National advocates for missing children are partnering with Uber to disrupt child abductions in communities across the United States.
The ride sharing company announced a partnership Wednesday with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to distribute Amber Alerts to driver-partners. The company said the alerts will “quickly connect drivers with information that could make all the difference for neighbors and communities.”
Uber said driver-partners in more than 180 cities in the United States would soon begin receiving Amber Alerts in their geographic area. The company says its network covers 75% of the population.
“The Amber Alert program’s success is built on the ability to reach the right people at the right time,” said Robert Hoever of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in a press statement. “Uber’s presence in communities all across the country will be an incredible asset … to increase the reach of the Amber Alert program.”
Amber Alerts are facilitated with the help of law enforcement agencies and broadcast through radio, television, road signs and other technology.
New York City’s taxis already receive Amber Alerts, and local officials praised the move by Uber.
“The more eyes we get on an Amber Alert, the better,” Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Meera Joshi told The New York Post.
