Uber is set to roll out a new feature called “Women Preferences” in select U.S. cities, offering women riders and drivers more control over their trip experience. This marks a major step toward improving safety, trust, and flexibility within the rideshare space an industry often criticized for gender-based safety concerns.
The pilot program will begin in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, allowing female riders to request women drivers and enabling female drivers to opt into matching with female riders.
How It Works:
For Women Riders
- Request on Demand: Riders will soon see a “Women Drivers” option when requesting trips. If wait times are long, they can still switch to the next available ride.
- Reserve in Advance: Uber’s “Reserve” function will let riders schedule a trip with a woman driver ahead of time.
- Set a Preference: In app settings, women can now set a preference for women drivers. While not guaranteed, this significantly increases the chance of matching with a female driver.
For Women Drivers
- Women drivers will be able to toggle on a “Women Rider Preference,” giving them the option to accept ride requests only from women even during high-traffic times like evenings.
- They can disable the preference at any time, allowing for greater earning flexibility while prioritizing personal safety and comfort.
A Global Feature Informed by Real Feedback
The initiative draws on global feedback and success. Uber first introduced a similar option in Saudi Arabia in 2019 after laws changed to allow women to drive. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with over 100 million rides completed across 40 countries using the Women Rider Preference.
To ensure reliability, Uber tested and refined the model in Germany and France, tailoring it to real-world rider and driver behaviours. The U.S. rollout aims to build on those learnings, offering multiple ways for women to engage with the feature not just symbolically, but in ways that are practical and usable.
“When we make our platform better for women, we make it better for everyone,” said Camiel Irving, Uber’s VP of Operations for the U.S. and Canada.
Uber plans to continue evolving the experience through education, user feedback, technological updates, and partnerships with organizations advocating for safer public transport.
As safety and empowerment become increasingly central to the ride-hailing experience, Uber’s Women Preferences feature could reshape how rides are requested and offered making it not only more inclusive but safer and smarter.
