Uber rolls out women-only option nationwide; what to know

NEW YORK - Uber launched a feature on Monday to allow both women riders and drivers across the U.S. to be matched with other women for trips.

The feature expands on a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its platform. 

Uber announces women-only option

Big picture view:

Uber's feature, announced Monday in a blog post, allows women to request a female driver through an option on the app called "Women Drivers." 

Passengers can opt for another ride if the wait for a woman is too long, and they can also reserve a trip with a woman driver in advance. A third option allows female users to set a preference for a female driver in their app settings, which would increase the chances of being matched with a woman but doesn't guarantee it. Uber also allows teen account users to request women drivers.

Uber's women drivers can set the app's preferences to request trips with female riders, and they can turn off that preference at anytime.

What they're saying:

"When women riders and drivers told us they wanted more control over how they ride and earn, we listened," Uber said in the post. "That feedback led to Women Preferences, features designed to give women the choice to ride with other women. Since our first pilots last summer, we’ve heard just how much that choice matters—from feeling more comfortable in the back seat to more confident behind the wheel."

Uber, based in San Francisco, says about one-fifth of its drivers in the U.S. are women, though the ratio varies by city.

Feature rolled out despite lawsuit

The backstory:

The new feature is being rolled out nationwide despite an ongoing class action lawsuit against the policy in California, filed by Uber drivers who argue that it discriminates against men. Rival ride-hailing company Lyft is facing a discrimination lawsuit over a similar offering that it introduced nationwide in 2024.

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Two California Uber drivers filed a class-action lawsuit against Uber in November, arguing that by potentially giving female drivers access to a wider pool of passengers, the new feature violates California’s Unruh Act, which prohibits sex discrimination by business enterprises. The lawsuit also argues that Uber’s policy "reinforces the gender stereotype that men are more dangerous than women."

Uber filed a motion to compel arbitration in the case, citing an agreement the plaintiffs signed when joining the app as drivers. In the motion, Uber disputed that its new feature violates the Unruh Act, saying it "serves a strong and recognized public policy interest in enhancing safety."

Both Uber and Lyft have faced thousands of reports of sexual assaults over the years from both passengers and drivers. 

In February, a federal jury found Uber to be legally responsible in a 2023 case of sexual assault and the company was ordered to pay $8.5 million to an Arizona woman who said she was raped by one of its drivers.

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