Trending Now - Uber Launches Women-only Ride Option Across the US
WHO:
Uber, based in San Francisco
Ann Olivarius, co-founder of the law firm McAllister Olivarius
Melody Flores, Uber driver
Sergio Avedian, Uber and Lyft driver, senior contributor to The RideShare Guy
Two California Uber drivers (plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit)
Rival ride-hailing company Lyft
WHAT:
Uber launched a women-only ride option on March 9th, 2026.
The feature allows women riders and drivers to be matched with other women for trips.
About one-fifth of Uber's drivers in the U.S. are women.
Uber's Women Preferences feature was piloted in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit in summer 2025 and expanded to 26 U.S. cities in November 2025.
Uber was ordered to pay $8.5 million to an Arizona woman in February 2026 after a federal jury found it legally responsible for a 2023 sexual assault case.
Uber reported 5,981 incidents of sexual assault in U.S. rides between 2017 and 2018, compared to 2,717 incidents between 2021 and 2022.
WHERE:
The feature is being rolled out nationwide across the U.S.
The pilot program was initially launched in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit.
Uber first launched a version of the feature in Saudi Arabia in 2019.
WHEN:
The women-only ride option was launched on March 9th, 2026.
The pilot program began in summer 2025.
The expansion to 26 U.S. cities occurred in November 2025.
The class-action lawsuit was filed in November 2025.
The federal jury ruling occurred in February 2026.
WHY:
The feature aims to address concerns about the safety of Uber's ride-hailing platform.
The class-action lawsuit argues that the feature discriminates against men and reinforces gender stereotypes.
HOW:
The feature allows women to request a female driver through an option called “Women Drivers” in the app.
Passengers can opt for another ride if the wait for a woman is too long and can reserve a trip with a woman driver in advance.
Female users can set a preference for a female driver in their app settings.
Uber filed a motion to compel arbitration in the class-action lawsuit, citing an agreement signed by the plaintiffs.
(UPDATED March 9, 2026 23:12 UTC)
Today, Uber has officially launched a women-only ride option across the U.S., allowing female riders and drivers to be matched for trips, a feature that was piloted last summer and expanded to 26 cities in November. This initiative comes in the wake of safety concerns surrounding Uber's platform, especially after a federal jury found the company liable for a sexual assault case earlier this year. While the feature aims to enhance safety for women, it has sparked controversy, with a class-action lawsuit arguing that it discriminates against men and reinforces gender stereotypes.