Uber has launched a new safety-focused pilot in the U.S., allowing women riders to request women drivers, and women drivers to accept rides from women riders—now extending equivalent options to non-binary drivers as well.
What’s new?
- Where: The feature is rolling out in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit as a limited pilot
- For riders: Women can:
- Choose “Women Drivers” when hailing a ride.
- Schedule a woman driver in advance with Uber Reserve.
- Set a default “women driver” preference in their app settings (though it’s not guaranteed)
- For drivers:
- Those who identify as women or non‑binary can enable the Women Rider Preference—to receive ride requests only from women users
Why this matters
- Primarily aimed at enhancing comfort and safety, this feature mirrors Uber’s global rollout, first launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019, and now seen in over 40 countries with more than 100 million women‑to‑women trips
- With women comprising roughly 20 % of U.S. Uber drivers, limiting rides to women/non‑binary may increase waiting times and longer pickups
Non‑binary inclusion: What’s changed?
Although initial pilot details emphasise women-to-women matching, Uber’s help pages confirm that the Women Rider Preference is available to drivers identifying as women or non‑binary
For riders, however, Business Insider reports Uber consulted LGBTQ+ groups and decided not to extend the rider-matching option to non‑binary users at this time
Potential challenges
- Wait times: With a smaller pool of eligible drivers, Uber allows women riders to opt for any available driver if preferred rides are delayed
- Verification: To use the feature, users must have their gender verified in the app (from license or self-identification)
- Matching accuracy: Uber warns users that matches are based on in‑app gender identity, which may differ from perception. Users can cancel without penalty under certain conditions
What the trade should know
- A similar service, Lyft’s Women+ Connect, already includes women and non‑binary drivers and riders in several U.S. cities
- For UK drivers, this development signals a potential future launch in the UK. Stay ahead by monitoring demand and being ready when Uber implements a similar feature.
The big question is whether this will come to the UK & Europe anytime soon?
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