As part of larger initiatives to boost women's participation in the workforce and the mobility industry, ride-hailing behemoth Uber has launched a new trip option in Saudi Arabia that matches female passengers only with female drivers. The project continues Uber's ongoing investment in locally focused programs to promote Saudi Vision 2030 goals, and it comes seven years after the Kingdom overturned the prohibition on women driving.
In the upcoming weeks, riders nationwide will be able to access the new feature, Women Drivers, which works similarly to the regular UberX service. Women can use Uber Reserve to plan their rides up to 30 minutes in advance or book them on-demand.
At the same time, the business has teamed up with Alnahda Society, a nonprofit dedicated to the social and economic advancement of women. The partnership consists of capacity-building programs such as financial literacy training, which aims to provide women the tools they need to become financially independent, including driving for Uber.
Uber and Alnahda previously worked together through the Masaruky program, which assisted thousands of women in obtaining driver's licenses and gaining access to mobility-based employment. This new effort expands on that partnership.
In Saudi Arabia, Uber has launched a number of services targeted toward women in recent years, such as:
- Over 20 million women have benefited from Wusool's discounted rides.
- The Women Rider Preference policy permits female drivers to only take female riders.
These initiatives seek to improve comfort and flexibility for drivers and passengers while also increasing the number of women in the industry.
