Monroe set to drive change on Teesside

A new women-led private hire firm has launched across Teesside with a mission to improve passenger safety while opening up flexible career opportunities for women in a traditionally male-dominated sector.

Monroe is now operating under licences from Middlesbrough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, providing a professional transport service across the region. 

The business was founded to help address the low representation of women in the industry, where nationally just five per cent of taxi and private hire drivers are female.

Monroe currently employs eight women drivers and is actively recruiting more as demand grows. 

While the company focuses on supporting female passengers who may feel more comfortable travelling with a woman driver, the service is open to all customers.

Its launch follows a Cleveland Police community survey in January 2025, which found strong local support for increasing the number of female taxi drivers. 

Monroe was created in response to that feedback, positioning itself as a safety-first, community-focused operator.

The business is partnered with the Cleveland Police & Crime Commissioner and is part of the Business Against the Abuse Scheme, working alongside local policing teams to strengthen passenger safeguarding.

Bookings are made through the Monroe Cars app, with customers encouraged to pre-book journeys where possible as the company continues to expand its fleet.

To find out more, see here.

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