Rideshare services such as Uber offer some useful safety features, but riding alone with a stranger can be a daunting experience, especially for women. The worry is justifiable, too: In 2019, the New York Times reported that Uber received reports of more than 3,000 sexual assaults during rides in 2018 alone. While this was a minuscule amount compared to the total number of rides the company provided that year, Uber's chief legal officer, Tony West, still called the numbers "jarring and hard to digest."
Uber already offers safety tips for riders on its website. While not focused specifically on women, the tips include suggestions that many women often employ, such as sharing their trip details with a friend or family member and limiting the time they stand alone outside. The company also provides safety reports, though the latest dates back to 2021-2022, as part of its attempt to make Uber a safe platform for all users. Now, though, Uber is taking women's safety a step further, launching a new service in the U.S. to make women riders feel more secure.
Dubbed "Women Preferences," the feature will provide women riders the option of only pairing with women drivers. It will also work the other way around, allowing female drivers to taxi only female riders. The new feature is easy to use, and, at the time of writing, Uber is testing the program in several major cities across the U.S.
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How Women Preferences Works For Riders And Drivers
Uber's new Women Preferences lets riders set a permanent preference for a woman driver in the settings. There may be times when a woman is not available, but turning on this setting will increase the likelihood that the user will receive a female driver. Women drivers will also be an option for riders requesting a trip on demand. The app will show the expected wait time for a female driver, allowing riders to switch to a male driver if there's a long wait and they're in a rush. The option is also available when women reserve a ride in advance.
The new service isn't only for passengers. Female Uber drivers in the U.S. can elect to use the Women Rider Preference on their app settings, allowing them to receive trip requests from only female riders. They can turn this option on and off as they like.
Uber is piloting the new program in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, but it's been available in Saudi Arabia since 2019 and is live in many other countries, including Canada. Uber plans to expand the Women Preferences option across the U.S. While Uber drivers have a long list of rules and policies they must follow regardless of gender, this new option will undoubtedly help many women feel safer.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
