Women in Saudi Arabia begin driving as “captainahs” for Careem

Women in Saudi Arabia have begun driving for ride-hailing app Careem just weeks after the kingdom began issuing driving licenses to women, according to the Wall Street Journal. The benefits of incorporating women into Careem’s workforce is not lost on the company or its clientele — Careem anticipates a surge in demand for its service as Saudi women’s employment levels continue to rise, while women commuters say they feel safer and more comfortable riding a stranger’s car when another woman is behind the wheel. However, Uber — Careem’s global rival — has yet to see any women drivers join its fleet, which some attribute to Careem understanding the cultural nuances of the region better. “To help overcome the stigma attached to driving, Careem bans the use of the word driver and brands them as ‘captains’ — or ‘captainahs’ for women now” (watch, runtime: 5:28).