Today, Uber officially launched its ridesharing platform in Newfoundland and Labrador offering residents and visitors a safe, affordable, and reliable transportation option at the touch of a button. 

In over 140 municipalities in Canada and over 10,000 cities globally, Uber users rely on the app to access transportation options whenever they need them. Whether it’s a ride across town to run errands, to get to work or school on time, or a late-night ride home after an evening out, Uber helps riders get where they want to go. 

“Just in time for a busy tourism season, we are excited to bring rideshare to Newfoundland and Labrador. Residents and visitors alike now have a safe, affordable, and reliable option to help get them where they need to go, when they need to,” said Michael van Hemmen, General Manager of Mobility of Uber in Canada. “And for those with a safe driving record, a flexible opportunity to earn money on their own time. We’d like to thank the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for their support of rideshare.” 

“As a bucket-list tourist destination, and with a growing reputation as a great place to do business, Newfoundland and Labrador welcomes visitors from around the world” said the Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. “These travellers are used to having a variety of transportation options at their fingertips, and today’s announcement puts us on par with over 10,000 cities around the world where people can hail an Uber.”

“Uber has a great deal of experience with providing this type of service, which people, businesses and municipalities here have been asking for,” said the Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Digital Government and Service NL. “We made the necessary changes to our legislation and took a provincial approach so ride-sharing operators can do business here. I’m pleased to welcome Uber as the first company to provide this additional option for residents and visitors who need and depend on reliable and safe transportation.”

“We are excited to welcome Uber to Newfoundland and Labrador. Our members have been asking for additional transportation options for quite some time and we’re pleased to have been able to work collaboratively with government to bring ridesharing to our province,” said AnnMarie Boudreau, CEO of St. John’s Board of Trade. “More transportation options mean more people moving about and enjoying local shops and restaurants. We look forward to the positive impact this will have on the business community.” 

Rideshare will be available in the entire Avalon peninsula with the main service area being St. John’s. Reliability throughout the peninsula will increase in the coming weeks and months as more drivers sign up. We ask residents and visitors for patience with wait times as we get rideshare up and running here. To meet the expected demand for rides, interested drivers can visit driver.uber.com to learn more about driving with Uber.