Ola, Uber, and Rapido to Offer Women the Option to Choose Female Cab Drivers; Central Government Makes Major Change

Female Driver Choice in Cab: Women may get significant relief when booking cabs. Under the new government rules, Ola, Uber, and Rapido will offer the option to choose a female driver.

Female Driver Choice in Cab: In India, many people are now using cab services like Ola, Uber, and Rapido instead of public transport. However, sometimes incidents occur in these cabs that make passengers feel uncomfortable and unsafe. This is especially true for female passengers. Keeping the safety and convenience of passengers in mind, the central government has made changes to the Motor Vehicle Aggregators Guidelines 2025.

These new rules will directly impact the way cabs are booked. Importantly, female passengers will now have the option to choose a female driver when booking a ride. This is considered a positive step amidst long-standing concerns about women's safety.

When will the new rules be implemented?

After the government issued the notification, female passengers are wondering when these rules will be implemented. The notification does not explicitly mention a specific date. Generally, such guidelines are considered effective upon issuance. However, the responsibility for their implementation lies with the states. Previously, when the aggregator guidelines were implemented in July 2025, states were given three months to comply.

It is believed that states may be given a similar timeframe for the revised rules. State governments will have to make changes to their licensing rules, and only then will these rules be fully implemented. Until the states adopt these guidelines and issue notifications, the timeline may vary in different places.

How will the gender choice feature be implemented?

These rules have been made by the central government, but their implementation will be in the hands of the state governments. States will have to incorporate this gender choice feature into their cab aggregator licensing system. Following this, companies like Ola, Uber, and Rapido will have to make necessary technical changes to their apps. When booking a ride, passengers will see an option to choose the driver's gender. This feature has been included as a mandatory clause in the guidelines.

If an aggregator fails to comply with these rules, they may face penalties or even license revocation. However, it is expected that companies will need some time for app updates and system integration. Therefore, it may take some time for this to be implemented, and even after implementation, the shortage of female drivers could somewhat weaken the effectiveness of this measure.