Uber Taxis app - advice Post Reply

[KarenG]

I've got two girls about to sit GCSE and A levels and need to arrange transport for them back home after sitting exams during May/June. School isn't close to tube and school transport only runs after school closes each days so I'm thinking of booking them a taxi to come home after specific exams.
Has anyone used the Uber App before? https://www.uber.com/cities/london Is there anyone who you'd recommend with teenage girls? I'm reluctant to just book anybody.

[Squinkle]

Hi there, I use Uber and it's great, but only when I'm travelling with someone else. I am maybe over-paranoid but anyone with a driving licence can apply to be an Uber driver and they do not carry out the usual police checks etc that a black taxi driver or licensed minicab driver would have to undergo. I would feel uneasy about putting my children in an Uber cab unaccompanied. (For any NVN trolls reading this, I am not labelling all Uber drivers as criminals etc etc.)

It might be worth calling a local minicab company (I have seen The Keen Group and Addison Lee highly recommended on this site before) and seeing if you can set up an account with them.

[supergirl]

I would say Uber is the safest as you can follow the car journey on your app.

You actually see the car! I once texted my parents as i didnt know why had made a turn, turns out the driver made a mistake.

The other pluside is that there is no exchange as the fair us directly debited from your card so it is even safer for vulnerable young women.

[supergirl]

And in fact the previous poster is wrong as police are carried out unlike minicabs and as you can rate the driver they can loose their licence. But be aware the drivers can also rate tge customers which makes for a very fair service.

[supergirl]

*no exchange of money* sorry for typos

[AbbevilleMummy]

Uber isn't the safest as its very easy to get a job with Uber as there aren't any checks. I was in an Uber cab and the driver had only been in the country for 2 weeks!

The best one for you to use is Hailo as they are black cabs. Your girls can order a cab from the app on their smartphone or ipod and you can pay by card and track them.

[firsttimerSW11]

I'm a huge fan of Uber. It's brilliant. Hailo also very good but a little more expensive as it's generally black cabs as the pp mentioned. But I consider Uber pretty safe, you get the name plus a pic of the driver, the registration place, car type and can follow his journey on the app so you see where he is. I'd put my teenagers in one, put it that way.

[this_is_cat]

I wouldn't trust Uber... I had some friends over for dinner recently, and they arrived in an Uber, very shaken. Their driver had got into an argument with another driver about the right of way on a street, got out and started threatening him. When he got back into the car, he told them he was a very dangerous man in his country.
They reported it to Uber and got a cheery 'thanks for using our service!' reply, as if they had complemented them!

What about Addison Lee? Their drivers are fully checked, all cars are tracked and they have very good customer support.

[darlingmummy]

I wouldn't trust Uber, especially with young girls as passengers.
My friend had her daughter and another friend in an Uber car by themselves, she was tracking their journey and suddenly the tracking stopped.
turned out the driver had switched off his tracker and was being really flirty and weird with the girls who thankfully decided to get off the car.

use your local minicab company if you have got a reliable one near you or use South West Cars, never had a problem with them.

[sw11_]

If it was me I would get them to use the Hailo app on their phone - can't beat black cabs if safety is your priority. I use Uber for myself but when getting my nanny a taxi home I always use Hailo as it feels like the right thing to do.

[KarenG]

Thank you to everyone for all their advice. I will check out Hailo and Addison Lee.

[Martina_williams]

I always use Balham taxis for my kids to travel.Much better service and compare other big names they are very reasonably priced.
0208 673 7007 their number if you like to save bit of money and also have a good experienced driver

[Martina_williams]

I always use Balham taxis for my kids to travel.Much better service and compare other big names they are very reasonably priced.
0208 673 7007 their number if you like to save bit of money and also have a good experienced driver also completely CRB Checked

[LP73]

I would not suggest using Uber for children. As someone has already mentioned anyone can apply with a driving licence.
Addison Lee do trips and the cars can be traced online and on an app too.
Also local can firms are set up to do this type of thing although I would check out the drivers as some can firms employ a whole load of difference nationalities and their driving is not the best.
At least with someone like Addison they all have to take extra tests.

[gabster]

Atlas cars have an app you can track journeys too. Based in clapham south