NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Uber has introduced its Women Rider Preference feature in Nashville, allowing women passengers to specifically request female drivers for added safety and comfort while navigating the city.
The rideshare company launched the feature this week in Nashville as part of an expansion to 26 additional cities across the United States. The option comes after successful pilot programs earlier this year in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Phoenix and Denver.
"If it's a girl, you know you can trust her," one visitor said.
The feature addresses a top concern among women riders nationwide. Uber reports that approximately 75% of women riders support having the option to match with female drivers, making it one of the company's most-requested features.
"Even if you're sober, if you're alone, you don't know if you can trust him. Even if you're sober, you don't know if you can trust him, but a girl, you know, you can trust her," another rider explained.
Some women have already discovered the feature without realizing it was new to Nashville.
"I used it last night from the airport, it popped up unprompted, gave us the option, we rode in a very nice luxury with a female driver and felt very safe," one passenger said.
The Women Rider Preference feature works in two ways. When requesting an on-demand trip, women riders will see an option called "Women Drivers." If the wait time becomes too long, they can always choose another ride with faster pickup. Women can also set a preference for female drivers in their app settings, which increases their chances of being matched with a woman driver, though it's not guaranteed.
"Love the option, don't necessarily need it, but it's good that it's there," one rider noted.
About one in five Uber drivers in the United States are women, according to the company. The feature helps connect women riders with female drivers who also prefer picking up women passengers, particularly during nighttime hours or peak demand periods.
"It's a consideration when I was going to do it on my own, like I'm going to be in the car with my own, so it would be great to have an option to have that woman," another rider said.
The feature isn't new globally. Uber first launched Women Rider Preference in Saudi Arabia in 2019 and has since expanded it to 40 countries worldwide. The company says the Nashville rollout is part of its commitment to providing comfort, control and more options for women getting around town.
"Totally, totally, yes. You never know whose car you're getting into, and you feel just so much safer with a female driver," one passenger said.
The feature is particularly relevant in Nashville's entertainment district on Lower Broadway, where bright lights, honky-tonks and bachelorette parties create a bustling nightlife scene where safety considerations are paramount for many visitors.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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