies, Real Change

Kimberly and I both shared personal experiences of friends lost to violence that drive home the importance of safer rideshare services. Kimberly mentioned the heartbreaking case of Samantha Josephson, a college student who mistakenly got into an Uber impersonator's car and was murdered. That tragedy was a turning point for Kimberly and fueled her mission to build a safer alternative.

I recalled my own loss of a high school friend who was murdered while delivering pizzas. These stories aren’t just chilling; they’re a reminder that safety isn't a privilege. It's a necessity.

Challenges of Starting a Safer Rideshare Company

Creating a company like Just Her Rideshare isn’t easy. Insurance alone can be enough to sink a startup. The costs of being a certified transportation network company (TNC) are high. Add to that the challenge of raising funds as a female founder – and a Black woman at that – and the odds are steep.

Despite this, Kimberly pressed on. Her early research and smart planning helped her launch responsibly, starting in Charlotte and expanding slowly into other North and South Carolina cities like Raleigh, Greensboro, Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville. She has plans to expand into the D.C. area and Nashville next.

More Than Just a Ride

Just Her Rideshare is more than a ride to the airport. Kimberly is solving real transportation problems, especially for women in underserved communities. One hospital shared that some new mothers were being kept longer than medically necessary simply because they lacked a safe way to get home. That costs the hospital over $1,200 a day per bed.

Kimberly also works with organizations like the Urban League to provide rides for women in "transportation deserts," helping them get to work, medical appointments, and other essential services. One woman’s 15-minute ride with Just Her Rideshare replaced a 2.5-hour bus journey.

How to Support or Use Just Her Rideshare

If you're in the Charlotte area or one of their other markets, download the Just Her Ride app and create a profile. While wait times may be longer due to a smaller driver pool, planning ahead makes a big difference.

You can also get involved by:

• Subscribing to their newsletter at JustHerRideShare.com

• Joining their community hub called Just Her Hub

• Supporting their mission by spreading the word

Whether you're a driver, a rider, or just someone who cares about women’s safety, there’s a way to get involved.

Final Thoughts

Getting home safely should not be a luxury. For women especially, the current rideshare landscape leaves a lot to be desired. But with services like Just Her Rideshare, that landscape is finally starting to shift.

Kimberly isn't just building a company. She's building a movement – one ride, one connection, one safe arrival at a time.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation? Listen to the podcast episode with Kimberly Evans on The Straight Shift to hear the full story behind Just Her Rideshare and why this company is changing the game for women on the go.