A more women-friendly Uber experience?

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: "A More Women-Friendly Uber Experience?"

Release Date: July 24, 2025
Host: David Brancaccio
Description: In less than 10 minutes, Marketplace's David Brancaccio delivers the latest business and economic news to kickstart your day, supplemented by a global markets update from the BBC World Service in London.

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1. Rising Domestic Steel Prices

David Brancaccio opens the episode by addressing the significant increase in U.S.-made steel prices. He reports that major domestic producers, including Steel Dynamics and Cleveland Cliffs, have raised their prices by approximately 13.5% per ton. Overall, domestic steel prices have surged by 16% this year.

Mindy Thomas elaborates on the factors driving these price hikes, attributing them primarily to President Trump's tariffs on foreign-made steel, which have doubled to 50%. Ned Hill from Ohio State University explains, "With imported steel more expensive, domestic producers are just doing what makes sense, charging what they can as much as the market will bear" (01:34).

Jim Piper of Kelair Products highlights the impact on his business, noting "increases between 15 to 18% in the price of steel this year" (02:08). This surge poses challenges for building contractors already grappling with a sluggish construction economy. Ken Simonson from Associated General Contractors of America states, "Contractors materials costs are going up, making building projects more expensive, just as they're seeing less demand as higher steel prices also hit some of their customers like manufacturers" (02:31).

2. Labor Market Dynamics and Housing Constraints

Transitioning to the labor market, Brancaccio shares encouraging news about the decline in new state unemployment claims, indicating resilience in the job market. However, he expresses concern over increased job churn—people leaving one job for another—suggesting potential underlying insecurity among both employers and workers.

Diane Swonk, Chief Economist at KPMG, provides insight into the issues surrounding job mobility. She explains, "It's hard for a lot... in a housing market that is so expensive and hard to move in even if you find another opportunity elsewhere. Mobility is an issue now" (03:22). The high cost and limited availability of affordable housing restrict workers’ ability to relocate for better job opportunities, echoing Margaret Thatcher's past sentiments about job mobility but highlighting a modern twist where affordability is the key barrier.

Swonk further remarks, "There’s parts of this economy that... feel very frozen. Those who are frozen in are frozen in their homes. They’re locked into mortgages or paid off their mortgages. They can’t move" (03:34). This situation hampers the traditional pathways to economic advancement, leaving many potential movers stuck despite having new job opportunities.

3. Uber’s Initiative for Women Drivers and Passengers

The focal point of the episode centers on Uber’s pilot program aimed at creating a more women-friendly experience by allowing women passengers and drivers to request connections exclusively with other women. This feature is currently being tested in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, following Lyft’s nationwide rollout last year.

Savannah Peters reports on the initiative by highlighting personal accounts and expert opinions. Susan Greenwald, a Lyft driver with nearly 5,000 trips, shares her positive experiences: "Oh my God, I'm so glad it's a woman driver. I hear that all day long" (06:52). She emphasizes the comfort and safety benefits, noting that "they end up just blabbing to me, so it's just a more comfortable situation, I think on both ends" (07:09).

Camille Irving, Uber's VP of Operations, states, "What's really important to us is that we're able to keep wait times low when people request these trips and that riders are able to have the same high quality experience" (07:53). However, Irving acknowledges potential challenges, such as the limited number of women drivers—only about one in five Uber drivers are women—and the possibility that demand may outstrip supply.

Alexandria Ravenel, a gig economy expert at UNC Chapel Hill, offers a critical perspective: "If you wanted to be cynical about this, you could say... let's try and recruit more women into doing this" (08:22). She suggests that while the initiative aims to enhance safety, it might also be a response to declining driver pay, potentially reinforcing gender roles within the gig economy.

Susan Greenwald anticipates that the new feature could give her an advantage in securing Uber trips but also expresses concern about potential pushback from male drivers: "They really shouldn't give us a hard time. You know, it's like there's so few of us driving" (08:50). Despite these challenges, Greenwald remains committed to prioritizing her safety by avoiding late-night driving hours (08:57).

4. Market and Economic Indicators

Towards the end of the episode, Brancaccio provides a brief update on the stock market's performance, noting a mixed trend with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down by 215 points (0.5%), while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are both up by 2.10% (04:39).

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Conclusion:

This episode of Marketplace Morning Report delves into significant economic issues ranging from rising domestic steel prices impacted by international tariffs to the complexities of job mobility constrained by the housing market. The highlight, however, is Uber’s innovative approach to fostering a safer and more inclusive environment for women through its new feature connecting female passengers and drivers. While the initiative holds promise for enhancing safety and comfort, it also raises questions about driver supply and the broader implications for gender dynamics within the gig economy.

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Note: Timestamps in brackets (MM:SS) correspond to the transcript sections where the quotes and information were mentioned.

Transcript

[Marketplace Host]

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[David Brancaccio]

Uber tests the idea of Women passengers asking for women drivers I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. First prices for steel made in the US Are going up in the spring into summer quarter. Two major domestic producers, Steel Dynamics and Cleveland Cliffs, substantially raised the price per ton they charge customers by 13.5% in the case of Steel Dynamics, according to company results. All told, domestic steel producers subjective prices by 16% this year, Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman explains.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mostly what's driving American made steel prices higher is President Trump's tariffs on foreign made steel, which doubled to 50% last month. Ned Hill at the Ohio State University says with imported steel more expensive, domestic producers are just doing what makes sense, charging what they can as much as the market will bear. For Jim Piper at Kelair Products outside Chicago, which makes metal dampers for heavy industry, that's meant increases between 15 to 18% in the price of steel this year.

[David Brancaccio]

It does create a sense of chaos and unpredictability. We're attempting not to share too much of that cost increase with our customers just because we don't know where things are going to go.

[Mindy Thomas]

Higher steel prices are a big concern for building contractors, which are already dealing with a sluggish economy for construction, says Ken Simonson at Associated General Contractors of America.

[David Brancaccio]

They're hitting both sides of the equation.

[Mindy Thomas]

Contractors materials costs are going up, making building projects more expensive, just as they're seeing less demand as higher steel prices also hit some of their customers like manufacturers. I'm Mitchell Hartman for Marketplace.

[David Brancaccio]

In a sign of strength, there's news the number of new claims for state unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell in the last week. Layoffs remain relatively low. But in a troubling sign, churn people leaving one job and taking another. That's pre. That can be employers not feeling secure enough to hire more or workers not feeling secure enough to try for something else. The housing market is part of this. Diane Swonk is chief economist at the audit, tax and advisory firm kpmg. Diane, it's not just about finding a job somewhere. I mean, it's hard for a lot.

[Diane Swonk]

Of reasons and even more so in a housing market that is so expensive and hard to move in even if you find another opportunity elsewhere. Mobility is an issue now.

[David Brancaccio]

Yeah, I remember former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, she used to say, you know, if you can't find a job, get on your bike, go to a place where there is a job. And she was criticized for that view. In 2025, United States of America, you might not be able to find an affordable rental. You might not be able to sell your house to buy a house elsewhere where the job is or afford to.

[Diane Swonk]

Buy the house where the job is. And I think that's what the key issue is, is that there's parts of this economy, although it still adds up in the aggre to look like a solid economy. There's parts of this economy that after the pandemic and the reopening that we saw now feel very frozen. Those who are frozen in are frozen in their homes. They're locked into mortgages or paid off their mortgages. They can't move. Some of them want to move on the other side of it. Those who want in that first time home purchase or perhaps a new entry level job in a new city, they can't get on those rungs of the ladder that they once could.

[David Brancaccio]

Diane Swank, chief economist at kpmg. Thank you.

[Diane Swonk]

Thank you.

[David Brancaccio]

It's mixed for stocks and early trading. The dow is down 215 points. That's five tenths of a percent. The S and P and the Nasdaq are both up 2. 10%.

[Marketplace Advertiser]

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[David Brancaccio]

This Marketplace podcast is supported by Mercury. Mercury offers banking and financial software to help businesses send money, create invoices, pay bills, and more all in one place. Learn [e-mail] Uber is rolling out a new feature in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit allowing women drivers and passengers to request to be connected only with other women. Its main competitor, Lyft, has been doing this nationwide since last year. Both apps say it's about safety and recruiting more women drivers. Marketplace's Savannah Peters has that story.

[Savannah Peters]

In almost 5,000 trips LA rideshare driver Susan Greenwald has been in some uncomfortable situations but never felt like she was in danger.

[Susan Greenwald]

I'm pretty good at dealing with people after teaching junior high school and growing up in New York.

[Savannah Peters]

Plus, Greenwald never drives late at night, but she says many of her passengers have felt unsafe using rideshare apps.

[Susan Greenwald]

Oh my God, I'm so glad it's a woman driver. I hear that all day long.

[Savannah Peters]

Greenwald has been using the Women Connect feature on Lyft since it debuted last year. She guesses 90% of her pickups on that app are women and LGBTQ people.

[Susan Greenwald]

It's sort of like a beauty shop in there. They end up just blabbing to me, so it's just a more comfortable situation, I think on both ends.

[Savannah Peters]

She'll try out Uber's new feature when it rolls out in LA next month. Every year, thousands of drivers and riders report harassment and assault while using rideshare apps. Camille Irving, Uber's VP of operations, says connecting women users could keep them safer.

[Marketplace Host]

I'm excited that we're giving women this.

[Savannah Peters]

Choice, but there may not be enough women drivers to quickly meet every passenger request. Uber says about one in five of its drivers are women. Lyft reports similar numbers.

[Marketplace Host]

What's really important to us is that we're able to keep wait times low when people request these trips and that riders are able to have the same high quality experience.

[Savannah Peters]

Irving says the company will be watching its pilot markets to see if the new feature attracts new women drivers. Alexandria Ravenel, an expert on gig economies at UNC Chapel Hill, says that might pan out just as rideshare driver pay is on the decline.

[Marketplace Host]

If you wanted to be cynical about this, you could say, well, yeah, when teaching was well paid, it was a job for men. And now as Uber stops being well paid, suddenly let's try and recruit more women into doing this.

[Savannah Peters]

Ravenel adds that stricter vetting and ID requirements for passengers would do more to protect drivers. In la, Susan Greenwald expects women preference to give her an advantage scoring Uber trips. She says some male drivers might be unhappy with that.

[Susan Greenwald]

They really shouldn't give us a hard time. You know, it's like there's so few of us driving.

[Savannah Peters]

For her safety, Greenwald still won't drive after 9pm when she says demand for women drivers could peak. I'm Savannah Peters for Marketplace.

[David Brancaccio]

It's Marketplace MORNING Report from APM American Public Media.

[Guy Raz]

Hi there. I'm Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

And I'm Mindy Thomas.

[Marketplace Host]

Wait.

[Guy Raz]

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[Mindy Thomas]

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[Guy Raz]

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[Mindy Thomas]

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[Guy Raz]

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