Ride-hailing platform Uber has launched Uber Moto Women, a women-only bike taxi service in Bengaluru aimed at improving safety and mobility options for female commuters.
The service connects women riders exclusively with women drivers and is designed to address concerns related to safety while also creating flexible earning opportunities for women in the ride-hailing ecosystem.
Safer commuting option for women
Uber Moto Women was developed based on feedback from women riders and drivers who preferred travel options involving female drivers.
The service integrates several technology-driven safety features. Riders can share trip details with up to five trusted contacts for real-time tracking, while phone numbers and drop-off addresses are anonymised to protect privacy.
Uber’s RideCheck feature also monitors irregularities during trips, such as unexpected stops, route deviations or mid-way drop-offs, and offers support if needed.
Women riders and drivers will also have access to Uber’s 24×7 safety helpline that provides priority support during emergencies.
More about the company’s services can be found here:
Growing demand for bike taxis
Bike taxis have emerged as one of the fastest-growing transport options in urban India.
According to a report by KPMG, more than 280 million bike taxi rides were completed across platforms in 2022. Bengaluru alone records over one million bike taxi rides every month, making it one of the largest markets for the service in India.
The report also notes that nearly 65–70 per cent of bike taxi rides are used for first- and last-mile connectivity, helping commuters access metro stations, bus stops and workplaces.
Encouraging women drivers
Uber said the new service could encourage more women to participate in the ride-hailing workforce, where female driver participation remains relatively low.
Flexible working hours, shorter trip distances and easier navigation are expected to make the service more accessible for women drivers.
Drivers on the platform will also have the option to switch between accepting women-only rides or regular ride requests depending on their preference.
Boosting women’s economic participation
Research by Oxford Economics suggests that improved access to ride-hailing services could increase women’s workforce participation in India by more than 6 per cent by 2028.
The study also found that around 75 per cent of women prefer ride-hailing services because they perceive them to be safer travel options. Nearly one in three women in India reportedly uses bike taxis at least once a month.
Uber Moto Women will initially be available across major parts of Bengaluru, with the company emphasising its focus on mobility innovation and women’s safety
Comments are closed.