Rideshare service Uber is rolling out a new “women only” preference option for their service, which allows female drivers to choose in the company’s digital app to only drive for passengers of the same sex, as well as female riders being able to select to only be driven by female drivers.
The goal, according to Uber, is to ensure the safety and comfort of both their workers and customers, who often can find themselves in uncomfortable situations in environments – that is, the interior of a car – that can be difficult to get out of.
Uber made the announcement via a press release, which reads as follows:
When women riders and drivers told us they wanted more control over how they ride and earn, we listened. That feedback led to Women Preferences, features designed to give women the choice to ride with other women. Since our first pilots last summer, we’ve heard just how much that choice matters—from feeling more comfortable in the back seat to more confident behind the wheel.
This International Women’s Day, we’re taking the next step for women in the US and around the world. Starting today, Women Preferences is expanding nationwide – to cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. – as well as in more cities around the world too.
With Women Preferences, women riders can:
- Request a ride on-demand by selecting Women Drivers when they order a trip. If the wait time is longer than anticipated, they can always opt for another ride with a faster pickup.
- Reserve a trip with a woman driver in advance for even more planning and certainty
- Set a preference for a woman driver in their app settings. While it’s not guaranteed, toggling on the preference for women drivers increases your chances of being matched with a woman driver.
More flexibility behind the wheel
Women drivers can toggle on a preference to receive trip requests from women riders, giving them even more control over how they earn.
Available for teens, too
In cities where teen accounts are available, teens and their guardians can also request women drivers — both for on-demand trips and when reserving in advance. It’s another way we’re helping give families more choice when using Uber.
Built by women, for women, in response to feedback from women
Women Preferences was created because women asked for it. What began in 2019 after women in Saudi Arabia gained the right to drive and we piloted Women Preferences has grown into a global movement as women around the world embrace more control over how they use Uber.
Over 230 million global trips later, Women Preferences is now available for drivers in over 40 countries, and for riders across 7 countries, including the U.S., Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Brazil, and Spain.
And we’re not done yet. We’ll continue listening, building, and increasing choice for women around the world.
