Uride founder and CEO Cody Ruberto.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Uride

URide is slated to launch in Kamloops by June 3, and the company has drivers ready to hit the streets.

URide CEO Cody Ruberto said his company has "dozens" of drivers ready to take on drivers in the Tournament Capital.

He added that his company often does not reveal exactly how many drivers URide employs, but he said there are also "dozens" in Kelowna, where the company launched on May 5.

"We're going to need well over a hundred," he said, when asked about the future of URide's business in Kelowna.

READ MORE: Kamloops, Okanagan cherry farmer expecting price increases because of early cold

Despite it's previous attempts to start in the B.C. Interior cities, he said URide is on track to operate in Kelowna and Kamloops now, as COVID-related health restrictions receded.

Now that URide is finally running in Kelowna, he said the drivers have been busy, proving there is a demand for ride hailing in the Central Okanagan.

Once launched in Kamloops, URide will be its first ride-hailing service, despite announcements from other companies even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province approved eight companies for Kamloops and Kelowna, with just Uride and Lucky To Go launched in Kelowna so far.

READ MORE: Warm temperatures continuing for Kamloops and the Okanagan

ReRyde chief operating officer Jamil Chaudry told iNFOnews.ca it was license requirements that slowed companies from opening in Interior cities.

Ride hailing drivers need a Class 4 licence in B.C., just like taxi drivers.

URide offered incentives of $700 ahead of its June 3 Kamloops launch for new drivers, along with a $1,250 weekly income guarantee to encourage them to test for additional ICBC licensing requirements. Ruberto said this helped get drivers to sign on with URide in February as it prepared for its spring launch.

Much like Uber and Lyft, larger and more well-known ride hailing companies, passengers sign onto URide's mobile app to schedule rides.

READ MORE: Kelowna bus driver training program not working out as expected

Ruberto said there will be a mix of full and part-time drivers, and they will be around 24/7 for passengers to schedule rides.

He said his main reason for starting the company is to put a dent in drunk driving in Canada. He started in Ontario and wants to expand the service to as many Canadian cities as possible.

“The people of Kamloops deserve reliable transportation. Uride was created with the mission of ending impaired driving, and we never want to see people stranded without a ride home," Ruberto said in a news release. "We know there’s a huge need for affordable rides with quick pickup times and we can’t wait to start operating in the city."

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022