It's been a long road, but Uber is now live in Newfoundland

CBC
·3 min read
Gary Noftall was the driver for Uber's first trip in St. John's on Tuesday. (Heather Gillis/CBC - image credit)
Gary Noftall was the driver for Uber's first trip in St. John's on Tuesday. (Heather Gillis/CBC - image credit)
Gary Noftall was the driver for Uber's first trip in St. John's on Tuesday.
Gary Noftall was the driver for Uber's first trip in St. John's on Tuesday.

Gary Noftall was the driver for Uber's first trip in St. John's on Tuesday. (Heather Gillis/CBC)

After weeks and months — and maybe even years for some — of anticipation, Uber officially went live in Newfoundland on Tuesday, bringing with it an alternate form of travel outside of public transit and private cab companies.

The company bills itself as a safe, affordable and reliable transportation option at the touch of a button, where users can order rides, track their journey and make a payment all through the app.

Drivers began appearing on the app in St. John's shortly after noon on Tuesday. All fees are up front, so riders aren't left wondering how much they'll have to fork over as they reach their destination. The coverage map is the entire Avalon Peninsula.

Gary Noftall took the honour of being the first driver to sell a ride for Uber's launch.

His passengers? Curling legends Brad Gushue and Mark Nichols.

"They're quite the celebrities and they make Newfoundland and Labrador proud, and it was quite an honour to drive them," Noftall said.

"I didn't really expect to be the first, but here I am."

It's the province's first dive into ride sharing after it made legislative amendments to open the door to operating companies in December.

In January, the province pulled its first ride-share licence from Redsea Riding before that company could begin operating.

Uber ride requests began almost immediately after the app went live in Newfoundland on Tuesday.
Uber ride requests began almost immediately after the app went live in Newfoundland on Tuesday.

Uber ride requests began almost immediately after the app went live in Newfoundland on Tuesday. (Darryl Murphy/CBC)

But Uber isn't a simple local start up. The company operates in 10,000 cities around the globe and in over 140 municipalities in Canada.

"We're going to add our name to the list," said Premier Andrew Furey, who was on hand for Tuesday's launch.

Others coming

Its start in Newfoundland this week does pave the way for others.

Digital Government and Service N.L. Minister Sarah Stoodley said other applicants are waiting in the wings and working through the licensure process.

Residents and tourists have long called for more transportation options in the capital city. Frustrations have boiled over in the past as weary travellers voiced their dissatisfaction online about their wait times for a ride from St. John's International Airport. Others have said the same while waiting for a ride home from George Street after a night out downtown.

Uber's coverage area for Newfoundland, so far, includes the entire Avalon Peninsula.
Uber's coverage area for Newfoundland, so far, includes the entire Avalon Peninsula.

Uber's coverage area for Newfoundland, so far, includes the entire Avalon Peninsula. (Submitted by Uber)

"We've been hearing from the community for years, actually, in Newfoundland about the need for more transportation options," said Jake Brockman, senior public policy manager for Uber Canada.

"So we were pleased to see the province move forward with the regulatory framework last fall."

The province hopes Uber will help supplement the transportation pool as tourism season draws near.

Furey said the service also modernizes Newfoundland and Labrador's transportation network.

But taxi company owners have also been vocal. They're pushing back against ride sharing in the province, arguing they're left juggling high insurance rates and forced to operate under different rules.

Furey said he's happy to meet with owners to discuss any changes to the industry.

"Uber exists in 10,000 cities. They don't exist in isolation. They co-exist. We don't' think of this as a competitive environment, we think of it as meeting and growing a market demand," he said.

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • The Worst Car I Ever Owned: 9 People Share Which Vehicles Aren’t Worth Your Money

    The average price of a used car in the United States is now $27,297. If you're spending that much money -- or even close to it -- you want a vehicle that will last in return. But some people aren't so...

  • OPP to apply mandatory alcohol screening at every traffic stop

    The OPP will be conducting mandatory alcohol screening at traffic stops in an effort to crack down on impaired drivers. Caryn Lieberman reports.

  • Truck hits Queen and Dufferin bridge, road closures in area

    Drivers can expect traffic delays in Toronto's west end after the extended back end of a dump truck smashed into a bridge at Queen Street W. and Dufferin Street.Toronto police responded to the call around 7:03 a.m. Friday at the busy intersection, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.Police said one person was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Southbound lanes on Dufferin Street at Queen Street W. have been closed and traffic is being diverted in the area, police say, ad

  • 'Someone is going to get hurt,' says OPP officer minutes before fatal 401 crash

    A police radio recording is providing a glimpse into the moments leading up to a fiery wrong-way crash that killed four people east of Toronto on Monday.

  • York police arrest 1, seeking 2nd suspect after cop hit by car

    York police have charged one man and are looking for another, after an officer was hit by a driver during an auto-theft investigation.Around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers found two allegedly stolen vehicles near Overlea Boulevard and Thorncliffe Park Drive in Toronto, according to a news release issued by York Regional Police Friday. Along with the force's canine unit, the officers tried to arrest the suspects, catching one after a short foot chase, police said. Another suspect got into a vehicle

  • 6 Popular SUVs That Aren’t Worth the Cost — and 6 Affordable Alternatives

    There are lots of options for Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) if you are looking for a car that can carry the whole family, go on rugged terrain and can pack all the hauling power you need for an...

  • Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported

    ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada were in St. John's, N.L., Wednesday after a plane overshot the main runway at the city's airport. PAL Airlines confirmed the turboprop plane involved was chartered from the company, and that it went slightly beyond the runway during a landing, before it came to a stop. "The PAL team met the flight, passengers disembarked the aircraft and went to our charter facility to meet their awaiting ground transportation," spok

  • Elon Musk's plan for a cheap EV seems to have hit another major snag

    Tesla has reportedly pulled back on plans to develop a new "gigacasting" method that's intended to simplify manufacturing and cut costs.

  • Vinyl car wraps: What you need to know before you wrap your vehicle

    Car wraps are less expensive than paint jobs, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind before jumping in.

  • 3-month-old, grandparents visiting from India killed in 401 crash: SIU

    Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has released more information about Monday's crash that killed four people, including a three-month-old boy, after police chased a suspect through oncoming traffic on Highway 401 east of Toronto.

  • EVs are getting smarter and cheaper in China

    STORY: Light-up emojis. Music for pedestrians outside. In China, electric carmakers are offering up luxury tech – without the luxury price tag – in the battle for buyers. Cars are being loaded with once-expensive interior features and technology for as low as $20,000 – less than half the cost of the average new car in the U.S. Analysts say that poses a big challenge for foreign heavyweights like Tesla and Volkswagen. This is the Nammi – on display here at the Beijing auto show. It’s made by state-owned automaker Dongfeng and sells for under $10,000. That’s around the same as BYD’s Seagull EV – China’s fourth best-selling electric vehicle. The market is also crowded with electric and plug-in vehicles that splash luxury technology. Xpeng is planning to offer an EV with high-level self-driving features – for under $21,000. Analysts say the price of specialized components like sensors needed for self-driving and screens for onboard entertainment has tumbled. That's making competition in the world’s largest auto market all the more fierce… And chipping away at the halo that once hung over foreign brands. That’s according to an outlook from McKinsey analysts released in March. Take Zeekr, for instance. It's the carmaker with those emojis. Here’s its Shanghai head of design, Javier-Garcia Gallardo: “When we see the differences between our product launch in China versus our product launch in Europe and, you know, the technical details are as important as the design and the brand. And this integration of technology is essential for the Chinese customer.” Still, German automakers say they’re not backing down. Here’s Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius: “We have a dedicated digital tech team here all the way down to providing things like in the new E-Class, you can sing karaoke. Maybe you don't have that feature in Germany. Maybe you should. But here, customers love it.” Mercedes, as well as Volkswagen, both told Reuters they’re working to deliver those so-called “wow effects” for Chinese buyers.

  • Thinking of Buying a Tesla? Here are 4 Reasons You Might Regret It

    Known for its cutting-edge technology and innovative features, Tesla has always been a buzzed-about brand for consumers who want luxury and a chic car design. While electric vehicles are the...

  • Top Gear gets early look at Cybertruck update that'll help prevent fingers from being crushed in the 'frunk'

    The Top Gear crew took the Cybertruck camping and previewed some new features, including an update to keep the "frunk" from crushing your fingers.

  • Sask. drivers who stunt or street race now face new licence suspensions, longer impoundments

    As of Wednesday, Saskatchewan drivers caught stunting or street racing will lose their licence for a week and their vehicle for a month.The penalties also apply to drivers who travel at twice the speed limit or exceed it by more than 50 km/h.The measures are on top of increased fines that date back to October 2022, when tickets for stunting and street racing — previously at $150 and $205, respectively — increased to $580.Subsequent tickets for street racing within a one-year period increase to $

  • What EV skeptics are missing as the industry hits some growing pains

    Electric vehicles have hit a hurdle, but not a roadblock. Skeptics are missing some key data points.

  • Driver jailed for killing man after speeding stop

    Taxi driver Shakoor Ahmed has been jailed for killing pedestrian Dan Beames.

  • Pilot killed when plane crash lands in Georgia neighborhood, officials say

    The plane caught fire and was smoldering in a front yard.

  • CN, CPKC workers approve strike mandate as possible work stoppage looms

    Employees at Canada's two biggest railways have authorized a strike that could see thousands of workers walk off the job in three weeks if they are unable to reach new deals on contract demands. About 6,000 employees at Canadian National Railway Co. and 3,300 at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. voted more than 97 per cent in favour of a strike mandate this week, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference said Wednesday. “After six months of negotiations with both companies, we are no closer to reachi

  • Nova Scotia to keep requirement for motor vehicle safety inspections following review

    HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s public works minister says that after a review by her department, the province will be keeping its current motor vehicle inspection requirement in place. Kim Masland says her department started looking at the possibility of removing the fees for vehicle safety checks at the beginning of the year but decided against it, although it is still considering changing the frequency of inspections. Masland told reporters following a cabinet meeting today that she believes vehicle

  • Captain sentenced to 4 years in prison after scuba dive boat fire that killed 34 people in California

    A former dive boat captain was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday on a negligence conviction known as “seaman’s manslaughter” after 34 people were killed in a fire that broke out on his boat in 2019.