From Taxis to Ridehailing: Examining Gender Issues for Female Drivers and Passengers

This report analyzes gender issues for female drivers and passengers of transportation network companies (TNCs) and taxis. Between August 2023 and May 2024, the researchers conducted driver and rider focus groups (n=8 drivers and n=8 passengers); a driver survey (n=170); a TNC user/non-user survey (n=440, including n=217/440 taxi non-users, n=7/440 TNC non-users, and a subset of n=5/440 non- users of TNCs and taxis); and expert interviews (n=13). This research finds that both female drivers and passengers experience an array of safety concerns and challenges traveling with young children in TNCs (e.g., traveling with a car seat, driver accommodation of car seats, etc.). The report discusses policy considerations to address these concerns (e.g., expanding a 'women-preferred' option for drivers and passengers and introducing an optional service for drivers to provide car seats for passengers with children). These policies could help reduce a number of the concerns that female drivers and passengers confront when using TNCs.