Uber activates feature in PR allowing female drivers to only receive ride requests from women

By THE STAR STAFF

Ride-hailing platform Uber has enabled a feature in Puerto Rico that allows female drivers to receive ride requests only from users who identify as women, in order to offer them more control and comfort while earning money.

“More and more women are choosing the Uber app to generate additional income in Puerto Rico, and we want them to find in Uber a real and accessible economic opportunity, and to feel comfortable every time they go out to drive,” said Manuela Bedoya, Uber’s safety communications manager for the Andean Region, the Caribbean, and Central America, in a written statement. “This feature is an important step to strengthen their experience on the app and support those who are already part of the app’s community in the country

Bedoya noted that women represent 25% of the active drivers on the platform, making Puerto Rico the Latin American jurisdiction with the highest female driver participation on the service. She noted that the feature aims to support this growth with tools designed to meet their needs.

The new option will be available to people who identify as women or non-binary. Its use is optional and can be activated or deactivated in the driving preferences section of the app, allowing each driver to decide whether they want to receive only requests from women or access all available options.

Bedoya added that both drivers and passengers can update their gender information in the app to personalize their experience. She said Uber has more than 30 safety tools in Puerto Rico, including RideCheck, the option to share the trip with trusted contacts, direct 911 calls from the app, and encrypted video recording for drivers.