Lyft is providing a new feature for women and nonbinary users that will help make the rideshare experience more comfortable for riders and drivers. The Women Plus Connect launch was announced on Tuesday as a function that matches drivers with riders of a preferred gender.
Women Plus Connect is an opt-in, preference-based feature that works by identifying and prioritizing women and nonbinary riders. If you’re a Lyft driver, you can toggle the feature on or off in the driver preferences section of the app, while riders will see a prompt that says, “Count me in” or “No thanks.” You can also update your profile with your gender selection.
For now, the feature is only available for Lyft drivers, but it will expand to passengers and more cities in the coming months. At launch, it will be available in Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.
Here’s a peek at what Lyft users will see in Women Plus Connect.
Lyft explained that the service is not guaranteed, so if there are no customers of the preferred gender in the area, drivers and passengers may still be connected with men. The rideshare company hopes to improve safety and inclusivity for the platform, and created the feature in collaboration with several organizations including the Human Rights Campaign and the National Sheriffs’ Association.
“Women+ Connect is all about providing more women and nonbinary people the opportunity to earn money on their terms and giving riders more choice,” said Lyft CEO David Risher in a statement. “We hope this gives millions of drivers and riders another reason to choose Lyft.”
The rideshare industry has seen a wave of safety measures implemented over the past several years to increase protections for both drivers and passengers. Uber, for instance, has added seatbelt alerts and Live Help, which connects users with real-time safety agents who can monitor their trips. Its safety toolkit also includes the ability record audio during rides. Lyft began offering a 911 panic button and check-in feature in 2019 to help deter crime and sexual assault. Additionally, there are rideshare apps that cater specifically to children or women, such as HopSkipDrive and Just Her.
The safety measures were introduced after hundreds of allegations over assault and sexual assault in rideshare vehicles, including fatal assaults, which resulted in multiple lawsuits and fines for Lyft and Uber.
You can learn more about how to set up your preferences by reading Lyft’s FAQ. Be sure to also check out our coverage on Lyft’s driverless robotaxis and Uber’s options for parents.