Functionality offers three request formats to circumvent the low presence of female drivers in the country and will also cover Uber Teens
In response to the growing demand for safety in ride-hailing, Uber has expanded the “Uber Mulher” tool in Brazil. The feature, which allows users to request rides preferably with female drivers, arrives in 13 Brazilian capitals in the coming days, after a testing period in seven cities.
The novelty includes, in this initial phase, municipalities from all regions of the country: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Brasília, Recife, Manaus, Fortaleza, Belém, João Pessoa, Goiânia, São Luís and Cuiabá. The goal, according to the company’s board in the country, is to offer greater predictability and comfort for passengers, non-binary people and teenagers.
SEE ALSO:
To get around the fact that women still represent only 8% of the platform’s active driver base in Brazil, Uber divided the functionality into three formats. The most direct option is the “Uber Mulher” button itself, available on the home screen only during the day for immediate trips. If the waiting time exceeds the standard, the application consults the user about the desire to wait for the driver or redirect the request to the nearest driver, regardless of gender.
The second alternative is “Women’s Preference”, which can be permanently activated in the profile settings. With it on, the algorithm prioritizes pairing with women in the traditional UberX category, without, however, guaranteeing exclusivity in case of a shortage of vehicles in the region of the call.
Finally, there is the “Reserve Uber Mulher”, a modality aimed at scheduling at least 30 minutes in advance, ensuring the predictability of female service. All these options have also been extended to Uber Teens accounts, aimed at young people aged 12 to 17, which already have real-time tracking and additional safety features for guardians.
The initiative takes place in a scenario in which mobility platforms seek market differentials based on protection, responding to the high rates of gender violence and the appeal for a safer transport environment in the country.
