Uber introduces 'Women-friendly' option for American drivers and riders
Uber is set to launch a new feature called "Women Preferences" for ride-sharing trips, aimed at providing women with greater choice, comfort, and flexibility. The pilot program will initially roll out in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, with the goal of enhancing the ride-sharing experience specifically for women while maintaining accessibility for all users.
For Women Riders
The new feature offers several options for women riders. When requesting an on-demand ride, they will see a "Women Drivers" option, allowing them to choose to be matched with a female driver. For more planning and certainty, they can pre-book trips with women drivers through Uber’s Reserve function. Additionally, women riders can enable a "Women preference" in their app settings, increasing their chances of being matched with a female driver, although it does not guarantee a female driver.
In case the wait time for a Women Drivers ride is longer than anticipated, women riders can opt for another ride with a faster pickup.
For Women Drivers
Uber reports that about 20% of its U.S. drivers are women, varying by city. Women drivers will now have the option to only accept trips with women riders, even during peak hours like evenings, by toggling on "Women Rider Preference" in the Uber Driver app. This preference can be toggled off anytime, allowing women drivers to receive ride requests from all passengers.
Background and Expansion
Uber first launched a similar feature in Saudi Arabia in 2019 following changes in women's driving laws, with strong positive reception. Since then, Uber has expanded this women preferences feature to 40 countries globally, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, France, India, Mexico, and Poland.
The program is designed to enhance the ride-sharing experience specifically for women by improving safety perceptions and rider-driver comfort, without restricting overall access to rides for either party.
Camiel Irving, Uber's vice president of operations, U.S. and Canada, stated that "When we make our platform better for women, we make it better for everyone."
[1] Uber press release, 2022. [3] Uber blog post, 2022. [5] Interview with Uber spokesperson, 2022.
- In an effort to cater to health-and-wellness and lifestyle preferences, Uber's new feature, "Women Preferences," allows women riders to choose female drivers for their rides, promoting comfort and safety.
- Embracing technology and science, Uber's Women Preferences feature for women drivers allows them to select trips with female riders, especially during peak hours, enhancing their control and comfort within the ride-sharing platform.
