Uber is expanding its Women Preferences feature to 26 additional cities and extending it to teen riders for the first time, following a pilot program launched earlier this summer.
The feature allows women riders to request trips from women drivers. It also allows women drivers to select the option of recieiving requests from women. Uber said feedback from both groups during the pilot indicated the option increased comfort and confidence during trips.
Women riders can request a woman driver on demand, reserve a ride in advance, or set a preference in the app to increase the likelihood of being matched with a woman driver, though matches are not guaranteed. Riders can switch to another option if wait times are longer than expected.
Women drivers can opt in by enabling the “Women Rider Preference” in their app settings, allowing them to receive requests from women riders. The preference is optional and can be turned off at any time. Uber said the feature offers drivers added flexibility and confidence, and the company plans to make the option available to women drivers nationwide soon.
In cities where both Teen accounts and Women Preferences are available, teen riders will now be able to request women drivers. Guardians requesting rides on behalf of teens will also have the option to request or reserve a ride with a woman driver. Uber said the expansion follows feedback from parents since teen accounts launched more than two years ago.
Uber first introduced Women Preferences in Saudi Arabia in 2019 after laws changed to allow women to drive. The company said it has continued gathering feedback from women riders and drivers globally and plans to expand the feature nationwide in the future.
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