Uber enters ride-hailing market in Kelowna

Uber has received approval to start offering ride-hailing services in the Kelowna area, joining existing providers Uride and Lucky to Go.

Uber acquired the license to operate from ReRyde in August 2020 and been pursuing approval from the Passenger Transportation Board to operate in the area. Uber has been regulated to operate in the Lower Mainland for since 2020.

“The Passenger Transportation Board’s approval of Uber offers residents and visitors another transportation option to travel throughout our city,” Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas said “In addition, the city is also evaluating options for pick-up and drop-off points for all passenger services including taxis to make it more convenient and accessible for passengers.”

Dyas said taxis and ride-hailing reduce the need for single-occupancy vehicle trips and help to reduce car dependency and the need for parking

“City council has identified transportation as a priority and want to see enhanced capacity and traffic flow on major road corridors, more trips by alternative transportation modes and increased traffic safety,” Dyas added.

Other recent efforts include new electronic fare collection for transit, changes to transit fares and on-demand transit service in the Crawford area.