The Ubernization of child care is here, whether we like it or not. Let’s talk about some of these on-demand ride services for kids popping up in certain cities. It sounds so awesome in theory, but in practice, could you do it? Could you let a likely stranger drive around your kids? Obviously lots of variables and things to consider on this one, but this Hip Daddy just isn’t so sure…
A complete stranger? Doubtful. I don’t care if their driving record is clean and I know supposedly everything about the driver from the online data provided, I still have my doubts. If it isn’t your kid, it isn’t your kid. It’s that simple. But then again, some of the bus drivers out there driving around our kids might not (unfortunately) be a better solution. Let’s talk about some companies in this space. Zum launched in San Francisco earlier this year, and is an on-demand ride/care service for kids ranging from 5 to 15 age yrs old. Through the Zum app, parents can hail a driver for their kid with the tap of a button (a la Uber, Lyft, etc.) The app also provides a photo of the assigned driver and their vehicle, along with their personal background. Parents can also track the car’s location and are notified when their child is picked up and dropped off. Payment and reviews all happen inside the app, as well. Another SF competitor, Shuddle, actually recently announced they were going out of business after failing to secure additional financing. Looking south, LA’s HopSkipDrive is a ride service for kids designed to help you take some of the stress out of your family’s busy schedule. It was created by three moms who understand the struggle of getting kids around town safely and have the same trust issues we have here at Hip Daddy HQ. According to them, “We wouldn’t trust our kids with just anyone, and neither should you. That’s why we developed a solution that makes scheduling rides with experienced caregivers easy and convenient, with built-in stringent safety features that go above and beyond, including fingerprinting HopSkipDrive CareDrivers. We watch every ride in real-time, and you can follow along on your app too.” We like the sound of that, much better. And the kind of model Hip Daddy could support. But still…
Although not in every city yet, these types of services will eventually come. They will add a huge element of convenience and hassle free lifestyle, especially for the Hip Daddy city dwellers where the kids typically only have short distances to travel. But for now, the model needs to get tightened-up a bit for all of us here at Hip Daddy HQ. In the meantime, perhaps Hip Daddy should launch a similar service? Hmm….