Stella Mateo: Getting women in the driver’s seat

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Stella MateoSheTaxis founder, Stella Mateo, talks about her unique car service.

When was the last time you saw a woman driver behind the wheel of a cab? It’s unusual to see, no matter where you travel in the world. It’s extremely rare in New York City.

There are 115,000 taxi and limousine drivers there, yet only 3 percent of them are women, even though the vast majority of passengers are women.

As the founder of SheTaxis, or SheRides as the service is called within New York City limits, Stella Mateo is working to increase those numbers and ensure more women are in the driver’s seat.

“It doesn’t matter your size, age, ethnic background,” she said. “It is a movement to empower women financially and personally.”

Stella Mateo: Getting women in the driver’s seat

SheTaxis founder, Stella Mateo, talks about her unique car service for women.

It’s the first company in the United States to offer taxi and car services for women, from women, all through an iPhone app. Her car service emulates already existing models that are successful in a number of other countries.

As a mother of two girls, Mateo says her daughters were one of the motivators for creating the company.

“I feel more protective for young women and young girls being a mother,” she said. “When my girls go out at night, I feel safer and better knowing that there’s an option of requesting a woman.”

Stella Mateo joined Mike Walter in our New York studio to discuss the advantages of being both behind the wheel and in the passenger seat of SheTaxis.