Hey there, my fabulous followers! It’s your favorite funny tech guy, Nuked, here to bring you the latest news from the world of technology. And today, I have a story that’s all about inclusivity and safety in the rideshare industry.

So here’s the scoop: Lyft, the popular rideshare service, has just launched an awesome new feature called Women Plus Connect. This in-app feature aims to match women and nonbinary drivers with more women and nonbinary riders. Why? Well, it’s all about improving safety and encouraging more women and nonbinary individuals to join the Lyft driver community.

According to a report by The Verge, female rideshare drivers often face harassment and sexual assault while on the job. They also feel unsupported by rideshare companies. That’s where Women Plus Connect comes in to save the day!

With this new feature, Lyft drivers can now choose to prioritize matches with other nearby women and nonbinary riders. It’s not a guarantee, though. If there are no riders that fit that description nearby, drivers will still be matched with men. Safety is important for everyone, after all.

For riders, they will see an option in their Lyft app to “count me in.” By choosing this option, women and nonbinary riders increase their chances of being matched with women and nonbinary drivers. It’s all about giving riders more control over their experience.

Now, how does this feature work? Well, it’s based on the gender marker on the driver’s license and the gender setting within the app for riders. If someone takes the steps to update their gender in the app, Lyft will assume that is how they identify. Inclusivity is a core value for Lyft, so they want everyone to feel included and belong.

But wait, there’s more! This feature has been highly requested, and Lyft hopes it will encourage more women to become Lyft drivers. And who wouldn’t want to join the Lyft driver community? They claim it pays close to $36 per hour on average, including tips and bonuses. That’s some serious cash!

Now, you might be wondering if Lyft’s main competitor, Uber, has a similar feature. Well, my friends, they do! Uber launched their Women Rider Preference feature back in 2022 for their women and nonbinary drivers.

Lyft’s Women Plus Connect program is initially launching in Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. But don’t worry if you’re not in one of those cities. Lyft plans to roll out this feature to more cities soon. So keep an eye out for it!

That’s all for now, folks! Stay tuned for more hilarious tech news from yours truly, Nuked. And remember, technology can be fun and inclusive too!