How a terrifying cab ride drove Aisha Addo to start a women-only ridesharing service

If you're a woman and you've taken a cab, you've likely noticed it: nearly all taxi drivers are men. In fact, men account for 85.1 per cent of taxi drivers in Canada, according to 2006 census data. But one woman is trying to change that. 

Aisha Addo knows firsthand that women riding alone in cabs can find themselves in situations where they feel scared or powerless. That's why she created DriveHer, a ride-hailing app designed by women for women.

"We recruit female drivers, and most of our clientele are women," she said. "Transportation was one of the things for me that I was like: if I can't be safe on the street, at least I can be safe in a car. Once that privilege is taken away, you become anxious every time [you take a taxi], and I didn't want women to feel like that." 

Addo was driven to start DriveHer after a particularly bad taxi ride. Here's what happened, in her own words. 

By Aisha Addo as told to Now or Never. 

It's been a very long day, and I just want to get home to my bed. Well, here comes my taxi. I get in the vehicle and he asks me how my day went.

"Um, hi. I'm well. It's been a long day. How are you?"

"Good," he said.

"Where are you going?," he asks. 

"Well, I'm going to Mississauga."

"Who are you going to in Mississauga?"

I said "home."

"So, do you live alone?"

Do I answer? Do I pretend like I'm sleeping? That might give him an idea. This is really weird... maybe I should call a friend.

"Hey, I'm in a taxi on my way home, I'm on the highway now, and the driver is asking me really uncomfortable questions. I need you to be on the phone with me. You don't have to say anything, I'll just pretend like I'm talking, I just need to not have a conversation with him right now."

But of course I didn't say it in English, I said it in Twi. I didn't want him to understand what I was saying. I didn't want him to get any more ideas. 

He keeps asking me these questions. "Do you live alone? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Why should he care? This is not right. There's something wrong with this.

"Calm down, stay on the phone," my friend says. "Stay on the phone, just keep talking."

"Okay Ms., where do you want me to drop you?," The driver asks

"Right here is fine sir, right here is fine. What's my bill, please?"

I get out of the car and run. No looking back, I just run to my building.

I'm safe. I'm home.