The beginning of the school year always brings a feeling of excitement and nervous anticipation—especially this year, as more students finally have the opportunity to return to postsecondary campuses and in-person learning.

We’re seeing that the volume of trips with Uber to and from post-secondary campuses across the country are doubling after the summer lull. Uber is sharing some back-to-school trends highlighting how students are relying on ridesharing to get around on and off campus. For example:

  • Rideshare trips to and from campuses in Windsor and Gatineau increased by four times between August and September, more than any other university towns in the country.
  • In Lethbridge, Kingston, London, Halifax, Kitchener-Waterloo, Ottawa and Hamilton, rides to and from campuses increased by three times when classes began.

Now that classes are back in full swing, it’s a great time to remind students how to use Uber app features to stay safe when travelling.

We encourage students to get familiar with Uber’s safety features, study them and review them regularly—just like they would with any other important subject. Check out our safety tools below and always study up before going out.

Check Your Ride

Before getting into the car, remember to always match the license plate number and car make and model with what’s shown in the app, and make sure your driver matches their in-app photo.

Verify Your Ride

Turn this feature on to receive a unique PIN for every ride, then share that PIN with your driver to help make sure that you’re in the right vehicle. This feature is especially useful in locations where there are a lot of people waiting for rides.

 

Share My Trip

Open the Safety Toolkit and tap Share My Trip to share your location and ETA as well as your driver’s name, photo, and license plate number with a friend or family member so they can see your trip status in real time.

 

In-app Emergency Button

In the event of an emergency, 911 assistance is just a few taps away. Open the Safety Toolkit, select Emergency assistance, and swipe to call 911. The app displaysyour location and trip details so you can quickly share them with the 911 dispatcher.

 

RideCheck 

Using sensors and GPS data, RideCheck can help detect if a trip has an unexpected long stop. If so, we’ll check on you and offer resources to get help.

 

 

 

GPS tracking

Make sure all trips are requested through the Uber platform. All trips are tracked from start to finish, so there’s a record of your trip if something happens.

2-way ratings

Your feedback matters. Low-rated trips are logged, and users may be removed to protect the Uber community.

24/7 incident support

Uber has a dedicated safety team available 24-7 to investigate safety incidents reported to Uber.

“Uber has pioneered key safety features, such as our Emergency Button. With just one tap, you can share your trip with a loved one or connect to 911,” said Michael van Hemmen, General Manager for Uber Rides Canada. “We’re providing students with important information on Uber’s safety features with a goal to ensure that students and riders stay as safe as possible on and off campus.” 

“Starting the school year is always exciting, especially with the pandemic receding and students eagerly returning to in-person learning. We want to remind students to not drive impaired. Fortunately, Uber now offers students an option to get home safely,” said Dawn Regan, Chief Operating Officer for MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). 

For more information on how these safety features work, check out this video. In addition, Uber requires all drivers to undergo a criminal and motor vehicle background check before they can begin using the app. Everyone who drives must undergo annual criminal and motor vehicle background checks, ensuring that they meet government and Uber’s safety standards. 

We hope this information helps to make all of your campus-area travel with Uber safer and smoother.