ATLANTA — As summer approaches, parents are facing the challenges of how to drive their children around while maintaining their work schedules.
For parents, shuffling their kids around can be a struggle as they deal with the business of day-to-day life. But now Uber is launching a brand new feature to help bridge the carpool gap.
Metro Atlanta is about one of a dozen cities launching a new teen app -- as before the launch, kids under 18 couldn't use Uber, or other rideshares for that matter. But the new feature being launched won't only allow kids to ride unaccompanied, but for them to book rides themselves.
“I actually think that it’s a wonderful idea because we have a lot of teens out here who we want to be safe and getting wherever they need to go,” metro Atlanta parent Ellana Major said.
Major is among those celebrating a new teen app being launched by Uber. The feature will allow children between 13 and 17 to not only book, but also get in the car and ride on their own.
“I would definitely say it’s exciting because this does give you the opportunities to have your kids chauffeured around when you can’t actually do it but I definitely think the security aspect need to be properly vetted,” Major said.
And according to Uber, safety is their top priority. The new feature will include notifications sent to the parent as well as real-time updates allowing parents to follow their child from pick up to drop-off.
"We are giving parents full transparency and the teen account can only be created through the parent's account, which we definitely think adds to the safety protections of it all," Mariana Estevez, lead product manager at Uber, told 11Alive.
A unique PIN number that teens must give drivers will also be included. Still, not all parents are on board.
"They are taking additional safety precautions, which is beneficial for the teens, but really putting teens in a position that, while they were able to get around, also a position that could cause them problems in the future,” said parent Kelly Cash.
And Cash worries about children booking a ride without a parent or guardian consent, saying that she doesn't necessarily think that an option without parental supervision is safe.
But other parents like Major say once their safety concerns are addressed, they will definitely take advantage of the new Uber feature.
“I think all of us as parents would agree that we want our children to be transported safely and we want to know that the people they are riding with aren’t criminals or anyone who would harm them in any type of way,” she explained.
The new option feature rolls out on May 22 right here in metro Atlanta.