Given the need for safer and more efficient transportation, a group of students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) created PumaDrive, a mobility platform for university students and workers.
Diana Uría, founder of the company, told El Sol de México that PumaDrive also has the goal of being safe transportation for women. The platform offers trips between faculties and students’ homes.
“At first we were looking for mobility for all users, which has always been a priority, but later we gave a gender focus to the project. Thus, we added women to the team and created safe routes, although we also have mixed routes,” said Uría.
PumaDrive works through a web platform where students can register as drivers or passengers. Diana and her team, all UNAM students, took their own experiences of harassment and harassment on public transportation as a reference to design this alternative for student mobility. Drivers are students who offer to share their daily trips to university or back home, while passengers can search for routes that match their schedules and needs.
The platform has an identity verification and qualifications system to ensure the safety of users. Thus, university students determine the routes and schedules, adapting to their needs.
According to statistics from UN Women, it is estimated that in the Mexican capital at least nine out of every 10 women suffer from some type of sexual violence when traveling on public transport, of which seven out of every 10 suffer it alone. The most frequent attacks are morbid looks, threats or threats of abuse, whispers in the ear, spanking, masturbation, obscene compliments or rubbing of private parts.
“The reality is that many parents cannot take their daughters to school, and now they feel calm knowing that they are traveling with us and will be able to reach their destination in peace,” said Diana Uría.
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Since its launch in February 2023, PumaDrive has more than 400 passengers and 65 registered drivers.
However, the project has also faced some challenges, such as competition with other transportation services and student walkouts.
In that sense, Diana Uría pointed out that although student strikes or vacation periods have an impact on PumaDrive, the team is looking for alternatives to mitigate it, such as relocating drivers to other areas.
2024-04-27 09:00:00
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