Whether it’s pre-booking a ride from the airport or reserving a car with child seats already installed, ride services like Lyft regularly add new features to make rides easier and more efficient. Today, Lyft announced another new feature aimed at making women and non-binary travelers feel safer while driving.
According to a recent internal survey, only 23% of Lyft drivers are women, despite nearly half of Lyft riders being women. With safety often top of mind for travelers, Lyft is putting the power back in the hands of riders with its new Women+ Connect program.
With Women+ Connect, drivers and passengers can feel safer and more confident by matching women and non-binary drivers with women and non-binary drivers. Lyft announced in a blog post describing its new offering that this is a “highly requested feature” designed to “give more confidence” to women and non-binary people.
“Women+ Connect is about giving more women and non-binary people the opportunity to make money on their terms and giving riders more choice,” Lyft CEO David Risher said in the announcement. “We hope this gives millions of drivers and riders another reason to choose Lyft.”
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Developed in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign, It’s On Us, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives and the National Sheriffs’ Association, Women+ Connect is easy to use for riders and drivers. All it takes is turning on the preference in the Lyft app to prioritize matches with other women and non-binary riders nearby.
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However, please know that Women+ Connect is a preference and not a guarantee. As Lyft’s announcement notes, the company will do its best to match you with other women and non-binary drivers, although there may be times when a match isn’t possible.
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Women+ Connect is one of many features Lyft has introduced to keep riders safe when requesting a ride. With “Smart Trip Check-In,” Lyft checks rides for long stops or deviations from the planned route and contacts you to see if you need assistance during your ride. Lyft also gives riders the ability to share their real-time location with friends and family and see their driver’s name, profile photo and ratings once they’re matched.
The feature is available now in select early access cities – Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, California – but Lyft plans to add Women+ Connect in other cities in the future.
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