Under age riders

Drivers Advice, Experiences
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#1

Yesterday was a day to remember for me! I was sent to pick up on three different occasions, underage riders. I cancelled all the trips after confirming that their were no adults present at the pick up point. One parent called me and tried to convince me it was ok because other uber drivers do it all the time.

Having been my first time experiencing this, I found myself trying to figure out which option to choose to cancel the trips. My three choices I chose was

  1. Other
  2. Fraudulent rider request
  3. No show.
    Today I called and talked to Uber support and tried to convince them to add an option for:
    "Underage rider; no adult present. "

After reading all the stories we drivers need a clear and quick way to identify accounts that are abusing our service.

The Uber representive took my suggestion and told me that until this issue is resolved to use “no show” when there is no adult present. This will provide us drivers some $ for a bad request.

Do not use any other form of cancel if you want to get some financial compensation.

If you are a driver who can care less what packages are in your back seat and take minors for the $$$, if you have an underaged rider in your vehicle and have an accident, get pulled over, have a parent trying to get his kid back in a custody battle, have a run away kid in your vehicle, you will lose way more than a few bucks…

You stand to lose:

  1. Freedom
  2. Your vehicle
  3. Access to Uber and other transportation platforms
  4. Family
  5. Access to your own minor children
    And on and on…

It’s not worth it. Quit accepting minor passengers.

#2

Just fyi, if it’s a pool and they have 3 people and you say too many riders, you’ll get the cancelation fee. Idk about other cancel options tho. Definitely know saying fraudulent rider doesn’t get you one tho

#3

Exactly. Even made a video about not taking minors on the Uber Driver 101 page on the pinned post

#4

Pick up location can be a big tell and also you have to use your best judgment. I’ve joked about putting the signs up that they do for alcohol. If you look under 30. Have ID ready.

#5

Rider no show, if theycant legally get in the car, no rider in back seat, can’t take the ride, 5 minutes still applies, only way I know to get paid

#6

Got into a huge argument with a parent the other day, right after I got the ping I got a call from the parent telling me it was his 14 year old that I had to pick up, when I told him that I would not he began to tell me off telling me he has done this 100’s of times during the school year and that he would report me to Lyft and that he would not cancel the trip. I was 5 minutes away so I just waited he canceled and I reported to Lyft.

#7

I have been that Parent to call for my 15 year old. I think it’s very responsible of a parent to call if their children are 14 and older.

#8

Does the underage rider have to have an adult riding also? If a parent walks a minor to the car but doesn’t go along is that okay or not? Haven’t had that happen just wanting to be prepared.

#9

i’d think that wouldn’t matter at all as far as minor, you have no idea if that person is the parent… or is the parent with legal custody etc…

#10

I am really torn on this issue, i’ve taken minors (not real young. i’d say youngest was maybe 14 or so) to school etc, quite a few to high school). You also can’t really judge how old someone is and can claim plausible deniability. I 'm not going to start id’ing people to me half the blame is on uber for not confirming who is actually doing the ride requests vs teen using parent account. I actually had my 17 year old request a ride to work the other day etc before i knew we werent supposed to take underage pax. driver took him no problem. uber could easily address this by putting age verfication procedure on making a new account, and then showing us a picture of the person we are picking up like they give them our picture.

#11

It is very clear that Uber will leave your ass high and dry if something (accident, etc. ) should happen to that minor while in your car :red_car: it’s in the policy which is up to the driver to take the time to read not knowing is not an excuse . Ijs.

#12

I’m also conflicted on this. I’ve taken many HS kids on trips without incident, even right in front of Police who never said anything to me. Uber certainly doesn’t advertise the under 18 policy, but also I live in Florida which is a ‘right to work (for less)’ state, meaning your employer has power of life and death over you and can fire you for literally any reason, case in point my own sorry existence ;). So I can understand why some parents send ubers to pickup their kids because if they work for a dbag employer and can’t risk losing their job to take off to pick their kids up, it makes sense to send an Uber because for the most part we’re more trustworthy to get their children safely home simply because our ratings and income depends on it. I do agree there should be some reform or clarifications for dealing with minors unaccompanied by adults and hopefully Uber will do something soon.

#13

But for now, if you are not authorized to have that person in your car as an uber driver, uber will not back you up or cover you if “anything” happens… Uber will claim you violated their policy and you will not get any assistance from them when the parents come after you. Chances are you private insurance will try to fight it as well.

It’s your vehicle your life, I’m just trying to give you a heads up.

Good luck.

#14

Police don’t say anything because I’m sure they not aware of Uber/Lyft policy but as soon as something happens and the parent sues you and your insurance Uber nor the police will be there to help you ijs

#15

I just posted about this . and yesterday I get a ping for yet another minor who has his own account I asked how did he get it . He said his mother put a different year of birth and it went through. Not sure if hes lying i never seen that side of the process. I didn’t take him though but of course he gets rides all the time.

#16

I pick up a kind from school
Bring him home lives in the apt complex I do never really had a underage rider without parent good call though

#17

I’m still wondering how you talked to someone at uber customer service. I can’t even FIND a number. Does anyone have it?

#18

I have been wondering what to do in this situation I had underage rider yesterday he said he was a senior in high school and was 18 but I did not believe him and no one to verify and no ID on him

#19

If not try submitting a message to support to see if they can give you a way to contact support via your phone.

#20

I love that…I do it all the time, the last driver did it… I have a old man yell at me because they wanted to gave their party of 9 get in my van and stay together. I have a 7 passenger van. I’m 1 passenger, that means I can take 6 people. He bitched the whole way to his destination. He said he told ‘them’ (Uber) that there were 9 of them when called for an Uber…it was his granddaughters account.