Uber introduces 'Women- Friendly' options for drivers and passengers in the United States
In a bid to enhance safety and provide more choices for its users, Uber has launched a new feature called "Women Preferences" in three major U.S. cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit. This innovative feature, designed to cater to the needs of women riders and drivers, allows users to request or offer rides exclusively with women.
For Women Riders:
With the Women Preferences feature, riders can now select the "Women Drivers" option when requesting a ride on demand. If wait times are too long, they can choose to switch to any available ride. Riders also have the option to reserve rides in advance specifically with women drivers for more certainty. Additionally, they can set a permanent preference for women drivers in their account settings to increase (but not guarantee) matching with a female driver.
For Women Drivers:
Women drivers can opt into the "Women Rider Preference" in the app. This setting allows them to only receive trip requests from women riders, including during high-demand hours like evenings. This new option gives women drivers more control over their trips and potentially impacts their earnings during peak hours.
The Women Preferences feature is the result of strong feedback from women riders and drivers globally and previous pilots in over 40 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Europe. Uber aims to give women more choice, confidence, and flexibility, addressing safety and comfort concerns, as the company has recorded thousands of sexual assault incidents reported on its platform in recent years.
Uber's vice president of operations, U.S. and Canada, Camiel Irving, stated that when the platform is made better for women, it benefits everyone.
The Women Preferences feature is not limited to the U.S. and has been expanded to multiple countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, France, India, Mexico, and Poland. The pilot program for the Women Preferences feature was initially launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019, following the landmark law granting women the right to drive.
Uber will monitor the pilot’s performance and continue enhancing the feature with education, partnerships, and additional customization based on further rider and driver feedback before possibly expanding it nationwide. The company is committed to making its platform safer and more comfortable for all users.
[1] https://www.uber.com/newsroom/women-preferences-feature/ [2] https://www.reuters.com/business/ubers-new-women-preference-feature-lets-passengers-pick-female-drivers-2021-09-21/ [3] https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/21/uber-women-preferences-feature/ [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/technology/uber-women-drivers.html [5] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/uber-launches-women-preferences-feature-in-three-us-cities.html
- In an attempt to promote health-and-wellness and improve the lifestyle of its users, Uber has extended the Women Preferences feature globally, targeting countries such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, France, India, Mexico, and Poland.
- Leveraging the advancements in technology, this Women Preferences feature on Uber, originally inspired by feedback from women globally, allows women riders to select the "Women Drivers" option, while women drivers can opt into the "Women Rider Preference", caters to the needs of both parties under the umbrella of women's health and science, addressing safety and comfort concerns.
