Uber’s New Feature in the U.S. Makes Ride-sharing Safer for Women

Ride-sharing is getting safer for women in America. Uber is launching Women Preference settings in the United States, giving female riders and drivers more choice, confidence, and flexibility whenever they use the app. 

Uber’s Women Preference setting will come to the U.S. in August, starting with Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit before rolling out to more cities. 

With this in-app feature, female riders will have the option to request an on-demand trip or reserve a trip in advance with a female driver. Similarly, female drivers will be able to toggle “women preferred” in the settings of their app, and Uber will work to match them with female riders. They will be able to easily change the settings in their app whenever they choose. 

This setting will make Uber more accessible, especially for those using it late at night. This safely unlocks more earning opportunities for female drivers during peak hours while giving female riders peace of mind. 

“After hearing from women riders and drivers around the world, it was clear: Many want the option to match with other women,” Camiel Irving, Uber’s Vice President of Operations in the United States and Canada, said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure.

Uber first launched Women Preference in Saudi Arabia in 2019, soon after the country ended its ban on women driving. The response to Women Preference was overwhelmingly positive, which is why the product has expanded to give women more choices and flexibility no matter where they are. Since then, the Women Rider Preference feature has expanded to 40 countries including Australia, Mexico, and Canada–completing more than 100 million trips.  

Uber has also addressed safety concerns for female drivers and riders by anonymizing phone numbers, allowing loved ones to track Uber trips, and adding 10-plus ways to report safety issues. 

“When we make our platform better for women, we make it better for everyone,” said Irving. “It’s about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive.”

Uber’s Women Preference setting will come to the U.S. in August, starting with Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit before rolling out to more cities. 

With this in-app feature, female riders will have the option to request an on-demand trip or reserve a trip in advance with a female driver. Similarly, female drivers will be able to toggle “women preferred” in the settings of their app, and Uber will work to match them with female riders. They will be able to easily change the settings in their app whenever they choose. 

This setting will make Uber more accessible, especially for those using it late at night. This safely unlocks more earning opportunities for female drivers during peak hours while giving female riders peace of mind. 

“After hearing from women riders and drivers around the world, it was clear: Many want the option to match with other women,” Camiel Irving, Uber’s Vice President of Operations in the United States and Canada, said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure.

Uber first launched Women Preference in Saudi Arabia in 2019, soon after the country ended its ban on women driving. The response to Women Preference was overwhelmingly positive, which is why the product has expanded to give women more choices and flexibility no matter where they are. Since then, the Women Rider Preference feature has expanded to 40 countries including Australia, Mexico, and Canada–completing more than 100 million trips.  

Uber has also addressed safety concerns for female drivers and riders by anonymizing phone numbers, allowing loved ones to track Uber trips, and adding 10-plus ways to report safety issues. 

“When we make our platform better for women, we make it better for everyone,” said Irving. “It’s about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive.”