Uber Announces Halifax Expansion
HALIFAX – After years of anticipation and debate in Halifax about the future of ridesharing, it looks like Uber, one of the biggest ridesharing companies in the world, is coming to the city. And they may be on the streets of Halifax sooner rather than later.
In an October 8 press release, Uber announced they want to come to the city before the end of 2020.
“We’ve long heard about the excitement for Uber in Halifax,” said Matthew Price, General Manager of Uber Canada in the press release. “We look forward to providing Haligonians access to the same safe, affordable ride options and flexible earning opportunities that we do in over 10,000 cities across Canada and the globe.”
Uber is also giving future riders and drivers a heads up on the safety protocols that will be in place once the app is launched in Halifax. Both riders and drivers will have to confirm they are wearing a mask before sharing a ride; for hired drivers, that means taking a selfie before the start of each shift.
The global ridesharing company is not the only one that has announced it’s setting up shop here. Canadian-based Uride, which operates in 15 communities across the country, is expanding its business here too.
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Drivers wanting to sign up in Halifax will have to obtain a special Class 4 license and go through a screening process, which includes a criminal record check, child abuse registry check, and vulnerable sector check.
This announcement from Uber comes less than three weeks after the Nova Scotia government removed many of the restrictions in obtaining a license for transporting passengers.
Halifax residents have been hoping that ridesharing companies would arrive in the city at some point. A recent study showed 68 percent of surveyed taxi riders are dissatisfied with the current taxi services. A whopping 88 percent said they would use ridesharing apps if they were available.