Rangatahi can now catch a ride with Uber without a parent needing to join in too!
Rolling out across Uber locations in Aotearoa, the new option is giving 14 to 17-year-olds the freedom to book their own rides while keeping their whānau in the know
Currently, to Uber in NZ, you’ve gotta be 18 or over. But, seeing the hit Uber for Teens has been in Australia, the US, Canada, and Latin America, they’re bringing it our way.
The Uber crew reckon it's all about making life simpler for busy families getting around, especially those juggling packed schedules.
So, what's the deal? Parents can set up a special Uber account for their teens under the family profile. That means they zip around town while mum or dad track their trip in real-time, 'cause safety always comes first, eh?!
Plus, Uber says parents will be able to communicate with the drivers and have access to Uber's in-car audio recording function.
Other Uber for Teens safety features include:
- PIN Verification: PIN Verification will be asked for from every teen to make sure they are getting into the correct car.
- RideCheck: RideCheck will contact the teen and driver to check if everything is okay when it suspects something might've gone wrong - like a possible crash or an unexpected long stop.
- Expanded communication: During the trip, parents/guardians can call the driver partner at any time.
- Experienced Drivers: All drivers will need to highly rated and experienced drivers to be allowed to pick up a teen. They have also been trained in promoting safe interactions with minors.
After digging into things, Uber discovered that nearly half of parents have had to pass on activities due to transport headaches. Yet, a whopping 71% of parents are all in for rideshares if it means top-notch safety for their teens.
Emma Foley, the Uber ANZ boss, is chuffed to bring the option to NZ. “We hope that Uber for teens will provide families with more flexibility while helping grow teenagers’ independence so they can get to their favourite activities and avoid missing out on what they enjoy the most,” she said.
