Uber expands ‘Women Preferences’ feature nationwide across the United States
- Perry Richardson
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Uber has expanded its Women Preferences feature nationwide across the United States, giving women riders and drivers more control over who they are matched with on trips.
The ride-hailing company announced that women across the country will begin seeing the option appear in their app from today. The feature allows women riders to request a woman driver when booking a trip, reserve rides with a woman driver in advance, or set a preference within the app to increase the likelihood of being matched with one.
Uber said the rollout follows a pilot launched in five cities in August 2025, which was later expanded to 60 US cities by the end of the year. The company confirmed the nationwide expansion will include major markets such as New York, Washington DC, Austin, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
The move comes after feedback from female users who requested greater choice over who they travel with. According to Uber, the feature was developed in response to requests from women seeking additional comfort and control during journeys.
Ride-hailing firm rolls out option allowing women riders and drivers to prioritise matching with other women after pilot programme in 2025.
Under the feature, women riders can choose a ‘Women Drivers’ option when requesting a trip on demand. If the estimated waiting time is longer, the rider can switch back to the standard ride option for a quicker pickup. Riders can also reserve trips in advance with a woman driver, which Uber said provides greater certainty when planning journeys.
Women drivers can also activate a setting that prioritises trip requests from women riders. Uber said this allows drivers additional flexibility over the types of trips they accept while working on the platform.
In cities where Uber Teen accounts operate, teenagers and their guardians will also be able to request a woman driver for both on-demand and pre-booked journeys.
The feature builds on earlier international deployments. Uber first introduced Women Preferences in 2019 for women drivers in Saudi Arabia following the country lifting its ban on women driving. The company said more than 230 million trips have since been completed globally using the feature.
Uber confirmed Women Preferences is now available for drivers in more than 40 countries, while riders can access the feature in cities across seven countries including the United States, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Brazil and Spain.
The rollout forms part of Uber’s ongoing product development focused on rider safety and driver flexibility as competition among ride-hailing platforms intensifies in major global markets.
“Women asked for more choice — and we built it with Women Preferences,” said Brooke Anderson, Uber’s Head of Product Communications. “This feature exists because women told us it should, and we are proud to expand Women Preferences nationwide and bring more flexibility and control to millions more women.”
