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The idea came to Cheri Uthe when calling a cab with her friends on the way home from the bar.
Because she lived farthest away from her friends at the edge of Saskatoon, Uthe would often be the last one dropped off at her house at the end of the night, and her driver was often a man.
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“I never had anything bad happen to me but I did feel uncomfortable a few times, I always had my phone at the ready and always wondered if they took a different route than I would normally take,” Uthe said.
“For us to always have to be on guard, it’s very sad that women have to deal with that.”
That’s why Uthe started Go Diva, a rideshare service run by women that mostly serves females and the LGBTQ community.
Uthe said she’s gained a different set of customers since her business began six years ago, such as seniors requesting rides to medical appointments.
“That’s all genders,” she said.
“Everybody’s looking for a safe, reliable and enjoyable ride,” she said, noting she makes an effort to stay competitive with Uber and cab services in Saskatoon.
Uthe said Go Diva also works with the sexual assault centre in Saskatoon, and said many riders have shown appreciation for the female-run service.
“I know that a lot of those girls that go for appointments there do feel like they wouldn’t be able to get in a vehicle with a male possibly,” she said.
Uthe mentioned the importance of proper training for staff, which is offered through organizations such as OUTSaskatoon.
“It’s really important for us to all have that respect for everyone in the community regardless of age, gender, or race.”
Cheri Uthe said Go Diva drivers are trained to have respect for everyone in the community regardless of age, gender, or race. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)
Last week, a 65-year old taxi driver appeared in provincial court in Saskatoon for sexual assault and unlawful confinement after a 33-year-old woman reported to police that she was confined and assaulted in a cab early last month.
“Investigators determined that while in a vulnerable state the woman was picked up and driven to a number of locations over a four-hour period before being taken to her home,” a statement from police said.
Uthe said hearing incidents such as these gives her more reasons to keep pursuing her business.
“When you get in the car with someone, they do have a lot of control like they are going to take you where they take you, and you have to have a lot of trust in them,” she said,
“We love that people are putting their trust in us, and we hope that we can help others that way.”
Uthe said she hopes to raise the industry standard for rideshares when it comes to safety and comfort for people in the community.
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