A ride-sharing service has debuted in Traverse City, but it’s not Uber or Lyft. TransportHer operates essentially the same as those ride-sharing services, but with one very important distinction: The drivers are all women, and the business is designed to provide women, children and seniors with safe transportation.

Jill Washburn, the company’s vice president and communications director, says the service actually grew out of a harrowing experience by one of its founders. “The other two founders, Larry and Carly Russell, are father and daughter. (Carly) was viciously attacked and held against her will for several hours. Her dad said they needed to work on a project together other women could benefit from,” says Washburn.

Thus was born TransportHer. Like Uber, it’s built around a smart phone app, where riders request a ride and drivers respond. The original model was to only accept female passengers, but it was quickly expanded to include senior citizens and children up to age 16. Washburn says the company might eventually serve male passengers as well.

“When I heard the idea I was all in,” Washburn says. “I love that it came from a very pure place of trying to help others while she (Carly) made a choice not to wallow (in her experience) and was taking control of her own recovery.”

The principals are all from the metro Detroit area, though Carly Russell now lives in Texas. Traverse City was chosen for the rollout because it’s relatively small yet boasts all the amenities of a larger city, which makes it attractive for the service.

“We’ve had a great response so far,” Washburn says.

TransportHer is up and running, though there isn’t yet a full complement of drivers. “We have less than ten right now. Realistically, we’d like to have 20 or 30. Beyond that, what the market would bear -- in summer there’s room for a lot more. Traverse City is two different towns, summer and winter,” she says.

To qualify as a driver, applicants must have a vehicle that is a 2012 or newer or have it pass an inspection. A background check and a certain level of insurance are also required.

Riders pay either in cash or via the app. TransportHer driver Eileen Byrne (pictured above) tells The Ticker eventually riders will be able to use a credit card through Square or a similar process. Drivers will take riders virtually wherever they want to go. Cost is $1.25 per mile plus 25 cents per minute.

Byrne adds that one thing that appeals to potential drivers is they can drive as much or as little as they want. “The beauty is you can make it a fulltime job and make a very good living, or make it a side job. Maybe retirees want to be on the road a couple hours a day.”

Ultimately, the goal is to expand TransportHer to other communities, first in Michigan, then elsewhere. Washburn says college towns are a likely choice. She also doesn’t believe it will actually be in competition with the other ride services. “There’s a segment of the market that would never take Uber or Lyft,” she says. “Even in towns where we’d go head to head, it’s not the same customers. I think there’s a hole in the market.”

Though Lyft and Uber have not yet arrived locally, TransportHer might not remain the only ride-sharing service in Traverse City. The folks behind Chompler, the restaurant food delivery service, say they are considering adding ride-sharing to their business model. “We are looking at it,” says Erik Akerley, one of the company co-founders. “It’s a very complementary business model.”
 
Pictured: TransportHer driver