Latest news with #Uride
CTV News
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Canadian rideshare service to allow passengers to ride with pets
Uride founder and CEO Cody Ruberto is shown holding his phone with the app displayed on screen and a company vehicle in the background in this undated promotional image. (Supplied/Uride) Uride is rolling out a new pet-friendly ride option this week after a conversation between the company's CEO and a frustrated passenger highlighted a gap in service for pet owners. 'The idea took flight – quite literally,' the company said in a news release. Starting Wednesday, riders in Thunder Bay can select a 'Pets' option when booking through the Uride app, ensuring drivers are willing to accommodate animals for an additional $5 fee. The feature allows pets to ride either on a passenger's lap or in the back of a vehicle, depending on driver preference. The idea came after Uride founder and CEO Cody Ruberto spoke with a frequent rider, Nathan, during a flight to Thunder Bay. Nathan, who has used Uride in five different cities, explained that drivers often canceled his rides upon learning he had a dog with him. 'Nathan told me he uses Uride all the time in Thunder Bay and has taken rides with us in five different cities. But he said the most frustrating part is how often his rides get canceled after he tells the driver he has a dog with him,' Ruberto said. On one occasion, Nathan was left stranded after a night out when no drivers accepted his ride request with his pet, forcing him to stay at a friend's place. 'That's a terrible experience – and one we don't want anyone else to ever go through again,' Ruberto said. 'We want Uride to be accessible for everyone – including our furry best friends. This change means fewer canceled rides for pet owners and more choice for our drivers.' Urider vehicle An undated photo of a Uride car. (Supplied/Uride) Following its debut in Thunder Bay the pet-friendly option will expand to other markets in the near future. Founded in Thunder Bay in 2017 to provide reliable transportation in underserved communities and reduce impaired driving, Uride now operates in 24 cities across Canada, including North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, and Thunder Bay in northern Ontario. For more information on the company, its services or to book a ride, visit its website or download the Uride app.
Hamilton Spectator
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Town moves ahead with taxi bylaw repeal
Sussex has scrapped its taxi bylaw after receiving a legal opinion that it could do so without inadvertently banning cabs. A bylaw to repeal the town's taxi bylaw was passed May 20 at Sussex's town council meeting. It had been introduced in February, but was pulled off the agenda after the province told Brunswick News that a bylaw must be in place for a rideshare or taxicab company to operate. A provision of the provincial Motor Vehicle Act added in 2020 reads that 'no vehicle-for-hire company shall carry on business ... unless authorized to do so by the local authority.' 'A by-law must be in place if a for-hire company is operating within a municipality, and the vehicles must operate in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act. These regulations also apply to taxicabs,' provincial department of justice spokesperson Jadesola Emmanuel said in March. Sussex CAO Jason Thorne said when they reached out to the province, they were advised to get a legal opinion, and their solicitor had told them that there was a distinction between taxicabs and rideshare companies such as Uber or Uride, and that the provision only applied to the latter. A vehicle-for-hire company is defined by the act as 'a person who uses or offers a technology platform to facilitate the offer of vehicle-for-hire services.' A taxicab is described as 'a motor vehicle, other than a bus, during any period in which the vehicle is being used to transport a person for remuneration.' Thorne said the opinion was presented to committee last week, and that council was told that 'ironically, we could very well find ourselves in situation where we are enacting a bylaw for exactly that reason' if they wanted to eventually welcome vehicle-for-hire services in the community. 'At this time, we have not had any direct discussions with the Town of Sussex regarding this change,' Emmanuel said on May 26. 'However, ride-share and taxi companies are required to obtain municipal approval to operate whether through a bylaw or another form of formal agreement.' Emmanuel did not reply when asked if taxis were currently permitted to operate in Sussex without the bylaw. The town had moved to repeal the bylaw, passed in 2022, over concerns that it was not being enforced, Mayor Marc Thorne said in March. The bylaw calls for police to inspect cabs, which Thorne said after the meeting in May has not been happening and is not part of the town's RCMP agreement. At the meeting, Coun. Paul Maguire said the town had regulated taxis for more than 60 years, and said repealing the bylaw would be 'lowering the public safety standards for taxicabs.' Deputy mayor Tim Wilson said the 'dillemma is it's not enforceable,' saying that 'I'm not sure what you'd accomplish' leaving it in for appearance's sake. Jason Thorne told council their legal opinion found they're in 'a more precarious position' by having an unenforced bylaw than having no bylaw at all. The repeal bylaw passed third reading and was enacted by a 4-3 vote, with Maguire, Coun. Doug Bobbitt and Coun. Eric Nelson voting against. Marc Thorne said that they have occasionally asked the local cab companies for information and not heard back, saying that they wouldn't be able to hire a bylaw enforcement officer to cover it because with the small number of cabs, they could never make the money back. 'We only have a couple of taxi firms with just a few taxis, so this is just a small part of our corporate community,' he said, adding 'the cost to administrate the bylaw is many times bigger than you'd ever derive from it.' He added that not enforcing the bylaw opened up liability for the town if anything ever happened. Meanwhile, he said the provincial law already has requirements ensuring vehicles stay roadworthy. Thorne called the confusion over the 2020 changes 'frustrating,' which was why they got the legal opinion. Brunswick News made a request for comment to Allen's Taxi and is awaiting a response. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Uber expands across B.C., challenging local taxi and ride-hailing companies in some cities
Communities across B.C. will now have access to the ride-hailing app Uber starting Wednesday, as the company expands outside Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna. While this may be promising news for some, taxi and other ride-hailing companies operating in those smaller communities are making the pitch as to why passengers should stick with them. For example, Uride, which operates in Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Penticton, Prince George, Vernon, Comox and Courtenay, started in Thunder Bay, Ont., after CEO Cody Ruberto started giving rides to folks to prevent impaired driving. It works similarly to Uber and Lyft, where customers can order a ride on an app on their phone. "It's kind of Canada's homegrown rideshare company," Ruberto told CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn. Ruberto said they get a lot of uptake in the communities in which Uride operates, and they try to focus on driver satisfaction, which, in turn, usually translates to happy customers. "If we have enough drivers in a city to meet demand and a little bit extra, there's times where we pause hiring and add more drivers as demand increases," he said. "It's critical for us to make it a great job for drivers and great service for drivers." WATCH | Uber goes provincewide: Uber is going province-wide in B.C. 16 hours ago Duration 2:05 After coming to Vancouver in 2020, Uber is finally going province-wide on Wednesday, moving into smaller regional communities like Nanaimo. While some are eager to see a new way of getting around, others, as Claire Palmer reports, are worried about the impact it may have on existing cab companies and rideshare services. He's hopeful British Columbians will apply the push to support local at the grocery store to make similar decisions when it comes to choosing a ride-hailing company. "It's sort of like the David versus Goliath, right, a $150 billion U.S. company versus the homegrown Canadian [ride-hailing] service." Mohan Kang, the president of the B.C. Taxi Association agrees. "Uber money flies over the border," he said. "The taxis, we all live in those communities. We pay taxes; we do everything a Canadian would be expected to do." Kang, who has been involved with the taxi industry for about 50 years, said taxi drivers and companies across B.C. are worried about the introduction of Uber after what they saw in Vancouver. Taxis have lost about half their business to companies like Uber and Lyft, Kang estimated. When Uber arrived in Vancouver, many drivers left taxi companies to join Uber or Lyft. "It's going to hurt small taxi companies right up to shutting them down," Kang said. He said there was never "a level playing field" in Vancouver, where taxis and ride-hailing companies had different rules and regulations around things like fleet size. Kang believes there are enough taxis in B.C. communities to serve their respective populations. "They serve the community well." The app soft-launched in Vancouver in 2012, and only a few months later, the company withdrew from the city. After a lot of drama around ride-hailing legislation and taxis fighting against ride-hailing, the company returned to Vancouver in January of 2020. Uber expanded to Victoria, Chilliwack and Kelowna in 2023. Uber's pitch In its news release, the company said driving with Uber can be a flexible way to make a living — for those with safe driving records. The company emphasized the ability to work when and where you want. Uber said it is offering a $500 incentive for eligible drivers who take 10 trips in their respective communities in the first four weeks of operating. Uber Canada general manager Michael van Hemmen said it's also a benefit to riders, as well. "[B.C.] is an expensive place to live," he said. "Owning a car is expensive … instead of owning two cars and you can have a family and get away with one car and use transit and Uber for your other rides, you're saving money." The company has partnered with community organizations, including MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), that are helping promote the service. "Keeping roads safe is a responsibility we all share — and in British Columbia, that starts with giving people better options to get home," MADD CEO Steve Sullivan said in a news release. "Whether in a big city or a smaller community, every safe ride is a step toward preventing impaired driving and protecting lives." Van Hemmen said Uber will be particularly beneficial in communities that don't have other reliable transportation options, like the SkyTrain in Vancouver.
CTV News
27-04-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Uride offers free* rides to polling stations in northern Ontario on election day
Uride, a Canadian rideshare company, is offering free* rides to polling stations in five northern Ontario cities on election day to help boost voter turnout. Founded in Thunder Bay, Uride operates in 24 cities across Canada, including North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, and Thunder Bay. *The company will cover rides up to $10 to and from polling stations. Cody Ruberto Uride founder and CEO Cody Ruberto is shown holding his phone with the app displayed on screen and a company vehicle in the background in this undated promotional image. (Supplied/Uride) 'There's a lot going on in Canada right now, and we want to make sure all Canadians have a chance to have their voice heard,' said Uride founder Cody Ruberto in a news release. 'Voting is one of the most important ways to do that. Whether someone doesn't have access to a car, is on a tight budget, or just needs help—we want to help make voting as easy and accessible as possible.' Transportation barriers are a leading reason that eligible voters – including younger adults, seniors, and lower-income residents, may not cast a ballot, according to Uride, and the company aims to remove that obstacle. How to get the free ride To receive a free ride, users must: Those needing assistance can contact Uride by email. 'At our core, we're not just a tech company – we're a people company,' said Ruberto. 'And this Election Day, we're proud to be helping Canadians show up for each other, and for their future.' Uride, which focuses on reducing impaired driving and improving transportation access in underserved areas, also donates a portion of monthly ride proceeds to local initiatives.
