In preparing for a recent family vacation to Washington D.C., I was discussing with a friend whether we should bring a car seat or pay for a very expensive airport transfer so we’d be able to reserve a car with a car seat.
Her response was, “Why don’t you use Uber? You can request a car with a baby seat.” I felt so behind the times. How did I not know Uber did this? Of course, I was intrigued but suspicious, so I decided to do my own “parent research.”
What I Learned
Uber has a select number of cars in New York, Philadelphia, and D.C. that come with a car seat. Uber cars in Philadelphia also come with booster seats for children over age four. For rides where the car seat is requested, a premium of $10 is charged for the trip. Uber hired The Car Seat Lady to consult on the type of car seat and train the drivers on installing the seat. They only offer one type of seat (the IMMI Go) and it is only approved for children over 12 months.
Select drivers were invited to have the option of having the seat in their car. Prior to receiving the car seat, they had to go to a training where The Car Seat Lady was in attendance to learn how to install the seat. One driver told us that drivers were not allowed to leave with the seat until they were able to install it perfectly. This took several hours.
Our experience with uberFAMILY was great. There were times when we had to wait a little longer for a car with a car seat, but it was well worth it! I would recommend this to anyone traveling to D.C., New York, or Philadelphia. We always felt that our drivers were competent in installing the seat and it sure was easier than having to lug our own car seat around.
