Yesterday, B.C.'s Passenger Transportation Board announced that ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft had received their licenses to begin operation in Vancouver and surrounding areas.
The announcement was met with a wave of emotions, ranging from relief to anger to worry and everything in between. While a number of people were frustrated that Vancouver was one of the only North American cities without these ride-hailing services, others worried that they would have negative effects on the city.
Vancouver Is Awesome asked the following question regarding the ride-sharing service in a poll: "Will you be using new ride hailing services/apps to get around now?"As of 6 p.m. on Jan. 24, over half of our readers (58.43 %) say that, "Yes, it took way too freakin' long." However, a sizeable 14.6% of them remarked that, "No, the companies are evil." Following the evil sentiment, 11.45% of our readers said,"I own a car, I don't need to," while 7.63% said,"I own a bike, use transit and/or walk, I don't need to."
5.42% of respondents said, "No, I can't afford to," while 2.41% of them stated, "I generally don't leave the house."
V.I.A. has also shared a number of stories about the announcement and many readers provided feedback.
Have a look at what some of V.I.A.'s readers had to say in the comments:
"Will gladly tip heavy to an Uber driver to make up any difference that would have paid with higher taxi fare. It is not just all about the cost. Uber drivers, get ready for a lot of happy first customers!"
- Barry Miles
"Availability is a big difference, so difficult to get a cab."
- Dave Jagpal
"Do their drivers cars which are personal ones require inspections? As a service manager seeing the complete disregard for safety or maintenance from 80% of customers or as they say the average joe is horrifying I will not be getting into some guys car with no brakes and bald tires because he “only use it part time for Uber”
- Jit Singh
“A 22-minute ride from Mount Pleasant to Metrotown that would cost $18.44 with Uber would cost an estimated $36.25 with a Vancouver taxi.”
LOL rip taxi’s."
-Braydon Anthony John Chapelas
"For all the anti Uber folks, if you're not a fan, don't take it..No ones forcing you too.
You had no concerns about the environmental impact of added cabs
You had no concerns about how cabbies were treated for years
You had no concerns about people's safety when they were stuck downtown and couldn't get home after the skytrain closed.
Now you give a shit?
C'mon, just stop."
- Larry Giles
"Sooo..on our way back to the dark ages. Paying less will also mean the driver will be making less, in Vancouver that will mean more people living on the street!"
- Tracie Woodhams
"People all these ride share companies are cab services that’s all just cheaper rates at non peak times during peak hours the rates double or triple."
- Victor Vogt
"The fact that Lyft and Uber can pick you up and drop you off in any municipality that becomes an unfair advantage because cabs can't do that."
- Kevin Snyder
"Imagine how much better this would be if our government wasn’t so scared of the cab lobby and allowed for a real sharing economy instead of stacking the deck against everyone but the cab lobby whom they appear to be beholden to...."
- Mike Eff
"I'm just happy knowing I won't be stranded anymore Lol"
- Jaclyn Leanne
