Russia is the latest country to enter the Pink Taxi Business. England, Australia, Japan and Dubai also offer this women's only service.

In Russia, the pink taxi company is a women owned business and seems to have been met with enthusiasm. Russian News@Lovers Planet blog reports that the women have more business then they can handle.

According to some Moscow women, male drivers speed, smoke and don’t really care much about the safety of the passengers. Some women have been picked up in a cab and drugged and raped. The founders of Pink Taxi decided to cash in on that while providing a valuable service to women...The initial fleet of taxis were two Daewoo Nexia cars with two drivers. Now they have 20 cars and 27 drivers and are looking to upgrade to Volvo S40s.

In Dubai, the announcement of the Pink Taxis has been met with sighs and eyerolls. Unlike the entrepreneurial Russians, the Pink Taxis in Dubai serve as a screaming reminder of the limited freedom of women in Arabic countries.

Miss Kelly is not impressed.

The launch of the new service was aimed at providing a safe and comfortable means of transport to women to ensure their free movement, Mohammed Obeid Al Mulla, Executive Manager for Public Transport of the Roads and Transport Authority, said here yesterday."

Free movement? Huh?

"It is also part of a plan to develop an integrated transport network, contributing to bolstering Dubai’s mark on the world map, he said, adding that in the first phase, 50 taxis, with pink roofs, pink seats and interiors, and other features to give the vehicles a feminine look, would be deployed at places frequently visited by women."

"He said that 100 female drivers had undergone extensive training to learn skills of driving, etiquette, customer service, handling emergency cases, locations of key government entities and tourist and leisure destinations."

However, when news of a planned Pink Taxi service in Australia emerged last fall, many started crying foul including Adrian Neylan who writes Cablog.

Both Brisbane cab companies admitted female drivers were turned off driving at night because of safety concerns, but dismissed the pink taxi idea as a "novelty".

However those who'll decide on approval, the gummerment, are making positive noises. What about anti-discrimmination ? No worries according to the A-D commissioner,

"They would have to jump through a few legal hoops but it is possible they could get the general principle of discrimination set aside."

Perfect. Queensland girls will have a new option for ditching unwanted dates. Book it !

England doesn't actually have a Pink Taxi service because that would violate discrimination laws. Instead you have to be a member to use the service. As Savvy Chick says, good idea but do you really want to ride around in a pink car?

The only down side that I see is that it would draw a lot of attention. I’m more of an “off the radar” girl myself so I can’t quite imagine showing up in a Barbie car.. but then again I would definitely use a service like this for my daughters.

In Japan,the issue isn't necessarily safety,but blending the uber-popular Miss Kitty Franchise with an opportunity for children to ride in a smoke-free taxi.

Tokyo-based taxi firm Kanachu has commissioned 10 cars complete with Hello Kitty seats, blankets and umbrellas.

You can even blow your nose on a Hello Kitty tissue, and listen to Hello Kitty music through the taxi's special sound system.

As far as the pink taxi trend hitting the U.S. the only reference that popped up was last year's Dunkin Donut promotion in NYC

Image Credit: Flickr member didbygraham

Elana blogs about business culture at FunnyBusiness