Micromobility operators are gearing up for International Women’s Day this Friday by offering incentives to drive female uptake.
International Women’s Day on 8 March celebrates women’s achievements, strives for gender parity, and raises awareness about female safety and discrimination.
Lime today launched a pilot with national domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid to offer 100,000 minutes of free riding in 2024 to women living in London’s refuge accommodation.
“We are honoured to be supporting Women’s Aid and are huge advocates for the important work that they continue to conduct and campaign for each year,” said Lime Public Affairs Manager Alice Pleasant.
“It is our hope that we can play a small part in helping victims in London as they rebuild their lives in refuge through providing free active travel options, and a discounted service to Women’s Aid staff.”
The ‘Ride to Refuge’ pilot will give Women’s Aid staff and volunteers a 50% discount on Lime’s services.
Lime’s move to support some of the most vulnerable female groups in London comes after recent research from the operator found that 50% of women feel unsafe cycling alone at night, and 9 in 10 women face barriers to cycling.
On 3 March, Lime also supported the London Cycling Campaign on its Women’s Freedom Ride. Women make up less than a third of cyclists in the British capital, and so the London Cycling Campaign Women’s Network (LCCWN) organised a five-mile cycling tour of the city for women and their families to raise awareness. Free Lime bikes were made available for those who registered for the ride.
Swedish operator Voi is also driving female uptake by offering new female customers 15 minutes free e-scooter and e-bike riding. Using code ‘WOMEN’, the deal can be redeemed between 4 March and 4 April.
Voi’s dedication to gender diversity isn’t limited to one day or month of the year. In 2021, the operator joined forces with non-profit Women in Transport to commission a gender equity report which found that road infrastructure and drivers’ attitudes deterred women from riding e-scooters.
“Our rider surveys show that fewer women than men are currently using e-scooters,” Christy Pearson, Head of Central Policy at Voi, told Zag Daily on the operator’s own findings. “We are keen that women should benefit from this safe, affordable and convenient form of transport just as much as men.”
The operator also responded to feedback from female riders to improve its e-scooters such as altering the size of handlebars to accommodate women who typically have smaller hands, and giving them easier access to the bell, brakes and indicators.
“We have listened to a diverse group of riders, including women when developing new products and our service, for instance working to implement parking in safe, well-lit areas. We continue to lobby councils and government to improve active travel infrastructure and road quality in line with the report.”
Additionally, Irish operator Zeus will be running half price unlocks all day across all locations, and riders can refer their friends and receive a free ride too.
“Zeus prides itself on having a large percentage of women ridership, believed to be due to having the only unique three wheeled scooter in the market. On International Women’s Day we want to reward these magnificent users,” said Zeus Chief Operating Officer Chris Kemp.
