BREAKING THE STEREOTYPE: FEMALES VENTURE INTO RIDE-HAILING SERVICES IN GHANA

By Sheila Owusu

FINAL YEAR PRODUCTION

Is it safe for women to join the ride-hailing business, essentially getting into vehicles with strangers?

Picture Source (iStock. Female Uber Driver Pictures, Images and Stock Photos)

Since ride-hailing first appeared on the scene a few years ago, many people have been wondering how women fit into the picture.

Ride-hailing services are mobile apps that connect passengers with local drivers. In most cases, they provide a convenient way to move from one place to the other stress-free. The passenger requests a ride through a ride-hailing platform and the drivers use a map to locate the passengers.

Ordering a Ride on Uber

They started operations in Ghana a few years ago. Since then, three major players have shared this market : Uber, Bolt, and Yango.

Picture Source (Uber.com, Bolt.com and Yango.com)

The ride-hailing space has been dominated mostly by men over the years. But that trend is gradually changing with some women joining as drivers.

Selassie Attisu has been driving Uber for two years after losing her job as a banker. She said most passengers are intrigued when they find out she is a female driver.

Profitable yet scary venture
Attisu expressed mixed feelings about the challenges she has faced so far

She said, “My first challenge is fear, especially when driving at night. I recommend that female drivers be paired with female passengers because the likelihood of a female attacking me is lower than that of a male.”

“Aside from that, I get a lot of tips, and riders are more courteous and patient with me,” Attisu added.

She encouraged other females interested in the business to join because it is a profitable venture as well.

Winifred Larteley, another female driver, began working in the ride-hailing industry six months after graduating from the university. She said, all efforts to find a job after school proved futile. So she decided to join the ride-hailing business.


" It has been enjoyable [may be because I’m a woman] and many people want to know my story. They are curious about how I got into the business.”

Lateley’s challenge is that some riders are extremely rude, “but that’s part of the job,” she added.


She wants the ride-hailing companies to address the security concerns of drivers so that more women can join.

Staying safe at night
The two female drivers say they sometimes prefer to work at night. They claimed that although they occasionally experience anxiety about being harassed, no passenger has bothered them. Regarding how they stay safe, the two drivers said they stay away from certain locations because they believe those areas are risky. They say they enjoy driving at night because there is less traffic and also receive tips from customers who are happy to ride with them.

Adwoa Serwaa (Evening Uber Driver)

Some passengers said they are always startled to see these female drivers because they usually encounter male drivers when they order a ride-hailing service. However, they are always glad and satisfied with the female drivers because they are welcoming and very professional.They want more women to venture into the ride-hailing industry.