Sidecar Will Let You Request A Woman Driver If It Makes You Feel Safer
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Ridesharing app Sidecar is now letting riders choose the sex of their driver as part of a new safety campaign intended to protect women passengers.
In a blog post titled "Seven Ways To Ride Safe This Season With Sidecar," the San Francisco-based company encourages passengers to "be choosy," and decide if they prefer a woman at the wheel.
The feature is an addition to Sidecar's current "marketplace model" released in February, which lets passengers shop for rides, view information on drivers' ratings, type of cars and pricing and current location.
"When we tested Marketplace we heard anecdotally from our drivers that are women that they saw an increase in female passengers," Sidecar spokeswoman Margaret Ryan told BuzzFeed News. "We've since heard from some of our female passengers that they prefer to ride with a woman on their first trip or late at night."
The recommendations also include tips like canceling your ride if you don't feel comfortable and sharing your arrival time with friends via text.