Uber is taking the transportation game by storm as well as inserting itself in modern slang. Teenagers use it for a quick ride, a last-minute event or just in everyday language, since the company has become so popular. Because of its recent growth, students are Ubering alone, now more than ever. However, Uber’s terms and conditions state that one must be 18 years or older to ride alone.

  A study done in 2017 by GlobalWebIndex shows that 37 percent of Uber users were between the ages of 16 and 24. However many students like Bangle have no other choice than to Uber.

  “By myself, I’ve been Ubering locally for over a year,” Bangle said. “I needed to get places at times when my mom couldn’t pick me up, so I Ubered.”

  Similarly, sophomore Cole Best takes advantage of the transportation company.

  “I think it’s really reliable,” Best said. “I’ve never had a problem. The drivers are always respectful; I feel safe. I like it.”

  Even though Bangle and Best are confident in Uber, they have run into some problems because of their age.

  “I’ve been kicked out of Ubers,” Bangle said. “They [asked], ‘how old are you?’, and we said 16 or 17. They were like get out of the Uber and cancel it.”

  Best has endured similar experiences concerning Uber’s terms and conditions.

  “I think it’s a good policy because it reduces the chances of anything bad happening to a kid,” Best said.

  Judy Robillard, parent of eighth-grader Kristian Robillard, also utilizes Uber.

  “I just think it’s a very convenient tool and a very convenient way of getting transportation,” Mrs. Robillard said.

  However, Jan Bill, mom of freshman Lachlan Bill, disagrees.

  “I think it’s unreliable, Mrs. Bill said. “You can’t count on these people to show up.”    Though their opinions on the company’s reliability differ, Robillard and Bill find common ground on the debate on students Ubering.

  “Unless it was an absolute emergency, I would not want Kristian to Uber,” Mrs. Robillard said. “I think that everyone needs to be aware and alert of where you’re going and what the driver is like.”

  Many are still concerned with women Ubering by themselves.

  “When you’re young, you don’t realize what could happen,” Mrs. Bill. “If I were a woman by myself, I wouldn’t feel safe.”

  Although the number of Uber users continues to rise, many are still concerned with its safety. New features to the app like the 911 button and the “Trusted Contacts” feature, which alerts the passenger’s closest contacts of their ride, have been inputted to ensure safety.

  The fact remains, minors ride alone and will continue to.

  “The prices have always been pretty fair. It’s really fast,” Best said. “It’s reliable; that’s what I like about it.”