
Uber has officially launched its "Women Preferences" feature nationwide, allowing female drivers and passengers to request matches with one another.
The move, aimed at making women feel "more comfortable in the back seat" and "more confident behind the wheel," follows a successful pilot programme.
Uber noted that the expansion is a direct response to users who wanted "more control over how they ride and earn."
Under the new system, women can pre-reserve trips or set a preference in the app to prioritise female matches.
This option also extends to teen accounts and their parents in eligible cities. While Uber reports that roughly 20% of its US drivers are women, the company views this tool as a way to bolster safety and participation.
However, the rollout has sparked a legal backlash. A class action lawsuit in California argues the feature discriminates against men, with drivers claiming it violates the Unruh Act by giving women access to a broader pool of passengers.
Uber has countered by filing a motion to move the case to private arbitration, asserting the feature "serves a strong and recognised public policy interest in enhancing safety."
The debate over safety and discrimination is intensified by a recent court ruling ordering Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who was raped by a driver.
Uber, which plans to appeal, has historically argued it should not be held liable for criminal acts by independent contractors.
Despite the domestic legal friction, the woman-matching option is already an established part of Uber’s business model in more than 40 other countries, including Spain and Saudi Arabia.

Taxi passengers in Inverclyde are facing an 8 per cent increase in fares after local councillors moved forward with plans to raise the cost of travel across the district. The proposal, which includes hikes to both the in

Derby city bosses have voted to soften a controversial rule regarding the age of private hire vehicles, raising the age limit for newly licensed cars from the suggested five years to nine years.

The company, Doctors on Wheels Ltd, is accused of submitting bogus medical forms to the DVLA for drivers seeking to operate taxis, buses and lorries.

Under the new agreement, daytime fares will increase by five per cent, while night-time journeys between 10pm and 6am will jump by 10 per cent.

Kieran Abercrombie, Robert Thomson, Kenzie Gardner, and Tyler Ramage carried out the attacks in May 2025 as part of an escalating "gangland war" between rival crime families.

The decision follows an independent survey which confirmed there is currently no evidence of "unmet demand" from the public.

Muhammad Saleem appeared before the Regulation and Licensing Committee after Police Scotland flagged a previous offence where he was clocked travelling at 95mph. 

Driver Mo, who works for Carrot Cars, was transporting a couple to the Royal London Hospital when they realised the baby, named Sven, was arriving much sooner than expected.

Muhammad Umar, who was convicted in 2024 for his role as a landlord of a flat housing a £40,000 cannabis farm, also has a record for careless driving after he was caught speeding on the wrong side of the road to skip a r

North Yorkshire Council is considering a new policy that would require all new hackney carriage licences to be for wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs), zero-emission electric cars, or hybrids.

Gary Todd was high on street Valium when he pointed an airsoft pistol, designed to look like a real American self-loading handgun, at driver Mr. Awais.

The joint effort, led by the Community Safety Unit and local police, targeted vehicles travelling through the district to ensure they were safe for the public.

Daniel Eckersley, also known as Daniel Bryan, appeared at Chester Crown Court following the violent incident on December 6, 2025.

Khalid Gadalseed, 50, was behind the wheel of a Mercedes Vito on September 27, 2023, when he struck Ioan Williams on Greyfriars Road, Cardiff city centre.

Avenue Taxis, Ipswich’s longest-established taxi company, and CabsSmart, the award-winning private hire operator, are rebranding as Veezu. 

The decision, made by the New Forest District Council’s general purposes and licensing committee on Friday, March 6, comes despite warnings from the trade that drivers are already struggling with a "spiralling" cost of l

Abdulhamid Alammar, 34, of the Baldslow area in St Leonards, was convicted following a trial at Lewes Crown Court on Friday, March 6, in relation to a 2024 attack that came to light during a separate investigation.

The decision follows growing frustration over out-of-town drivers working in the city under licences issued by other authorities, such as Wolverhampton.

A report by consulting firm Jacobs suggests a series of increases to account for inflation and rising costs, including a plan to raise the terminal drop-off and pick-up fee from £6 to £7.

The crash, which involved a BMW and a Saab on Pleasley Road, left both drivers trapped inside as fire began to break out.
