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CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
These 2 ride-sharing companies want to provide Torontonians more options
Another new entry into the GTA ride sharing space is a Canadian, Toronto based business called HOVR. Many Canadians have embraced using ride-share apps, and the market is expected to grow with more than 10 million new users over the next five years. Uber and Lyft are two of the world's largest ride-sharing companies, with the former operating in 70 countries with 150 million users. In Canada, the two have dominated the market, but two new ride-share companies are trying to provide Torontonians more options: Hopp and HOVR. 'We are really excited to bring our ride-sharing services to the GTA to have new routes, new drivers, and promote competition in the marketplace,' said David Riggs, the general manager of Hopp in Canada. Hopp, a service by Europe-based company Bolt, operates in 50 countries worldwide and hopes to give riders another choice when they need to hail a ride. It launched in February of this year. Meanwhile, Toronto-based business HOVR is a membership-based ride-share service where drivers pay a monthly fee and keep 100 per cent of the fare. 'It's been an incredible response from both the driver and the rider community. It's been an incredible ride, no pun intended,' said Harrison Amit, founder and CEO of HOVR. The company told CTV News Toronto it is looking forward to growing its service. 'The more licensed, insured platforms there are in our space doing it properly, the better the outcome will be for riders and drivers,' said Amit. With more ride-sharing apps to choose from, does it really matter which one you pick? CTV News decided to conduct a test and see how much it would cost to go from Scarborough Town Centre to Toronto Union Station at 1 p.m. on a weekday. Based on the results, all drivers would arrive within one to two minutes. The cost of the trip was $35.24 with Uber, $35.62 with Hopp and $35.36 with HOVR. Lyft was about three dollars cheaper at $32.35. Prices could differ in other examples depending on surge demand, traffic conditions, and other factors. 'The four apps are all different in how they engage their riders and pay their drivers,' said George Wedge with the Rideshare Drivers Association for Ontario. 'From the driver's perspective and the rider's perspective, it's great because the more options you have,' said Wedge. Both Hopp and HOVR said they hope to expand their services across Canada in the future. As competition continues to increase, it could lead to lower prices for riders, but the Rideshare Drivers Association for Ontario said it's hoping this will also lead to better pay for those behind the wheel, giving them options to switch services if they can make more money.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
New ride-sharing services Hopp and Hovr available across the GTA
Toronto Watch Another new entry into the GTA ride sharing space is a Canadian, Toronto based business called HOVR. CTV's Pat Foran reports.
CBC
10-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Toronto taxi, ride-hailing companies ask to be included in 'Buy local' campaign
Social Sharing Three Toronto taxi companies and one ride-hailing service are urging council to include their industry in the city's newly adopted "Buy Local, Buy Canadian" campaign as U.S. tariff threats continue. And they want council to ban the use of U.S. based ride-sourcing apps on city property or for city business. Managers of Beck Taxi, Co-op Cabs, Toronto 1 Taxi and Canadian ride-hailing platform HOVR, all of whom signed a letter to council on Monday, say spending on local services encourages local economic development. The managers say U.S. tech companies, including Uber, have taken over too many Canadian markets by using lobbying efforts to reshape municipal rules governing vehicles-for-hire. "Canadian companies can easily step in to connect Torontonians with their next ride home," the letter says. "Local companies will work with municipalities to support common-sense protecting public safety, promote affordability and foster a healthy, diverse industry — rather than trying to dismantle them." On Feb. 5, council passed a motion to develop a comprehensive plan that would urge Toronto residents and businesses to support local companies in response to the tariffs threatened by the U.S. The "Buy Local, Buy Canadian" campaign is an attempt to protect Toronto jobs, according to the motion that passed. The letter says many local taxi companies and HOVR offer app-based ride-hailing and payments. Beck, for example, has its own app that operates in a similar fashion to other ride-hailing companies. The letter also urges council to adopt "partnership, procurement and staff reimbursement" policies that prioritize local vehicle-for-hire companies, though it include examples of what those policies might look like. Uber says drivers, delivery people are Canadians In response to the letter, Uber Canada spokesperson Keerthana Rang said Uber drivers and delivery people are Canadians. Uber Canada is run by Canadians for Canadians, Rang said. "There are 180,000 drivers and delivery people who earn money on Uber in this country. They live, they work, they spend in this country," Rang said. There are also 5,000 staff in Canada who work on Uber's ride-hailing and delivery platform, Rang added. But Kristine Hubbard, operations manager for Beck Taxi Limited, said in an interview on Monday the city needs to do more to support Toronto-based taxi companies. "Every taxi you see is a small independent, licensed business in the city, in this country, and so, I do think if we're talking about supporting local Canadian businesses, small businesses in particular, this is the perfect opportunity," Hubbard said. "Let's stop supporting these giant tech companies who are siphoning money out of our country." Hubbard said it's difficult for drivers and delivery people who work for Uber and Lyft to earn a living based on the apps. She also said Uber is clogging up Toronto streets and taking money from the TTC. "When you use the Uber app, you might pay $30, but the drivers are getting $12 and the rest is going out of our country." City 'examining' vehicle-for-hire services In a statement on Monday, Zeus Eden, spokesperson for the office of Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, said the city is "closely examining" vehicle-for-hire services and has sent a rideshare licensing plan back to staff for review. "We are reviewing options with the Mayor's Economic Action Team about how best to support workers and businesses in all sectors in response to Donald Trump's unjustified trade war." Eden said the mayor supports taking a "Team Canada approach" and encourages Toronto residents to consider buying Canadian in their daily purchases.
