Uber, UBER, will let women drivers and riders request to avoid being paired with men starting next month

Uber is rolling out a new feature aimed at making women feel safer while using the platform.

The ride-hailing giant is introducing “Women Preferences” in select U.S. cities — a feature that allows women riders and drivers to match exclusively with one another if they choose.

The program will launch in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit in the coming weeks and offers personalized options designed to give women more control, choice, and comfort when using Uber.

“It’s about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive,” said Camiel Irving, Uber’s Vice President of U.S. and Canada Operations, in a statement.

How It Works:

Women riders will have three ways to opt for women drivers:

• Request On-Demand: When ordering a ride, women will see a “Women Drivers” option. If the wait is too long, they can still choose the fastest available ride.
• Reserve in Advance: Riders can pre-book rides with women drivers using Uber’s Reserve feature.
• Set a Preference: Riders can set a female driver preference in the app’s settings. While not guaranteed, enabling this increases the chances of matching with a woman driver.

Option Also Available for Women Drivers

Uber also announced that women drivers can opt to only pick up women passengers, including during high-demand times — giving them flexibility and a greater sense of safety while earning.

The feature isn’t new globally — Uber first launched Women Rider Preference in Saudi Arabia in 2019, and it has since expanded internationally. The company plans to roll it out in more U.S. cities moving forward.