Uber is coming but taxis are ready, says this local driver

Kelowna is abuzz with news ride-hailing company Uber is coming to town.

Confirmation this week Uber was approved to operate by the Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) has been greeted with enthusiasm by many in the community, as well as the City of Kelowna.

But Roy Paulson, who drives for and is a spokesman for Kelowna Cabs, does not believe the imminent arrival of the huge operator will be damaging for them.

“We’re ready for it, we knew it was coming, we’re just going to keep a close eye on how things go when they launch and we’ll adjust accordingly," Paulson told Kelowna10, noting the city is a medium-sized market with only so many potential customers.

There’s no doubt Uber offers passengers highly attractive prices with drivers operating as independent contractors in their own private vehicles. They’re also able to work whenever they want, offering them the lure of flexible part-time work. But Paulson said Uber’s dynamic pricing model based on local supply and demand at the time of booking is where regular cabs have an edge.

“Our rates are always the same, they don’t have surge pricing. A lot of people are [using a taxi] to commute back and forth to work, and with today’s economy people have to budget a bit more. They will have a guarantee of what the price will be,” he said.

Uber got the green light to offer service in Kelowna (as well as Victoria) after the PTB okayed the transfer of the operating license from ReRyde, which was issued back in 2020. It will join existing ride-hailing services in the city, U-Ride and Lucky To Go.

In welcoming the decision, the city said, in part, that taxis and ride-hailing reduce the reliance on single-occupancy vehicle trips and are an important part of a robust and growing network of transportation options in Kelowna.

Uber operates in the Lower Mainland and 140 other municipalities across the country.

It is now actively seeking drivers and is offering new Kelowna recruits a $1,000 incentive for the first few weeks after the service launches. It’s not clear exactly when that will be.

Paulson said the incentive has attracted the attention of taxi drivers but they’re also leery about what strings may be attached, such as having to sign a contract, he said. No further details have been announced yet by the company.

Asked if he was concerned about Uber’s imminent arrival, Paulson said the local industry will sit back and watch what happens, knowing they can respond to market forces.

“If we need to decrease the [amount of] cars or increase the cars, we’re able to do that, that’s the luxury of being in the actual taxi industry. But we still have to remember we have a lot of drivers who depend on this and this is their full-time job. We’ve been here for years. Have faith in us, and we’ll always be here for you.”