App-based ride service Uber announced this week that it is making its UberFamily service available in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.
For a $10 surcharge, parents and caregivers in the two cities will now be able to call for a ride that features car seats for children, according to PC Magazine. To ensure safety, Dr. Alisa Baer from The Car Seat Lady will be training UberX partner drivers how to secure the IMMI Go car seats safely in their vehicles.
The addition of UberFamily to Philadelphia and D.C. follows the service's introduction in New York City in May.
Users will see a "family" option when opening their Uber app, which they can select to access the service, the Washington Post reported. Children of the family using the service have to be at least one year old, 31 inches tall and weigh 22 pounds to use seats.
D.C. law requires children younger than three-years-old to ride in a child restraint seat, and kids eight and younger have to sit in a convertible or booster child safety seat. Drivers who violate these laws will receive fines of up to $150, and might also have to go to a child safety class. Neville Waters, a spokesman for the D.C. Taxicab Commission, said that while D.C. cabs don't have to provide child safety seats, passengers are allowed to bring their own.
Uber is working with Care.com in a partnership that will cover the $10 car seat surcharges from now until Sunday, July 20th. UberFamily comes with additional offers, such as 20 percent off childcare and housekeeping services on Care.com and free care packages to the first 500 families in both cities to use the service.
Uber is making the car seat option available in its Black Car service in Philadelphia and D.C.
"Families in major metropolitan areas like D.C. and Philadelphia know how difficult it can be to navigate transportation needs with small children," said Donna Levin, co-founder and VP of operations at Care.com. "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."
