Uber has tackled the taxi industry, and has changed the transit landscape forever. For years, consumers have had to deal with the taxi monopoly, which included rude drivers, dirty cars and questionable practices, for so long thanks to cozy government relationships. The question on everybody’s mind is: who’s next? Public transit.
UberHop will launch in the city of Toronto on Tuesday. This service allows commuters to share an SUV-ride to and from the financial district from four years of the fourth-largest city in North America: CityPlace, the Distillery, Fort York and Liberty Village.
To help promote the new service, which aims to tackle traffic congestion and prove to be a viable foe of public transit agencies, will be free. Once the week is up, commuters will fork over $5 per trip.
“With UberHOP, we hope that Torontonians will rely more on ride-sharing and less on their personal vehicles to help reduce traffic congestion in our city,” Uber stated on its website.
This will be similar to UberPool, a carpooling service launched by Uber Canada during the Pan Am Games, a multi-billion-dollar government-funded boondoggle.
What does the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) think of the service? It’s already beginning to mutter about rules and regulations. Here is an excerpt from the CBC News:
“Still, [Andy] Byford said the TTC would be taking a look at the service as there are strict rules when it comes to who can and can’t operate public transit here. The TTC also previously announced that it plans to run the new, larger streetcars on the King route to make the trip better for commuters.”
Innovation has been stifled by regulation before in the city of Toronto. Liberty Village, a hotspot for young professionals, had a private service called Line 6 in Sept. 2014. It was a bus service started by two entrepreneurs that traveled to and from the downtown core. However, over fears of violating municipal regulations, the duo shut it down.
Uber has been the enemy of tens of thousands of Toronto cab drivers for quite a bit now (SEE: Video: Toronto taxi driver using force against suspected Uber driver). The taxi industry has urged city hall to put Uber under regulation and charge Uber drivers for violating the law. Cabbies weren’t getting their way so they held the city hostage last week by blocking several major intersections and creating congestion on the highway. Some drivers have even gone as far as comparing Uber to ISIS.
When will the horse and buggy industry start protesting?
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