Los Angeles – In a major move aimed at enhancing rider safety and comfort, Uber has announced the launch of its new Women Only Ride option Preferences pilot feature across three major U.S. cities Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit. The feature allows women and nonbinary riders to request female or nonbinary drivers starting next month.
Uber, the global ride hailing giant, is rolling out its women-only ride optionan initiative titled ‘Women Preferences’ as part of a pilot program in the United States. Beginning next month, the new feature will be available to users in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, marking a significant shift toward personalized and safety oriented ride experiences.
The women only ride option lets female and nonbinary riders select a preference for women or nonbinary drivers. Likewise, female and nonbinary drivers can choose to accept ride requests exclusively from women and nonbinary riders. Uber hopes this initiative will provide a safer, more comfortable, and empowering experience for its users.
The development of this feature is a direct response to feedback from female users and drivers, who have voiced safety concerns and the need for greater control over their interactions during rides. According to Uber, the women only ride option was designed to increase trust and comfort on the platform.
Uber stated, “We’ve heard from countless women and nonbinary drivers and riders who would feel more comfortable with an option that gives them more control over who they ride with or pick up.”
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While Uber has long touted i app safety tools such as the emergency help button, real-time ride tracking, and background checks this new layer of preference adds an extra level of personal safety assurance. It’s also expected to encourage more women to sign up as Uber drivers, a segment that currently comprises only around 27% of the platform’s driver base globally.
The concept isn’t entirely new. Uber had already been testing the women only ride option in countries such as Egypt, India, and Saudi Arabia since 2019. These international trials helped the company understand the dynamics and benefits of implementing gender based ride preferences.
Feedback from those regions indicated that women were more likely to continue using the service and even become drivers themselves if they felt safe. Now, Uber is adapting this strategy to the U.S. market, where user safety, particularly for women, remains a pressing concern.
Eligible Uber users riders and drivers identifying as women or nonbinary will be given the option to activate the Women Preferences setting in the app. Once enabled: Female/nonbinary riders will be matched only with female/nonbinary drivers.
Female/nonbinary drivers can opt to receive ride requests only from female/nonbinary riders.
The setting is completely optional and can be toggled on or off at any time.
This level of customization is expected to enhance trust between the driver and rider, especially during late night rides or in unfamiliar neighborhoods.
Uber’s move is being widely seen as a progressive step toward safer ridesharing experiences in the United States. Advocates for women’s safety and public transportation reforms have largely welcomed the announcement, noting that such features could reduce incidents of harassment or discomfort during rides.
Uber says that, depending on the feedback and success of the pilot, the women only ride option could expand to other cities and eventually become a standard feature across the U.S. and global markets.
As the gig economy evolves, companies like Uber are recognizing the importance of personalized safety solutions. The introduction of the women-only ride option aligns with a broader push to make ride hailing services more inclusive, secure, and empowering for women and nonbinary individuals.
For Uber, this isn’t just about adding a new feature it’s about building trust and creating a safer, more equitable ride-hailing ecosystem.
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