Big Uber Update Adds Teen Accounts, Toll-Free Number For Requesting Rides

Rideshare giant Uber announced several pivotal updates today during the company's annual Go-Get event in New York City, the first to be attended in-person due to the Covid-19 pandemic in prior years. Perhaps the biggest shocker is that Uber is borrowing a page from the conventional taxi cab playbook by rolling out a toll-free telephone number to allow customers to arrange a ride without accessing the company's app. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi cites his mother-in-law as inspiration for implementing the phone number, as well as anyone else that's uncomfortable using a smartphone or app technology. The telephone number for U.S. customers is 1-833-873-8237, which spells 1-833-USE-UBER. Agents will be available in both English and Spanish.

Beginning May 22 in select cities, teens between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to establish their own accounts for requesting rides and deliveries. For safety, only its most experienced and highly rated drivers will qualify to give rides to teens, according to the company. Additionally, the teens' parents or guardians will need to consent to establishing the account and will have full access to live tracking, audio recording of the trip, and the ability to contact the teen's driver directly. 

On the other end of the spectrum from teenagers, families in Los Angeles and New York City will soon be able to request rides equipped with a car seat for their toddlers courtesy of a partnership with car seat manufacturer Nuna. Nuna's RAVA product will be the car seat of choice for Uber rides and can accommodate children weighing up to 65 pounds.

The Go-Get event highlighted several new group features as well, including the ability to create a group ride. In select cities, Uber users will be able to invite friends and family to add their addresses to a trip, such as attending concerts or sporting events. Once all of the stops are finalized, Uber will automatically rearrange them to create the most efficient route. Plus, the cost will be divided based on the amount of time that each group member spent in transit, eliminating the need for money requests.

In a further push to encourage users to collaborate, members of the same household or vacation accommodation can now share an Uber Eats shopping cart. So rather than, you know, just asking if they need anything from the store, cohabitators can be invited to pile on to an order. Better still, most participating merchants will automatically split the bill for you. Another Uber Eats update is the ability to record and attach video messages to accompany gifts. Currently, this feature exists when sending gift cards, but Uber claims it will soon be an option with anything that you send. 

Shares of Uber stock are up approximately 51% year-to-date. In contrast, competitor Lyft is down 25% during that same period. So Uber's forward thinking is clearly hitting its mark.