Creative Commons: Live and Let’s Fly

“I would definitely recommend [Uber Teen] to people with super busy parents or lives,” sophomore Brooklyn Van Camp said. 

Birthdays can be a big deal, especially if the number on top of the cake reads 18, 21 or 16. For many teens across the United States, their 16th birthday means getting their driver’s license. 

Yet for junior Angela Ma, that was not the case. Due to safety concerns, Ma’s mother will not allow her to drive until she turns 18. Thus, Ma frequently needs rides, especially on the weekends when she volunteers at the Museum of Fine Arts. She takes an Uber, even though her drivers often drop her off at the wrong museum entrance. 

“Once, I had to walk two blocks to actually get to the museum,” Ma said. “He looked kind of scary.”

Ma, along with families across over 200 cities in the country, uses Uber Teen—a platform launched in 2023 by the company that promotes a safer, adolescent-focused rideshare experience. Uber Teen implements a PIN verification system and allows parents to listen to trip recordings, contact drivers directly and track live locations. Drivers must undergo additional background checks and safety screenings. 

Business rivals such as Lyft do not offer a similar service, requiring an adult to ride with a teen. Uber, which has been around for more than 15 years, now controls 76% of rideshare spending. 

Sophomore Brooklyn Van Camp sometimes struggles to find a ride. Because neither of her parents has time to take her to all her activities, she calls an Uber on a monthly basis.

“I won’t be using Uber very much now that I’m 16 and getting my license soon,” Van Camp said.  

Both Ma and Van Camp face a transportation predicament shared by many high school students. Underclassmen who have not reached the minimum driving age often need rides more than juniors and seniors.

“I would definitely recommend it to people with super busy parents or lives, especially those with younger siblings whose parents have other kids to drive around,” Van Camp said. 

Sophomore Alena Spiegel, who’s been regularly using Uber Teen for years without many safety concerns, shares a similar perspective. 

“Uber Teen is a safer way to take an Uber because there are options to record and easy buttons to press to get help or talk to someone,” Spiegel said. “It’s a pretty good experience, and it’s really convenient.”