New ride-sharing company takes aim at female market
Pink Car Service has mostly women behind the wheel and stesses safety
A new company in Calgary is filling a void in the city’s male-dominated transportation sector.
Pink Car Service, which is set to launch this week, is a female-run ride-sharing company focused on catering to the city’s vulnerable populations, which they define as females, persons with disabilities and seniors.
“People within the vulnerable sectors deserve a safe option. It should be a right to have safe transportation, in my mind,” said company owner Brooke Garcia. “We’ve heard too many stories over and over of situations that have happened in taxicabs or different types of vehicles where the people are not treated well.”
Garcia said the company’s mission is to bring about change in the industry and believes by launching this company, it is “forcing the transportation industry to adapt and change.”
Earlier this month, Postmedia found only one per cent of licensed taxi drivers and fewer than five per cent of drivers in Calgary’s seven ride-sharing companies are women.
The City of Calgary won’t share numbers for individual transportation companies, but said 2,041 drivers were operating in Calgary as of May 23. Of those, 1,941 are men, meaning only 4.89 per cent of drivers are women.
Pink Car Service has predominantly female drivers in its fleet, and their employees must undergo an intense hiring processing and an extensive training program.
“We’re looking for the type of person that is compassionate. We’re looking for someone who wants to serve others and provide a safe and secure service to people,” Garcia said.
Drivers must undergo 18 courses at the in-house driving training institute. They study first aid and CPR, “verbal judo” — training on how to de-escalate a situation using only words — advanced driving and safety courses, martial arts, wheelchair handling and an array of programs relating to general disabilities.
Some drivers also learn American Sign Language and are bilingual or multi-lingual.
In some cases, people with disabilities have to book 48 to 72 hours in advance, Garcia said. Pink Car Service drops those processing times with top-of-the-line vehicles, including wheelchair transportation, and vans and buses to accommodate any physical or emotional challenges.
The service can also be used for safety concerns by women who work late or who have faced domestic assaults, Garcia said.
She says the company’s main concerns are safety, security and service.
Even guests have to go through a screening process. Once they are approved, they can download the app and book a ride. Payments are made through the app.
“We leave nothing to chance,” Garcia said. “We know well in advance exactly who we will be picking up, and each guest knows exactly who is coming to get her. This is as safe and secure as it gets.”
The ride-sharing service is launching Tuesday on Stephen Avenue Walk.
It will operate in Calgary, Airdrie and Cochrane.
We know well in advance exactly who we will be picking up, and each guest knows exactly who is coming to get her.