Uber has launched a new service in Bengaluru called Uber Moto Women offering women-only bike rides designed to address safety concerns and mobility needs.
The on-demand two-wheeler ride service connects female riders with female drivers, providing an alternative for women who prefer to travel with others of the same gender.
This service is response to growing concerns about safety and the desire for more secure commuting options. Uber Moto Women offers a safe and affordable solution, incorporating advanced safety features such as real-time trip sharing, phone number anonymization, and the RideCheck feature, which detects irregularities in the journey.
The initiative also aims to empower women by creating flexible earning opportunities. According to Uber, women drivers will benefit from the ability to accept only female riders or have full control over their ride preferences. The initiative comes at a time when the bike taxi market in Bengaluru is booming, with the city recording over 1 million rides per month.
Uber Moto Women is part of a larger trend in India’s ride-hailing industry, where bike taxis are increasingly filling a critical gap in first- and last-mile connectivity.
A report from KPMG highlighted that over 280 million bike taxi rides were completed across platforms in 2022, with Bengaluru as one of the largest markets in the country.
The service also has broader implications for women’s workforce participation. Research by Oxford Economics suggests that greater access to ride-hailing services like Uber Moto Women could increase women’s workforce participation in India by over 6% by 2028.
With a flexible work schedule and the potential for short trips, Uber Moto Women could provide a significant boost to women in the gig economy.
Uber Moto Women is now available across major parts of Bengaluru.