Uber launches a new option to guarantee Parisian women that their driver is a woman

To promote the safety of its customers and the feminization of the VTC profession in Paris, Uber is launching a new option, this Thursday, November 28. With “Uber by Women”, female passengers are guaranteed to be driven by a woman.

To offer “more serenity” to its Parisian customers, Uber is launching this Thursday, November 28, a new option dedicated to them: “Uber by Women”. At no additional cost but with potentially longer waiting times, it guarantees service users that their driver is a woman.

In a press release, the company explains that it is aiming for two objectives: “to feminize the profession” of VTC driver and “to ensure more safety” for its customers. The “Uber by Women” option is reserved for women and female drivers will have the possibility of canceling the trip if it turns out that a man is using it.

According to Uber, “some 1,500 female drivers” are currently able to pick up female passengers in Paris. “As this number is limited, waiting times on “Uber by Women” could be higher than on other options, 15 minutes on average compared to 4 minutes” with the classic ordering method. However, the option will not be offered if no driver is available within an acceptable time frame.

“Increase the activity of the profession”

To attract more female drivers, the company plans to offer them a “substantial reduction” in the fees charged on each trip. For Laureline Serieys, director of Uber in France, “Uber by Women” is “an excellent way to increase the attractiveness of the VTC profession among women who would not envision themselves in this profession.”

She said she was “convinced that the flexibility, independence and ability to generate income that Uber offers are particularly suited to the lifestyles of many women”. Other countries have already launched a similar system, notably Poland and the Czech Republic.