Should I let my 15 year-old son use Uber X?
 

For a couple years I have let my son use Uber Black when I am not available to give him a ride home (he's got the app on his iPhone linked to one of my credit cards and emails). I love it because I can see if/when he uses it and where he is using it from.

My thinking is that Uber Black drivers are professionally licensed commercial drivers while Uber X drivers are, well, Uber X drivers. It just feel safer.

But now he is 15. And 6'1". I'm thinking he's ok for Uber X now.

Thoughts?

My one and only Uber Black experience was inferior to almost every Uber X I've taken.

The savings will add up over time to a not-insubstantial hour and a half of college education!

I've driven in the back seat the vehicles of plenty of "professionally licensed commercial drivers" over the years, including the one who ran a red light and landed me in the ER.

Uber X will also train him that "son, the upgrade isn't always going to clear."

Fifteen-year-olds may be young, inexperienced, and stupid, but they (especially not a 6'1" one) are not defenseless.

I am not a parent, and so I don't have that parent's desire to protect their children from bad things, but having been 15 at one point in my life, I recall being fairly independent at that age (I was even working part-time after school), and I would have resented the implication that I was too young to do something like ride in hired car. (Of course, where I grew up, people young and old didn't regularly ride in hired cars regardless of the quality of the car or driver--that was maybe something you did to get to the airport in order to save money over the airport parking fees but never any other time.)

On the other hand, we have some 15-year-old posters here on FT that convince me that I must have been abnormally mature for my age (or perhaps my memory of my maturity is a bit rose-colored). I'm sure it depends on the person...

I've used UberX in 6 different states including DC. If it can't be a family member, I would much rather have my kid with an UberX driver than on the street when the kid is tired, pissed off at the world, coming home from a school event later than expected etc. The fact that I can track every move from the time the car is requested to a map of the route when it's over makes it worth every penny, even with surge pricing!

Having raised two boys on the South Side of Chicago, and having let them take public transportation to/from the Loop alone from age 10 or so - which would probably get me arrested for child endangerment these days - and having had reasonable experiences with UberX here on the South Side, I say if you have raised your 15-year-old to be reasonably savvy, he can handle it. Give him some advice about going with his gut about turning down a ride, make sure he has a panic button routine (he'll roll his eyes at all this but hey, he'll hear you, and be proud of having the responsibility). If taking Uber with friends is on the cards, that might be another discussion - who's going to be good with it and who not.

Enjoy the teen years! The extra gray hairs are worth it.

Yeah, I am totally fine with him taking the bus, subway, etc. And he often does.

But, you know, one thing you drill into kids heads is 'don't take rides with strangers.' And so this is pretty counter-intuitive.

But I do think it's time.

Appreciate the input.

I would rather have my kid in an UberX than in a friend's car or alone on public transportation.

If there's one thing Uber drivers know, it's that their whereabouts are tracked in real time, especially in large urban areas.

If you lived in SF bay area
 

he could use shuddle

www.shuddle.us

But one tip for uberx - if you text the driver once he/she accepts before the ride you will have his/her cell # to have if there is a problem.

I think you might need new friends... :)

I think the terms and conditions suggest that the Uber customer needs to be 18+. However, my experience is that this would rarely be enforced, and is probably a "terms and conditions" thing for Uber just in case there is a problem.

Most drivers would be happy to accommodate your son, I believe, but be aware in case a driver should turn down the ride. (I am a driver, and have transported high school age kids on a few occasions.)

He's been doing X for a few weeks now and he reports that his experiences are excellent and he feels totally safe.

I'm 15 at the moment of writing and, starting as young as 13, I went on 3 international solo trips to Amsterdam, Tokyo and one touring the US West Coast, all alone! (including riding in UberX and even UberPOP, if that matters :D)

I also routinely use UberX in my hometown (Cairo, Egypt) and I don't find it an issue at all. Believe me, a 15-year-old can think on their own!

Not necessarily true.

The phone number is routed through uber's system, so after the driver ends the fare, you won't be able to reach out to the driver directly.

Sometimes it is not routed - I've been able to iMessage drivers with pics and such.

To any concerned parents: when a trip begins, have your kid use the "share trip" feature inside the Uber app to send you a web address where you can follow live GPS track of the car.

Better off with Uber X than with taxis