Women of Ballarat are spoilt for choice in transportation as the city now has its very own Shebah driver.
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On the back of an announcement that Uber is arriving in October, Shebah has been launched in Ballarat as a ride share service by women for women.
Ballarat’s driver Britt (who did not want her surname used) started working for the company last week and Shebah founder George McEncroe said she will soon be joined by another five employees in the area.
“The service is helping out working mums and dads who have to be in four places at once and are trying to manage careers. It’s trying to play that role that your neighbour was once able to do,” she said.
Britt said many people said they felt safer with women drivers.
“There’s a definite need for it, especially for the under 18s. It caters for females just to feel secure in the car.”
She said her first jobs in the role included picking up a nurse from hospital late at night and transporting young children who wanted to go to the supermarket.
Launched on International Women’s Day this year, Ms McEncroe said the company was a response to her and her daughter’s own experiences.
“I registered twice to drive for Uber but I got scared. Having three drunk men sitting behind me felt scary,” she said. “My daughter got creeped out when a couple of drivers told her they knew where she lived.”
With only four per cent of female drivers in the taxi industry and 10 per cent in Uber, Ms McEncroe said the service aims to get a lot of girls home safely while keeping drivers safe as well. The service also allows passengers to sit in the front seat, something Ms McEncroe said made such a difference.
“It feels very unAustralian to sit in the back, like you’re treating the driver as a servant.”
As a new venture, Ms McEncroe said they were still determining where demand would be greatest, dependent on Ballarat’s growth. She expects the service to be equally popular for parents who want to make sure their children travel safely during the day as well as for women having a fun night out.
All drivers are required to have a Working with Children’s Check and while male children are allowed to use the service, those aged between 12 and 18 must be accompanied by a female guardian.
For more information, visit the website.
