UberFamily in NYC Adds Car Seat for $10

Getting from point A to point B in New York City with a child in tow is not always the easiest task. Now, Uber wants to help you out.

The app-based car service on Thursday launched UberFamily, a new option that allows parents and caregivers in NYC to get a vehicle that's equipped with a child's car seat for a $10 surcharge. For peace of mind, the company called The Car Seat Lady's Dr. Alisa Baer to train uberX partner drivers on how to safely secure the IMMI Go car seats it's using.

"Parents on-the-go now have access to a reliable, safe and affordable transportation option," the company said in a statement. "With the touch of a button, Uber will connect riders to the highest-ranked uberX partner drivers with a car seat in New York City."

To get a car with a child's seat, simply open your Uber app and tap the Person icon in the top left corner of your screen. From there, select 'Promotions' and apply the promo code 'FAMILY' to unlock the new UberFamily vehicle view.

Uber said it is working to increase the number of UberFamily partner drivers, and at this point you'll find the best reliability in Manhattan (below 110th Street) as well as some parts of Brooklyn. News of UberFamily first emerged last week via VentureBeat.

To kick off the new service, Uber has teamed up with Care.com, which will be covering the $10 car seat surcharges through Mother's Day weekend. Uber users can also receive 20 percent off childcare and housekeeping services on Care.com using the promo code Uber20.

"Transporting children safely is extremely important to us," Care.com Founder and CEO Sheila Lirio Marcelo, said in a statement. "More than half of our members seeking childcare include some kind of transportation requirement when they are looking for caregivers."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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