Latest news with #Women+Connect
The Journal
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Journal
Uber will give women in US a choice to only travel with other women - but no plans to do it in Ireland
UBER IS INTRODUCING a feature in some US cities that will enable women to ask to only be paired with drivers who are also women – but has no plans to bring the measure to Ireland. The ride-sharing company announced this week that it is piloting a feature called 'Women Preferences' in three US cities in the coming weeks. The function will allow women using the app – both passengers and drivers – to request to only be matched with other women on trips. The pilot will start with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit, with intentions to expand further across the US. Several dozen countries (Ireland isn't one of them) already have an option in the app for women drivers to request to only be paired with other women as passengers, but this will be the first time that passengers have the option. In a statement to The Journal , Uber said it does not currently plan to introduce the feature in Ireland. 'This is just a US product,' a spokesperson said. More choice. More control. Women told us they wanted the option to be matched with other women—and we listened. Now, after piloting these features in dozens of countries, we're bringing Women Preferences to the US. 🙋♀️ Riders can choose a woman driver 🚘 Drivers get more… — Uber (@Uber) July 23, 2025 Advertisement Other taxi apps operating in Ireland include Freenow and Bolt. Freenow is being acquired by Lyft, another taxi app, which has a similar feature in the US called Women+ Connect. In a statement to The Journal, Freenow Ireland General Manager, Danny O'Gorman said that Women+ Connect has been 'well received in the US' and it is 'currently evaluating whether and how similar features could be relevant for European markets'. 'Supporting passenger and driver safety is a key priority for Freenow, and we are committed to providing safe and reliable service to app users through safety features like 'Share your trip', which allows the trip to be shared with friends or family,' O'Gorman said. 'Taxi drivers in Ireland are regulated by the National Transport Authority and require full vetting by An Garda Síochána before obtaining their taxi licence,' he said. Bolt, which has a feature in some countries for passengers called 'Women for Women', said that it keeps the available locations under review but that there are barriers in the industry to growing the number of women working as taxi drivers. Kimberly Hurd, Bolt's Senior General Manager for Ireland, said: 'Safety is a top priority for Bolt, and we're always looking at new ways to support both passengers and drivers. We introduced a 'Women for Women' feature in several countries, which allows women passengers to request women drivers where available. 'While this feature is not currently available in Ireland, we're constantly reviewing where it could be rolled out next,' Hurd said, adding that Bolt has other in-app safety features like an emergency assist button. 'As a woman in the industry, increasing the diversity of drivers is a particular focus of mine. However, a major barrier to growing the number of women in the industry is the current regulatory environment,' she said. 'The cost of entering the market is high and the SPSV Driver Entry Test needs modernisation to better reflect today's technology and operating conditions. These issues need to be addressed if we're serious about improving diversity across the sector.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Uber reveals new service to combat major customer gripe
Uber is preparing to roll out a long‑awaited feature that will allow women passengers to choose female drivers. The company will begin piloting its 'Women Preferences' program in the coming weeks in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, as well as Detroit, Michigan. The feature gives riders the option to match with women drivers or share rides only with female passengers. First launched in 2019 in Saudi Arabia — the year after women gained the right to drive there — the feature has since expanded to more than 40 countries, including Canada and Mexico, completing over 100 million trips. Uber says the expansion comes as demand for the feature in the US has grown. '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, US and Canada, told ABC News. 'That's why we're proud to pilot Women Preferences in the US for the first time... It's about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive.' Uber is piloting a program that will allow riders to select female drivers and share rides with women passengers Camiel Irving, Uber's vice president of operations, US and Canada, said this feature will give more women comfort when they ride and drive Travelers will be able to make their request on demand when they see an option called 'Women Drivers.' However, the company has issued a warning to passengers that it may take longer for their rides to arrive. If that's the case, they can either choose a ride with any available driver rather than a female, or pre-book their ride. Riders can also set preferences for female drivers in their app settings. While this will increase their chances, it will not guarantee a woman driver. Uber users who are allowed to use this privilege now can open the app to enable it by opening 'Trip Planner,' and selecting 'Women Riders' when in driving preferences. Prior to its safety measures, Uber had been the topic of conversation due to issues regarding sexual assault. Nearly 6,000 assaults were reported between 2017 and 2018, which ultimately dropped to 2,717 by 2022. The company has not clarified the average number of assaults over the last couple of years, but there are currently over 2,300 sexual assault and harassment lawsuits against them. The company revealed that a female driver preference could make it take longer for a traveler to find a ride Uber has done its best to guarantee safety for its riders and even launched a 'favorite' drivers feature in 2019. However, it was not able to beat out other ride share companies in allowing riders in the US to select female drivers. Lyft made headlines in 2023 for launching its Women+Connect feature. The company hoped it would help encourage women and nonbinary riders to feel more confident in their work. It was also created after the company recorded over 4,000 sexual assault claims. The Lyft feature rolled out in select cities in Illinois, Arizona and California before expanding it to all areas of US operation. If Uber's pilot program proves to be a success, the company aims to do the same exact thing.
Engadget
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Engadget
Uber will help pair women riders and drivers in the US
Uber has announced that Women Preferences, a feature which will allow women riders to be matched exclusively with women drivers and vice versa, is being tested in the US. This feature was first launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019 . Competitor Lyft has also operated its Women+ Connect program since 2023 . In the next few weeks, Women Preferences pilots will begin in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit. Once live, women riders will see an option called Women Drivers when requesting a trip on demand. Reservations can also be made to pre-book a trip with a woman driver. For something less certain, riders can set a preference for a woman driver in their Uber app settings. While this won't guarantee a woman driver, it does increase the chances. On the driver's side of things, the new feature functions in much the same way. Women drivers will have the option to request trips with women riders at all times of day by toggling on the "Women Rider Preference" in their app settings. Since its 2019 launch, Uber has expanded this feature to 40 countries, based on user demand and rider feedback. Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft have been working to increase rider and driver safety by improving safety tools and expanding ID verification programs. It's notable that while Lyft's Women+ Connect program acknowledges that the program includes nonbinary drivers and riders, Uber's Women Preferences does not. Much of this was in response to lawsuits and alarming reports of sexual assault and violence during rides. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
