Women’s perceptions towards ride-sharing services: The case of Dhaka city

Abstract

The global ride-sharing industry is booming and Bangladesh is no exception. Today, it makes up almost a quarter of Bangladesh’s transport sector. It has increased the mobility of the middle class in big cities such as Dhaka. By adopting a mixed-methods research technique, this research study sought to explore the varied perceptions, experiences and concerns of female users of ride sharing services in Dhaka city. The results showed that women opt for ride-sharing services primarily due to convenience, time-saving, cost effectiveness, safety and comfort. Women face a number of problems such as cancellation of trips, reckless driving, and sexual harassment by drivers. Findings suggest that these problems can be addressed by ride-sharing companies by hiring more female and skilled drivers, activating hotlines and boosting security measures. BRTA should play a stronger role in monitoring the ride-sharing industry to maintain service quality and safety.