Maya Ride: Ride-sharing for women, by women

One day, Jannatul Ferdous was discussing with her husband Fahad Chowdhury about how uncomfortable it is for women to navigate Dhaka's busy roads. Every day, thousands of women do so, for work, study and business. Packed buses can mean unwanted touching or harassment, while travelling in CNGs or on ride-sharing motorbikes can also leave women uneasy.

Jannatul wondered what if there were a ride-sharing service operated by women, exclusively for female passengers?

Fahad took the idea seriously. Together, they launched 'Maya Ride', a women-focused ride-sharing platform designed to make travel more comfortable and secure. The service connects female passengers with female riders, offering women an alternative to navigating Dhaka's often uncomfortable transport system.

"Since I have been working in data marketing for eight years, I thought I would run an experiment," Fahad says. That small experiment gradually grew into a platform.

Both of the couple grew up in Dhaka. Fahad completed his O Levels and A Levels before moving to London for higher education. He earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a master's degree in Data Science from Queen Mary University of London. Jannatul, meanwhile, is studying for an LLB at London South Bank University.

However, they did not start the initiative with a business dream in mind. Rather, they wanted to do something alongside their studies that could generate some income while, more importantly, benefiting people.

"I often saw women in Dhaka feeling uncomfortable sitting on motorcycles with male riders. I used to think that I probably wouldn't feel comfortable either if I were in that situation. That thought really stayed with me," Jannatul says.

70 female riders and counting

Maya Ride launched its website and Facebook page in mid-April 2026. Soon after, female motorcycle riders began expressing interest in joining the platform. Starting with four riders, the network grew to around 70 within four months, though about 30 are currently active.

Women who owned cars also came forward spontaneously, expressing interest in providing car rides. Around 25 female car drivers are now connected with Maya Ride, with four to five regularly providing rides.

Before launching Maya Ride, both Fahad and Jannatul were concerned about how people would respond to their initiative. Dhaka already has established ride-sharing services such as Uber and Pathao. Why would a woman choose a new platform instead of these popular services? 

But the response from both riders and passengers surprised them. Within just four months, more than 300 motorcycle rides had been completed. Customers have also shown considerable interest. In one case, a customer used Maya Ride more than 22 times during the early days of the platform. Some have used it even more frequently.

'I can travel without worrying'

Nuzhat Tabassum, a resident of Shyamoli, has used Maya Ride's services more than 30 times. She has been commuting regularly to her office in Gulshan-1 since 2023. Although she owns a car, she cannot always use it. Her commute became particularly difficult during periods of fuel shortages.

At different times, she had to rely on buses, CNGs or conventional ride-sharing services, which often came with their own set of problems. Finding a CNG during busy hours was difficult, while long traffic jams were another challenge. She also had to consider her safety and comfort when travelling with male riders. 

One day, a colleague at her office told her about Maya Ride. After having a positive experience on her first ride, Nuzhat began using the service regularly. For her, the biggest source of comfort was having a woman in the driver's seat. It made her feel both more comfortable and safer.

"It is true that the cost is somewhat higher than Pathao or Uber. But considering how safe I feel here and how I can travel without worrying, I would say the extra cost is worth it," she says.

"I often saw women in Dhaka feeling uncomfortable sitting on motorcycles with male riders. I used to think that I probably wouldn't feel comfortable either if I were in that situation. That thought really stayed with me."

Jannatul Ferdous, Co-founder, Maya Ride

Jannatul explained that the platform still does not have as many drivers as it needs. The existing pool of riders is not yet large enough. As a result, riders sometimes have to travel deep into different parts of Dhaka to pick up a particular passenger. At times, they also have to come from quite far away to provide a service, which naturally increases the cost.

However, they want to lower fares, which requires more female drivers. For now, she considers increasing the number of riders their biggest challenge. They believe a larger pool of drivers would not only lower fares but also double their customer base.

Fahad said Maya Ride verifies key details before approving drivers, prioritising passenger safety. Applicants register through the website and provide their NID details, driving licence, photograph, vehicle or motorcycle registration number and contact information. Those with little driving experience or newly obtained licences are not approved immediately, with the platform prioritising riders with at least one to two years of experience.

How the model works

As many female passengers are not comfortable travelling by motorcycle, Maya Ride introduced a car service, mainly through weekly and monthly subscriptions. Cars can carry either one passenger or three to four women, who are picked up from a designated nearby point.

The service offers two packages: the 'Pick-up Point' package and the 'Door-to-Door' package. The monthly cost of the Pick-up Point package is approximately Tk7,300, while the Door-to-Door package costs Tk9,200. The same monthly rate applies regardless of where within Dhaka city the passenger travels from.

Under the Pick-up Point package, several passengers wait at a convenient location, making it relatively easier for a driver to pick everyone up. The Door-to-Door service, on the other hand, offers pick-up and drop-off directly at the passenger's doorstep.

All Maya Ride services are essentially based on pre-booking. Since the platform currently has a shortage of car drivers, customers who want to use the car service need to make a booking several days in advance.

For motorcycle rides, passengers can book by 10pm the night before. Their request is shared in the riders' group, and an available rider is assigned and informed. Both parties receive each other's phone numbers, and the rider arrives at the designated location at the scheduled time.

Motorcycle rides have no weekly or monthly packages. Passengers pay the rider in cash after the trip, with the fare determined in advance through Maya Ride's website fare calculator, which estimates the cost based on the distance between the pick-up and destination points.

Not every working parent can drop their child off at school or pick them up afterwards. At the same time, many parents may not feel comfortable entrusting their child to a stranger. This concern led to Maya Ride's new initiative, Maya Kids, a transportation service for school-going children.

The entire process is arranged through pre-booking. There is even an option for a family member to accompany the child during the journey. This allows the family to keep track of the child.

Jannatul said one of the main aims of Maya Kids is to reduce parents' worries about their children's school commute amid their busy schedules. So far, Maya Kids has around seven customers.

Breaking into a male-dominated space

The journey has not always been easy for Fahad and Jannatul. They have faced rider shortages, while some drivers have left midway. Others faced discouraging comments and ridicule after joining, making many women initially hesitant to take up the work. 

Jannatul, however, continued encouraging them and explaining the potential of the opportunity. Many eventually gained the confidence to ignore the criticism and continue.

That is what the couple wanted: to make women more comfortable with ride-sharing as a profession. Maya Ride currently takes a 10% commission from riders' earnings.

The service mainly operates through its website, but Fahad is developing an app to make it more organised. The app will maintain separate records for customers and riders and provide complete information about each ride. Fahad hopes to launch it within three months, making the service more efficient and convenient for customers.

Jannatul said Maya Ride is not only about passenger safety but also about creating employment opportunities for women. Women who own cars or motorcycles can use their vehicles and skills to earn an income. She believes many are also motivated by a desire to help other women.

"Women are working with the intention of helping other women. Isn't that a beautiful thing?" Fahad says.