‘We need more drivers’: Rideshare company looking to add more cars to Winnipeg roads

It’s been two months since new ride sharing services rolled out in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg currently has two different options: Calgary-based Cowboy Taxi and Edmonton-based TappCar.

READ MORE: Winnipeg ridesharing: TappCar Vs. Traditional cab

TappCar said its drivers are so busy they need to look at getting more on the road.

“It’s been going fantastic,” Spokesperson John Morris said. “Since March 2 we’ve had over 30,000 rides provided. We started with less than 50 drivers and now we are up to about 250 drivers. We need more drivers.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's been going fantastic," Spokesperson John Morris said. "Since March 2 we've had over 30,000 rides provided. We started with less than 50 drivers and now we are up to about 250 drivers. We need more drivers."

Morris said the company hit a milestone this month during the playoffs.

“Those Jets nights have been fantastic in terms of rides provided,” Morris said. We had at a peak 3,000 rides in one evening because of a Jets game.”

WATCH: Winnipeg taxis make changes ahead of ride sharing competition

1:18 Winnipeg taxis make changes ahead of ride-sharing competition arriving

Cowboy Taxi Ltd. CEO Mo Benini said his company currently has nearly 50 drivers on the road in Winnipeg.

Benini said businesses was slow at the start as many users were mistakenly downloading the Calgary app and were unable to book rides.

“It was a bit of a hiccup,” he said. “We’re taking baby steps.”

But the company said when business speeds up they will be ready to go.

“We have close to 50 drivers,” Benini said. “We have around 70 that are pre-approved but we haven’t activated them yet because we don’t have enough business to add those drivers on.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We have close to 50 drivers," Benini said. "We have around 70 that are pre-approved but we haven't activated them yet because we don't have enough business to add those drivers on."

Legislation was passed in November to make ride sharing legal in Manitoba, with March 1 being the date when companies could put their drivers on the road.

According to a new survey released by Prairie Research Association Wednesday, 83 per cent of Winnipeggers reported being aware of the services but only 1 per cent had used them.

The survey also stated that younger adults, aged 18 to 29, are the least likely to be aware of the services.

READ MORE: TappCar takes advantage after Uber and Lyft snub Winnipeg

 

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