RIYADH: Uber — which provides UberTaxi service in Saudi Arabia — has revealed insights from female drivers in the Kingdom, with financial independence and safety as key issues. Data shows an optimistic outcome of female empowerment in the Kingdom with more than 76 percent of participants citing financial independence as the reason they drive using Uber. These numbers follow a survey shared by Uber among female drivers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. More than 56 percent of participants mentioned using Uber to financially support their families, with 46.89 percent of drivers successfully increasing financial stability. A large majority highlighted the sense of community it helped build, with 77 percent of respondents saying they felt safe driving with Uber. Localized features such as the “women preferred view” — a product Uber built explicitly for Saudi Arabia before expanding to other markets — allow female drivers a choice to be connected to women riders. More than half of the participants want to continue their journey with Uber and progress professionally. In line with its commitment to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals, Uber continues to connect with, empower and support the advancement of women in Saudi Arabia by providing financial opportunities, flexibility and advanced safety measures for female drivers. Wusool, the subsidized women empowerment program Uber launched in 2017, has supported more than 120,000 women taking 20 million trips to and from their workplace by 2021. This has played a critical role in driving forward Saudi Arabia’s female labor participation, which has risen to 37 percent in mid-2022. Mohammad Al-Juraish, general manager at Uber Saudi Arabia, said: “We are proud to play a key role in supporting female financial independence and empowerment in the Kingdom. We see that female drivers’ ages range from 21-46, showcasing the diversity of driver profiles who drive using the Uber app, whether for self-empowerment, exceeding cultural barriers or financial support.” “We hope to continue creating innovative solutions and build locally using our global experience, to bridge mobility concerns for our riders,” he said.