Women Plus Connect is a new in-app feature that Lyft is bringing to all US cities. It pairs female and nonbinary drivers with female and nonbinary passengers.

The ridesharing company first introduced the program in five locations last autumn, hoping to increase the number of female and nonbinary consumers while also enhancing safety. According to Lyft's marketing materials, Women Plus Connect has been engaged by over 2.4 million riders since its launch. 

If drivers choose not to engage in Women Plus Connect, the app will pair them with a male passenger if no nearby passengers who fit the criteria are available. In the eight cities, about half of the drivers who are eligible for Lyft have chosen to use the option. 

A 2022 investigation by reporters revealed that female and nonbinary rideshare drivers frequently experience sexual harassment from riders. Because of these somewhat dangerous working conditions, ridesharing is probably not as popular a choice for female and nonbinary drivers. Just 23% of Lyft's driver workforce identify as women or nonbinary, despite the fact that a plurality of female clients prefer female drivers, according to a company survey. A 2020 Stanford University study on Uber drivers discovered that male drivers are more willing to work later and longer hours since they don't have the same safety concerns as women. This has led to a 7% gender wage disparity. 

All Lyft users and drivers who have chosen the female or nonbinary gender setting will have access to Women Plus Connect. On the Lyft app, users will see an option to "count me in." In the meantime, drivers who identify as women or nonbinary will be prompted through the app to sign up for Women Plus Connect. Drivers can adjust their gender settings on the app, but Lyft will use the gender marker on the driver's license to evaluate eligibility.