New ride-share service for women coming to London, Ont.

It claims to be the first of its kind in North America, a ride-share service that caters to female passengers with female drivers.

“I think it’s very much needed,” said Terri Phipps, the CEO of Wilma.

Phipps originally brainstormed the idea after a friend had a scary experience with a male ride-share driver in the U.S.

“We have statistics that show that 15 to 25 per cent of women are bothered the whole ride by male drivers, and unfortunately three per cent of women have actually reported being assaulted,” Phipps said.

Last month, the London Police Service charged a 67-year-old male ride-share driver with assaulting a female passenger.

Wilma has brought in the London-based Anova as a consultant for the new business model. Manager of Prevention Education at Anova, AnnaLise Trudell said they asked for some training.

“They wanted to make sure they were able to figure out how to engage the LGBTQ population,” said Trudell. “We know that it’s not just women who experience violence but Trans and non-binary experience that violence at even higher levels.”

Wilma is set to kick off in London by the end of the month with plans to be on Toronto and Mississauga in the fall.

“We just want to give women a hassle free way to get home,” Phipps said. 

For more information on how to be a driver or to sign up as a member, you can visit Wilma’s website.