Uber's women-only option goes nationwide in the US

"Uber's feature, announced 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."

"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.""

"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."

Uber expanded its women-only ride-matching feature nationwide, allowing female riders and drivers to request trips with other women through multiple app options including advance reservations and preference settings. The rollout occurs amid a California class-action lawsuit filed by male drivers claiming sex discrimination under the Unruh Act, which prohibits gender-based business discrimination. Rival Lyft faces similar litigation over its comparable 2024 feature. Uber reports approximately one-fifth of U.S. drivers are women, with ratios varying by city. The company permits female drivers to opt into women-rider matching and disable the preference anytime. Uber filed a motion to compel arbitration, disputing that the feature violates anti-discrimination law.

Read at ABC7 Los Angeles