Shaheer Ahmed
Since the induction of online cab services in Pakistan, things have gotten easy for people. Life has been made accessible in so many ways because they have to call a cab from the app and be on their way. However, the majority of drivers in these cab services are male. There is nothing wrong with male drivers, but at the same time – people felt the need to have services where they would be able to call female drivers especially for females. There was a void that needed to be filled for female ride-hailing services and there were reasons behind the ideas as well.
Some primary reasons for this:
- Women – especially mothers, feel safe sending their daughter to work or school in cars with female drivers
- With the increase in harassment and gender-based violence, women who have to avail these cabs feel safe when traveling with women drivers
- Apps designed just for women as drivers give women from all backgrounds the opportunity to work
- They can earn money to support themselves and their families
The following is a list of the top three cab services for women in Pakistan:
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My Fab Cab
My Fab Cab is the first cab service for women and by women. This was started by Amara Zulfiqar to provide safe transportation to women. The app allows women to sign up as drivers, and the best part is that they decide the hours they want to put in. This app provides women with the opportunity to work and empower them. The app is available on the App Store or Google Play.
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Paxi
Paxi is another car-hailing service that provides women the opportunity to be able to work and provide a safe environment for women passengers. Pink Taxi, also known as Paxi, is a cab-hailing service. If you see a pink car on the road, it could be a Paxi. The idea for this was put into work after careful consideration and research. One research in Karachi stated women traveling by bus or in public transportation felt unsafe. You can download the app from App Store or Google Play.
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Shekab
Shekab is yet another cab service for women but what is different is that it provides women the opportunity to carpool. It is hassle-free, reliable, safe, and affordable. The aim is to connect women who travel together. The app can be downloaded from App Store or Google Play.
The start of women working as cab drivers is foreign, but people are now slowly starting to open up to the idea. This is a positive step leading to a progressive society. We can hope that one day soon, we will be able to see more women bike riders and with apps like Bykea for women!
