LadyCab founder seeking Cork drivers for women-focused taxi service 

The first female-focused taxi platform in Ireland, LadyCab, is set to bring its operations to Cork.

It is part of a nationwide expansion for the taxi service following strong correspondence and demand from women across Ireland.

LadyCab was established to provide passengers with greater choice, comfort, and confidence when travelling, while also creating flexible earning opportunities for drivers.

Through the platform, passengers can request a female driver, where available, while all drivers will undergo a rigorous onboarding and screening process.

After a successful rollout of the service in Dublin, LadyCab founder Emanuela Negura told The Echo that the plan now is to expand nationwide, and Leeside is next on the agenda.

“The public reaction in Cork has been incredible,” she said. “Cork is a great city from a tourist perspective, and one of Ireland’s most important cities, with a growing population and increasing demand for transport services.

“That is why Cork is a natural location for LadyCab’s expansion.

“People want to have as many female drivers as possible, but our male drivers are doing exquisite work. People understand and acknowledge the fact that, irrespective of the gender of the driver you will get from LadyCab, the standards apply in all cases.”

On top of passenger safety, LadyCab also aims to create a safe space and working environment for female taxi drivers.

Ms Negura added that her own experiences as a taxi driver in Dublin were the catalyst for setting up LadyCab.

“I had an incident almost three years ago, when I was operating my cab and I was attacked on the street.

“I told myself: ‘We have all this technology helping us to do every single thing in our lives, but we don’t have a service in place that allows us to work in a decent environment without fear.’ It was just unacceptable for me.”

She said the other reason for establishing the service was the feedback to the idea from her passengers.

“They were telling me in the cab that it is nice to have a female driver, and they felt so safe.”

She believed it was a service that was really needed in the capital.

“I started to build LadyCab on that basis, to change and to elevate the mobility industry’s safety standards.”

LadyCab is also currently building its Cork driver network, as part of its wider national expansion strategy, and is encouraging interested drivers to attend an information and recruitment event on June 18, to learn more about the opportunities available within the sector.

Ms Negura said that she is looking forward to the Cork-based recruitment event later this month.

“Our goal is not only to create safer and more comfortable transport options, but also to open conversations about flexibility, opportunity, and inclusion within the industry,” she explained.

“We want people to understand that taxi driving can offer genuine independence and flexibility when the right support is available.”

The event will take place on June 18 at the Intreo Centre at Abbey Court House at George’s Quay in Cork city, from 11am to 1pm, and is open to anyone interested in exploring opportunities within the taxi industry.