There has been a recent push to bring Uber to Auburn, but there may be an even safer option now available to Auburn University women.
Chariot For Women, a company founded by an ex-Uber driver, is a ride-hailing program that will be exclusively for women and children.
The company will only employ women drivers and will only accept women and children passengers, with no males above the age of 13 being allowed service.
Chariot For Women was founded by Michael Pelletz, who had spent his time as an Uber driver talking to women passengers about uncomfortable and even dangerous situations they had been in with male drivers.
Michael said his wife, Kelly, who is now the president of Chariot For Women, had wanted to drive for Uber as well because the money is good, but was always too concerned for her safety to actually pursue the job.
Both hearing stories of women passengers being harassed or touched by Uber drivers and Kelly’s desire for a safer working environment were contributing factors to Michael’s decision to start Chariot For Women.
However, it was not until a dangerous passenger got into his car that Michael had his lightbulb moment.
One night, a man who Michael suspects was high entered his vehicle, only to give incoherent directions to a place he would not name before passing out.
The man woke up to give more nonsensical directions about every five minutes.
Michael said after about 20 minutes of this, the man grew increasingly agitated until Michael felt so unsafe that when he spotted a police officer on the side of the road, he pulled over to let the officer extract the man from his vehicle.
Upon getting back in his car, Michael said all the stories he had been told came rushing back to him, along with the worry of his wife being put in a situation like that, and the idea for Chariot For Women was born.
That was nine weeks ago, and what was supposed to be a launch in Massachusetts on April 19 for a company with about 1,000 drivers has now turned into a nationwide launch with about 9,000 drivers from across the country, including Alaska and Hawaii.
Because of this demand, Michael and his team are pushing their original April 19 launch date back a few months in order to ensure their technology is ready to meet the demand, which Michael expects to be tremendous.
But April 19 is still a special date, as this is the day the company will be renamed by the public, which Michael said is an effort to give Chariot For Women to the people.
“My wife and I want to give this company to the world because really that’s how tremendous the response has been,” Michael said. “It isn’t our company. It’s the world’s company, and that is what we are really trying to do.”
In another effort to give back, Kelly, who Michael describes as being “all about giving back” and the “most humble person,” has added a feature to Chariot For Women that will donate 2 percent of each fare, 24 hours a day, to charities dedicated to helping women around the world.
Passengers can choose which charity, from a list of 10, they would like their 2 percent to help.
Michael also hopes to team up with colleges to start a scholarship in each state, an idea he said Boston College suggested when he went to promote Chariot For Women.
Peyton Putman, sophomore in human development and family studies, said that she thinks a ride-hailing company exclusively for women is a good idea.
“A lot of time, girls are hesitant to get in the car with a guy just because of the way that culture is right now,” Putman said. “I think that girls would be more susceptible to accepting a ride from a female driver.”
But not everyone agrees with Putman. In fact, there have been some claims that the service Chariot For Women is offering, one that excludes men, is illegal.
While Michael Miley, junior in biomedical sciences, does think Chariot For Women is a good idea, he can see where the company may get into hot water.
“I don’t really think it’s unfair, but I think it should be offered to everyone,” Miley said.
Michael is not really worried about legal challenges, partly because of his legal team, which he has full confidence in.
He also believes his company is something women need, given that, according to Michael, 90 percent of ride-hailing assaults are men against women.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to really show that we can go in front of the Supreme Court and say, ‘Hey look … we are not trying to discriminate against anybody, but unfortunately, there does need to be a safe way to travel for women, and that is all we are trying to do,’” Michael said.
But despite the possible legal challenges, Michael said he has been overwhelmed by the positive response.
He said he receives calls thanking him from places such as Australia, Africa and Germany.
“I feel very, very humbled and so appreciative of that,” Michael said.
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