Taxi firm is the answer to party-girls’ prayers

FOR some party girls, a night out on the town can be marred by the worry of how they will get home at the end of an evening’s revelry.

But a taxi firm in Great Cornard, near Sudbury, which is run for women and employs women drivers, is attempting to change that.

Jayne Dey started the company – Femme Cars – after working as a taxi driver in Sudbury for several years.

She said: “I was the only female driver and I was in big demand. While I was working, I heard a lot of stories from women who said they felt uncomfortable with male drivers and I wanted them to have an option to be able to request a female driver.”

She began last July with just one cab, but the concept has been so successful, she is about to take delivery of her sixth vehicle.

She also believes the company is the only all-female taxi firm in East Anglia and one of very few in the UK.

Jayne also insists it’s not just the drivers that make Femme Cars “female-friendly.” The firm provides special gel ‘sick bags’ for women who have overindulged, disposable slippers to soothe tired feet after a night on the dance floor, complementary water, and big pink umbrellas to keep passengers dry when boarding in wet weather.

As well as transporting women home after a night on the tiles, the company also undertakes regular airport runs and even picks up takeaways for older women living in the Sudbury area.

One of the drivers, Michelle Butters – nicknamed Tortoise for her sedate driving style – said: “Customers just seem to be a lot happier with a female driver. One even said to me the other day that it was nice because it was like being driven by your mum.”

Another of the drivers, 27-year-old Carly Paxton, added: “We also make sure all of our customers are safe back inside their door before we leave them. I don’t think you would get that level of care from a man.”