Taxi Driver Online

(Edit - there's actually a previous thread from the summer about this operation when it was running in Skipton. So now looks like they're expanding into Bradford, thus to that extent it's not been a total failure. But, as per below, likely to remain niche, even assuming it doesn't fold within the next year or two )

'Pink Ladies' - now where have I heard that before?

But, as Sussex would say about stuff like this, doomed to failure.

Or, if it does keep going for any length of time, it will be quite small in size, and quite niche.

But this is typical of the reporting genre, too - as much advertorial as anything else, and the usual spiel about offering 'counselling' style advice, blah, blah.

But at least it's actually off the ground, and plated, and not one of those app start-ups without cars who think they're going to save womankind with similar-style spiel to this


The story behind bright pink taxi company coming to Bradford

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... -bradford/



A BUSINESSWOMAN who set up a bright pink taxi company designed to make journeys feel safer for women and girls is set to expand into Bradford.

Mum-of-two Amberine Nawaz wanted to shift the dynamics by putting only female drivers behind the wheel at Pink Ladies Ltd.

It was inspired by the stress associated with her young daughter sitting alone in taxis in rural areas with a temperamental phone signal.

The Skipton-based firm operates on a policy of making sure customers walk through their front door before moving on to the next job.

The fluorescent pink taxis have helped both men and women face their fears after distressing experiences in taxis, have taken young girls to school, and put worried parents at ease with regular updates on drivers.



Amberine’s chaperone service has proved popular with elderly customers.

She also makes sure her drivers are trained to help those with wheelchairs, disabilities, and illnesses.

Just over a year since Pink Ladies took to the roads, Amberine, who moved back to Skipton after living down south, is set to expand into Bradford with a new office on Westgate open from mid-January.

Amberine, who built her business up from nothing, hopes to inspire more women to become taxi drivers.



Describing feedback from people online, the former Buttershaw Upper School pupil said: “The messages we had were absolutely amazing, everyone saying, ‘we can’t wait for this to open’.

"Men say ‘we’re going to have a blue cab and male-only taxis’ - I’ve let other women defend the business idea. It’s unfortunate that we’re in the 21st century and there is a need. It’s a deeper problem and it’s needed.



“Men have had equally as bad experiences with male drivers."

She added: “I’m quite lucky that I’ve not had that experience with any unfortunate experience but I’ve had women telling me what’s happened.

"One said, ‘Why don’t you come sit at the front, the heating’s better at the front’. She thought, ‘Ok I’m a bit cold’ and he’s put his hand on her leg. People are sharing their experiences.

“People do share stories with us all the time about what’s happened. It’s needed more than I anticipated.

“It’s been positive. We’re a bit of a counselling role as well when they feel they can open up and talk to us.

“We wait for them to go in the house. Little things like that make such a difference.”

High-res photos here if anyone feels the need

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... s/18897733

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... s/18897737

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... /18897745/

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... /18897739/

But no mention of the male drivers who have had bad experiences with female passengers

And, problem is, unless the women drivers are just doing pensioner runs to the bowling club at 10am then they're bound to come across the odd female headbanger...which wannabee drivers will no doubt realise, which is maybe why operations like this have trouble getting female drivers in the first place...

Previous BBC article about Skipton here, for what it's worth

Looks like she's been going in Skipton since October 2023, so obviously not starting up in Bradford from nothing. But I'd guess the big city may be a bit different to the sleepy old Skipton she describes in the article below

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn9ly19e5zvo

Slightly different angle here from early autumn - also planning to expand into Sheffield in 2025

But if you read enough of this stuff, you pick up small details which put a slightly different complexion on things. Such as that they've also got male drivers.

And the service isn't necessarily only for women.

And, of course, the usual stuff about doing airport transfers and the like, as if it was something new for a 'taxi' firm, and that it's doing everyone a big favour

So it may all be a bit like DG Cars(?) or whoever in Nottingham(?), and the Pink Ladies element is only one niche (and a slightly gimmicky niche) added on to a bigger product for marketing purposes

That's not to say that it's not more central to the operation than an office with hundreds of cars and a handful of women drivers...

...on the other hand, it's maybe not a Kerry Katona-style set up with purely women drivers transporting purely women passengers.

And if it is like that, can't really see it getting very far in Bradford and Sheffield, with half a million people in each...

I mean, for a start, if you need a dedicated office for an operation like that in a big city, you need a critical mass of cars and drivers to make it economically viable, and if it's a Kerry Katona kind of set up, then very difficult to see it happening, I'd guess


https://www.asianstandard.co.uk/british ... yorkshire/

_________________
IDFIMH

Not exactly groundbreaking,

_________________
IDFIMH

At least this lot aren't using tuk tuks !

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

And problem is, with that sort of thing there's a danger male drivers would be accused of all sorts if hanging around like that

But, aye, went down a bit of a rabbit hole with this outfit the other day, and it looks like they've got one WAV and one pink motor, and maybe an executive car. And it seemed to be run previously by a couple, and the lady in the article took it over from them. And she seems to have been involved in the trade elsewhere for 20 years or so, but in what capacity isn't clear - but not simply a grassroots driver, nor I'd guess even a driver at all most of the time...

And it all looks very small scale at present - mobile numbers only, by the looks of it. And not even a proper website that I could find - Facebook and the like-only

But as well as the pink ladies stuff, they seem to be offering an amalgam of slightly niche stuff, such as a chaperone service and the like, but a lot of it is very probably just the bog standard stuff we all do, but with a PR/comms/marketing slant on it all.

Thus, perhaps the Pink Ladies angle...

And good luck to her - if people want this kind of thing, and are willing to pay, then who am I/we to complain?

But I just can't see the Pink Ladies thing per se being, er, scalable in terms of being economically viable on a big city scale. Unless it's a niche/slightly gimmicky part of the more mainstream 'taxi' operation we all know and, er, love