Uber introduces first-ever ‘Women Preferred View’ for Saudi market
Firm says the feature may open new doors and opportunities for women as Uber driver-partners
Ride Hailing giant Uber says its “Women Preferred View” feature is now live for women drivers in Saudi Arabia.
Women Preferred View enables female passengers to select a preference to be connected to women riders. The Women Preferred feature underwent a pilot run last year and “thanks to its popularity” has now been incorporated as a full-fledged feature exclusive to women drivers in Saudi Arabia, said Uber in a statement, adding that the option is a global first for the service.
Uber’s recently launched its Masaruky initiative which aims to increase women’s participation in the workforce through access to affordable transportation, in addition to increasing women’s access to flexible, part time economic opportunities. According to Uber, the new feature meets growing interest from Saudi women seeking to benefit from the “flexible economic opportunity that Uber provides, and Uber’s ongoing efforts to be mindful of the cultural landscape in Saudi Arabia.”
“Last year we announced the launch of Masaruky, an initiative aimed towards empowering women with economic opportunities by providing accessible transport solutions. We have seen an incredible response in the Kingdom thus farm,” Tino Waked, general manager, Uber Middle East and North Africa. “As part of this initiative, this newly introduced feature will open new doors and opportunities for women as Uber driver-partners, while being conscientious of local cultural norms.”
Waked added that the firm is committed to: “always being thoughtful of how we can always improve their experience driving on the app. This is just the start, and we will continue working with experts to leverage our external research as we move forward to ensure that this is in the best interest of women driver-partners in the Kingdom.”
Uber and Ipsos research carried out in February 2018 found almost 31% of women surveyed indicated that they were interested in driving as an earnings opportunity. In a more recent study, the company says it also found that 74% of prospective women drivers interviewed would only be interested in driving women riders.
