Following its launch this past July, Uber has rolled out a new safety feature that allows for woman passengers to opt for woman drivers in 26 cities in the U.S., including Houston. The app will also expand the preference to teens for its first time.
The rideshare app introduced the new feature as to promote safety and peace of mind among women and non-binary passengers. Those now have access through the “Woman Drivers” in the Uber app when the trip is done on-demand. Furthermore, women can also plan a future trip with a woman driver through the Uber “Reserve” function. Additionally, users can also set their preferences for woman drivers in their settings, to increase the likeliness of being matched with a woman driver – though its not guaranteed.
“When we began piloting Women Preferences in a few cities this summer, the goal was simple: give women more choices in how they ride and drive“, Uber said in a press release. “Since then, many riders and drivers have told us it gives them more comfort and confidence on every trip”. Riders should be apprised that in selecting a woman driver, to expect a slightly longer wait time as there are so many in the area.
Conversely, woman Uber drivers can also modify their preferences for woman passengers through their app settings which can be changed at any time if they so choose. With plans to roll out the feature nationwide soon, Uber hopes that the new feature will attract more woman drivers to the platform.
Teens will also have access to the new features, either whether when selecting a driver themselves or by their guardian. The new Uber feature is also available in Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio if traveling in Texas.