Less than a day after being approved to hit the gas on Lower Mainland roadways, Uber and Lyft will be available for rides beginning Friday morning – but only from within Vancouver’s city limits.
Uber and Lyft were approved to operate in Zone 1, which includes Lower Mainland and Whistler, on Thursday, the Transportation Safety Board announced.
Shortly after, Vancouver issued business licences to both mega-ridesharing companies. Both companies kicked off with its first rides around 8 a.m.
Hey Vancouver, we are live.
Request your new ride around Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/oR0ljAZKse
— Uber Canada (@Uber_Canada) January 24, 2020
Both Uber and Lyft have released details into where each company will be operating, for now.
Lyft’s general manager, Peter Lukomskyj, said at a news conference Friday that customers will be able to hail rides only from within the core of Vancouver, as well as the Pacific National Exhibition and Vancouver International Airport.
Uber is picking up and dropping off riders from across some of Metro Vancouver, including in Richmond, Burnaby Coquitlam and a majority of Surrey.
Both companies have vowed to expand across the region as soon as more drivers received their Class 4 licensing.
READ MORE: Here is how Lyft and Uber will operate in the Lower Mainland
Heads up #Vancouver, we've officially landed! 🚗
Now 2 am you, and 8 am you, and 5pm you can grab a Lyft to your favourite bar, grandma's house, a museum, the market, Rogers Arena, a bridge, the Seawall, a park… you know, wherever. It's all in the app. pic.twitter.com/h35oop7lfu
— Lyft (@lyft) January 24, 2020
In the meantime, municipalities across Metro Vancouver are working to create a regional business licence for ride-hailing companies. Initial framework on what that licence will entail should be complete by the end of the month, according to TransLink Mayors’ Council chair Jonathan Cote.
Once the licence is approved by the council, each municipality will vote on if it will take part.
ALSO READ: Metro Vancouver mayors agree to fast-track a regional licence for ride-hailing
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