WomenFirst launches transport franchise in Regina

The WomenFirst franchise is establishing itself in Regina with a paid transport service staffed exclusively by female drivers. Launched in the capital of Saskatchewan, Canada, in early September 2026 by self-employed entrepreneur Joy Desjarlais, the business primarily serves women and vulnerable people. According to a Radio-Canada report published on 17 October, its team now has seven drivers.

A launch focused on night-time travel

Founded in Alberta in 2023, WomenFirst offers a service whose stated priority is to help women travel without anxiety, particularly when returning home alone at night. In Regina, Joy Desjarlais chose to bring the franchise to the city with an all-female team.

She aims to meet a need arising in several everyday situations: travelling home from work, leaving a bar or needing a lift when walking alone at night. In the Radio-Canada report, she describes these passengers’ safety as her absolute priority.

This is WomenFirst’s stated positioning, rather than a measured comparison with other transport services. The service’s tangible distinguishing feature is the make-up of its team: everyone driving for it is a woman. This approach underpins the brand’s local launch.

From three trips a day to a team of seven drivers

The early days in Regina were modest. Joy Desjarlais was initially the only driver and also handled marketing. She was completing barely three trips a day, combining service delivery with the work needed to raise awareness of the business.

Since then, the team has grown to seven drivers. This is the main operational change reported since the franchise arrived in the city. Desjarlais is now aiming to reach 30 trips a day.

The distinction between these two figures matters: seven drivers is the staffing level given in the report, whereas 30 trips a day is a target. The latter should therefore not be interpreted as a volume already achieved or an average recorded since September.

For Canada’s franchising community, this opening illustrates a locally led launch in community-based services. The Regina business began as a one-person operation before expanding its team. Its experience also shows how promotional work sits alongside the journeys themselves from the outset.

A priority audience, but not an exclusively female customer base

Although WomenFirst primarily caters for women and vulnerable people, the service is not reserved exclusively for them. Joy Desjarlais makes clear that men can also book trips.

The drivers also occasionally collect children after school. The activity reported in Regina is therefore not limited to late-night journeys home, even though these trips are central to how the concept is presented.

This distinction helps explain the service without confusing its primary target audience with the full range of passengers it accepts. The team is entirely female; its customer base can be broader. For those discovering the franchise, this is worth noting rather than assuming from the WomenFirst name that only women can book journeys.

Accessibility and expansion remain plans

Joy Desjarlais now hopes to acquire a van adapted for people with reduced mobility. This is part of her intended next steps for the Regina service, but it remains a planned purchase rather than a vehicle already available.

She also hopes to extend the service across Saskatchewan. Again, this is an ambition: the operation described in the report is based in Regina. The planned next steps therefore involve increasing trip numbers, improving vehicle accessibility and potentially reaching a wider geographical area.

Key takeaway: for a prospective franchisee, WomenFirst’s experience highlights the importance of distinguishing existing resources from development targets. In Regina, seven drivers currently provide the service; 30 daily trips, an adapted vehicle and province-wide expansion remain ambitions.