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Uber for Teens Goes National in Australia From Friday

Parents get live tracking, PIN verification, optional audio recording for unaccompanied teen trips.

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Overview

  • The service expands into New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, following earlier pilots in Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.
  • Teenagers aged 13 and over can book rides on linked family accounts, with trips limited to highly rated, experienced drivers.
  • Drivers are required to hold a Working With Children Check in participating states, though Queensland does not mandate the check under state law.
  • Safety tools include a three-way intercom, real-time trip tracking and four-digit PIN verification, with automatic audio recording for teen rides in NSW, ACT, SA and TAS.
  • Uber reports no recorded assault incidents during the pilot year, while child-safety advocates question the sufficiency of safeguards and cite gaps in screening and reporting; each trip carries a $2 surcharge to help cover WWCC costs.