Uber Expands Senior Accounts and Tests Easy Entry Vehicles
Uber expands senior accounts with solo management and new settings, and tests Easy Entry Vehicles in nine markets.
When senior accounts first launched, they were intended for seniors who might want assistance from a family member with managing their rides, and they had to be connected to a standard Uber account. The expansion adds a second option: a senior account can now be set up and managed solo, without that family member for assistance.
Whichever option a rider chooses, senior accounts now have a new settings page. It lets users set preferences including how a driver signals arrival at the pickup location, a simple mode option with a more streamlined interface, and an option to inform drivers of notable identifiers such as the use of a cane or a walker.
Uber is also testing a new vehicle designation intended to make rides more accessible to seniors and riders with limited mobility. During the pilot, a rider can opt to be assigned an Easy Entry Vehicle, which does not require a high step to get in. Any Uber user can request an Easy Entry Vehicle from the Accessibility settings page.
The pilot will run in nine markets, Uber said, but the company did not specify where those markets are.