TAMPA, Fla. — Safety concerns surrounding ride-share services are back in the spotlight after the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Lyft driver last week. Deputies charged him with strangulation following an incident involving a female passenger.
In response to growing concerns among women who rely on ride-sharing apps, Uber rolled out a new safety feature designed to give women riders more control and peace of mind.
The new feature just expanded to Tampa. It allows women riders to request to be matched with female drivers. Uber said the option is meant to provide more comfort, choice, and control for women using the platform.
In downtown Tampa, many people rely on ride-share apps to get around town. The option for a woman driver now appears directly in the app.
If you do not see it, go to your settings on Uber. Make sure your gender is set to woman. On the iPhone, you click one “account”, then tap on your picture in the top left, toggle to personal info, then there is a gender section.
Uber partnered with NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger to highlight the impact of this feature.
“I think the option to have woman preferences is so important right now, because this is the moment for women and females and for us to perform our best and be our best, it is important that we have that comfort and empowerment,” said Breidinger.
Breidinger added that riding with a woman driver brings a sense of ease.
Uber said women preferences have been one of its most requested features nationwide and are also changing the experience for drivers. Women drivers now have the option to only accept ride requests from women riders, if they choose.
According to Uber, about one in five drivers in the U.S. are women. The company said the new feature is designed to offer peace of mind for both riders and drivers.
Uber released a statement about the Women Preference feature.
“Women Preferences exist because women asked for more control — and we listened,” said Camiel Irving, vice president of Operations. “We’re committed to expanding this feature until every woman in America has access, whether she’s riding or driving.
Uber said the women preferences feature is now live in Tampa for eligible riders, drivers, and teen accounts.
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