Uber, a networking service in the US that helps people find car share opportunities, or vehicles-for-hire services, has announced a partnership with care.com, a company that links up caregivers with those that may require care, to push for booster seats and better child safety measures in professional transport vehicles around the country.
The new partnership will mean that Uber will push for the drivers it recommends to offer a $10 extra service, that will then provide a booster seat or full on child-safety-seat for the journey being booked.
“Families in major metropolitan areas like D.C. and Philadelphia know how difficult it can be to navigate transportation needs with small children,” said founder and VP of operations at Care.com, Donna Levin. “We were thrilled to sponsor the launch of uberFamily in New York and are delighted to help bring the service to families in D.C. and Philadelphia, easing their needs through a reliable service and continuing to raise awareness of child transportation safety for families nationwide.”
The car seats being provided by the black car services in the above cities, will be designed for children one year and older, with a minimum height of 31 inches (maximum of 52) and a minimum weight of 22 pounds, or just over a stone and a half. The maximum weight of the child is 48 lbs (just over three stone).
For reference, the seats being used are the SeatCarLady recommended Immi Go
To help encourage the service’s usage, Care.com will be covering the $10 charge for the first 500 families that make use of it in Philadelphia and Washington DC. Those that pick up the service, can even get a 20 per cent discount on all Care.com services.
Rachel Holt, current regional general manager for Uber on the East coast, said: “We’re excited to expand our uberFamily option to D.C. and Philadelphia to continue delivering more choice and value to our riders. With the support of Care.com, Uber is proud to be raising industry standards for safer, family-friendly options while giving parents and caregivers the same reliability and convenience they expect from the Uber platform.”
Beyond just providing the car seat however, Uber drivers will also have been trained in their usage, which means the parent won’t necessarily be stuck trying to figure out an unfamiliar child-protection piece of technology while going on their trip. If needed, the driver will be able to assist with strapping the little tyke in, as well as making sure the seat is securely attached to the vehicle and won’t become dislodged in the case of an accident.
This training was provided by the Car Seat Lady, a service that recommends people on the best seats to use in their car as well as providing instruction on how to fit them. The seats chosen for Uber’s vehicles were also recommended by this same service, so should be of a high standard.
According to CarSeatLady’s website, as many as 90 per cent of all car-seats for children aren’t installed correctly, so there is certainly something to warrant having a professional show you how it’s done.
[Thanks USAToday]
