Uber launched a new ride feature on May 22 that allows parents and guardians in the New York City metro area to invite their teenagers aged 13 to 17 to create an account to request their own Uber rides. Depending on who you ask, the catch is that the rides can be tracked in real time by parents and guardians.
There will also be safety features built into the experience, including real-time trip updates and progress, driver profiles with name and vehicle information, a unique PIN code verification ensuring teenagers get into the right car with the right driver, a RideCheck feature that uses sensors and GPS data to detect if the ride is disrupted for any reason, and audio recording — which Uber had unveiled for all its rides in April this year.
Parents and guardians will also be able to contact both the driver and Uber’s safety line at any time during the trip.
The company ensures that “only highly-rated, experienced drivers” who pass local screening and background check requirements will be able to receive trip requests from teenagers.
Teenagers in New York City have many choices when it comes to their mode of transportation. While street safety is still a questionable matter, able-bodied teenagers can elect to walk, bike, or scoot to their destinations. There are no age limits for taxis and the subways run 24 hours a day, seven days a week — albeit trains aren’t able to be called upon at the flick of a wrist.
Currently, Uber account holders must be at least 18 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult — aged 18 or older — on all Uber rides. Uber drivers are required to decline a ride request if they believe the person requesting the ride is under the age of 18, and are even encouraged to request a valid driver’s license or ID to confirm the rider’s age.
The only circumstance where an Uber driver can accept a ride request from a minor is if the driver is “concerned about the rider’s safety,” according to company policy. These situations could include self-harm, physical assault, or unexplained injuries. The minor’s Uber account will then be removed by company after the completed trip.
The age limit policy hasn’t prevented teenagers from hailing and getting from point A to B with Ubers for years now, perhaps unsurprisingly.
Creating an Uber account, while straightforward and quick, couldn’t be any easier for teens who know their way around phones. With just a simple check-box “acknowledgement” that the rider is at least 18, a minor could create their own Uber accounts and hail drivers — all without further verification or security.
Currently, a New York City-based financial services company that offers mobile banking for teens, found in 2019 that 94% of all taxi service transactions made by its customers who were 13 to 18 years old were from Uber and Lyft rides.
Mariana Esteves, product manager at Uber, said in a statement that the key safety features are the highlight of the teen account program.
“Teen accounts are built with transparency in mind so that there are no surprises for parents, teens, or drivers,” Esteves said. “Whether their teen is getting a ride to an internship or heading home after soccer practice, parents will receive real-time notifications and can follow along with live trip tracking every step of the way.”
An additional feature available for teens now is Uber Eats. Once teens are invited to set up an account by their parents and guardians, they can also order food delivery for themselves.
Uber began piloting teen accounts in late 2022 in Canada and in early 2023 in the U.S. in Tucson, Phoenix, Columbus, Nashville, San Antonio, and Bloomington.
The company stated in that the pilot program received “overwhelmingly positive feedback from both families and drivers” in the pilot cities. Parents and guardians reported to Uber that the feature gives them “added flexibility and peace of mind.” Teen riders reported that being able to hail their own Ubers gave them more independence.
Uber spent more than a year in developing the new teen rides feature and consulted with safety experts, such as global nonprofit Safe Kids Worldwide. Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide, said the organization was proud to partner with Uber for the new feature launch.
“We were able to provide advice and expertise to Uber to help ensure teens have a safe experience from pickup to drop off,” Creppy said. “By providing parents with safe alternatives to help their teens get around, we hope this will help create more equitable solutions for families facing barriers to transportation.”
Parents can set up a teen account through their “Family Profile” in the Uber app and then invite their teenager to create an account on their own phone. Teens will be required to complete the mandatory safety onboarding process before requesting their own Uber rides.
