Charlotte startup Just Her Rideshare has launched its mobile app and is ready to provide a safer form of transportation for women. Just Her Rideshare, founded in 2020, is a community of female drivers that picks up a majority of women riders upon request. Customers have the option to choose how their experience will go on the app before getting into a Just Her-labeled vehicle.
Kimberly Evans, founder and CEO of the startup, said the Just Her Rideshare app launched on Aug. 31 and is available in Charlotte as well as eight to nine other cities in North and South Carolina. Evans said the initial plan was to launch in the Carolinas, but with the high demand for the service she’s already seen, that may soon change.
“We're working on ambassador programs to launch betas in Chicago and Houston, Texas, and then we're looking at Orlando, Florida, Miami and Atlanta,” she said. “We're working on those programs now. We do know that it's probably going to take us to probably second or third quarter to see what the numbers look like. And to see what the data looks like with what we're doing now to see when we can expand into those other markets. But we're going nationwide.”
How the ride-share company was created
The purpose driving Just Her Rideshare is women’s safety and building a community. The idea of creating a ride-hailing company geared for women derived from Evans’ own personal needs.
She has been in the entrepreneurial community for over 20 years and said she was introduced to ride sharing as a business opportunity in 2019. Evans' partner in the startup decided 10 months into the ideation phase that she didn’t want to move forward.
“I wanted to continue because it identified with me personally,” Evans said. “I lost a dear friend years ago who was abducted and brutally murdered. It was the pre-ride-share era, but as a young woman it left me feeling vulnerable. That’s why I said, ‘Wow, this would fit my needs first because of my own insecurities or discomfort or fear.’”
Evans said she was particularly impacted by the story of Samantha Josephson, a University of South Carolina student who was kidnapped and murdered in 2019 when she hopped into what she thought was an Uber ride share she had ordered.
What safety features does Just Her Rideshare include?
The Just Her Rideshare mobile app includes an SOS button to make it easy to notify police or an emergency contact, a track-my-ride feature and personal preferences. Riders have the option to choose the type of music and temperature they want, as well as indicate if they'd like a chatty or quiet driver.
Evans said drivers must go through a comprehensive background check before being hired. One of the startup's background checks is still pending two weeks after submission. “Not that there’s anything wrong, but that’s how comprehensive we want to make sure that we’re being, because safety is important.”
She said drivers and riders also have security codes to verify their requests before the trip begins.
Evans has incorporated supporting the entrepreneurial community into her mission through the Just Her Hub platform. The hub is a community portal where women can connect, engage and support one another, she said.
“It’s super important to me that we build community with our drivers for one, but then we also create this open space for our customers or whoever wants to be a part of this community,” Evans said.
Startup plans for growth
In addition to expanding into other states, the transportation company is also looking to focus on its technology capabilities. Just Her Rideshare plans to partner with organizations that allow drivers in college to reallocate their tips to go toward student loan-debts.
Just Her Rideshare has raised about $120,000 of a $700,000 pre-seed round goal since 2019. The startup has raised funds from a friends and family round, crowdfunding campaigns and other investments from friends and family.
Evans is seeking to hire more drivers to meet customer demand. “We are building this because we want people to know that we care about our partners, we care about our community and we care about social impact,” she said.
