Many parents are finding it more difficult to coordinate after-school activities with their own work schedule. After-school to most parents have become a logistical nightmare; hence parents are looking towards Uber to ease the pressures of juggling work and family and are worried about leaving their children to their own devices. Yet, while Uber is reaping the profits from transporting unaccompanied children, it isn’t designed to. The company’s terms and conditions state that individuals younger than 18 are not permitted to use the service if they are not riding with an adult. Don’t get this confused with the recent launch of “UberFamily!!” Uber Family allows parents to order cars equipped with car seats.

According to a recent article with Express Newspaper (a publication of The Washington Post), Uber spokesman Taylor Bennett said the company had no comment on the fact that a growing number of teens and tweens are using the service without the accompany of an adult.

Unlike the taxi industry, Uber’s background checks do NOT include fingerprinting. The article addressed that Uber officials said the company does not use fingerprinting as part of its background checks, but said they think the process they use is more comprehensive. Really!! Fingerprints are used to check the criminal history record files. It appalls me of even the thought or the placing of a young person with someone who hasn’t received a criminal background check!!

So, this leaves me to question Uber’s “Corporate Social Responsibility!” Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship or responsible business) functions as a self-regulatory mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of law, ethical standards and national or international norms. CSR aims to embrace responsibility for corporate actions and to encourage a positive impact on the environment and stakeholders including consumers, employees, investors, communities, and others. In my Corporate Ethics class at the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, we looked at corporations who demonstrated corporate social responsibility, or the lack thereof. More specifically, we reviewed a wide range of corporations regarding their responsibility and the impact on their consumers. For example, what was more apparent with the corporation? “money versus corporate social responsibility;” “money versus policy;” “money versus liability;” and “money versus safety.”

Even though unaccompanied children under 18 are against Uber’s policy and Uber does not require fingerprinting for a criminal background check for its drivers, it is apparent that their demonstration of corporate social responsibility is minimal. Uber’s profits are more important than the safety, liability, policy, and corporate social responsibility.

Stay tuned for the upcoming launch of RIDESportation, LLC– a non-emergency professional transportation service exclusively serving the elderly (62 and better in age) and school age children in select cities of Northern Virginia offering transportation and mobility management that is affordable, reliable and convenient. “Need a RIDE? We provide the TRANSPORATION!”

You can guarantee that RIDESportation, LLC will be conducting extensive background checks (initial and periodic reviews) to include fingerprinting with our drivers and matching our drivers to the clients ensuring the upmost safety.

*Resources: www.readexpress.com; Uber.com