Lyft is launching a new gender-based preference for drivers and riders, a move that indicates a growing awareness of the way women and nonbinary people interact with — and feel comfortable using — ride-sharing platforms.
The feature, known as Women+ Connect, is a setting allowing women and nonbinary Lyft drivers and riders to select a preference for matching with each other.
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The company explains the feature is intended to encourage a more accessible, equitable ride-share experience, including a safer riding environment. Lyft hopes the preference option helps more women and nonbinary drivers feel safe taking rides during high-fare hours at night. A 2022 report by the Verge interviewed dozens of women Lyft drivers who reported sexual assault and harassment while working, following safety reports issued by both Lyft and its competitor Uber documenting thousands of assaults on drivers across both apps.
Lyft worked on the feature with input from a range of experts and support from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), and the National Sheriffs' Association Traffic Safety Committee.
"Lyft is rolling out an inclusive product at a time when so many companies are shying away from explicit inclusion of transgender and non-binary people," wrote Jay Brown, chief of staff for the Human Rights Campaign. "Women+ Connect was built with intentionality to make rideshare better for women and non-binary riders. When rideshare is better for these folks, it's better for everyone, and we at HRC stand behind that."
Women+ Connect is a preference feature, not a guarantee, Lyft explains, so if no women or nonbinary riders are nearby, drivers will still be matched with men.
For both riders and drivers, Women+ Connect will appear as a pop-up, opt-in setting, showing up only when the feature goes live in the rider's city. Simply select "count me in" to be included in the Women+ Connect user pool. All users can opt out at any time by updating their preferences the Lyft app settings.
The feature is rolling out to select cities in the U.S. first, including Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose.
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