Kamloops will have ride-sharing on local roads starting on Canada Day.
Richmond-based Kabu-Ride says as of July 1, it will be running seven days a week, with service from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and service from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It says 24-7 service will be available as soon as possible.
The company says it is looking to hire drivers, who need to have at least a Class 4 drivers license. It says full-time can qualify for extended benefits and says all drivers keep 80 per cent of their revenues.
“As B.C.’s economy slowly ramps up again, Kabu wants to be part of the solution by helping full-time and part-time drivers in Kamloops earn a living wage on a flexible schedule where they get to pick their hours,” Kabu-Ride president Billy Xiong says.
The company will also be partnering with TasteFull Excursions, a local shuttle service that has been operating since 2014.
“We are familiar with the service gaps for convenient and reliable transportation in Kamloops experienced by residents and visitors alike, and we see Kabu and its team as a big part of the solution,” Gordon Stamp-Vincent says, founder and chief financial officer of Tastefull Excursions.
The two companies say ride-sharing will be important for the local economy, as people start to travel more freely in their own communities.
People can flag a Kabu-Ride driver through the Kabu app, where they can call for basic service, premium service or larger vehicles for up to five adults.
Kabu-Ride was the first ride sharing company to get licensed to operate in Kamloops, after being approved in February in its application to the Passenger Transportation Board. It has stated that it is committed to come to Kamloops as long as it can hire drivers.
Since then, three other companies – Lucky to Go, Safe Ride and Ripe Holdings – have also received ride-sharing licenses from the PTB. None have indicated specific plans yet for coming to Kamloops.
The largest ride-sharing companies, Uber and Lyft, have not applied to operate anywhere in the Interior, citing government restrictions on driving licensing as a reason why.
– with files from Jeff Andreas
