Although Martensville is close in vicinity to Saskatoon, a struggle for many residents is finding transportation to and from Martensville and Saskatoon. Whether it be a ride to the airport, a safe ride home after a night out, to get to an appointment, or to run errands, it can often be difficult to know what sources are available to residents. Here is a list of several options available:
Uber – Currently, Uber does not have vehicles available within Martensville as they do not have a license to operate within the community at this time. The City of Martensville is however prepared to provide a license after ensuring their Vehicle For Hire bylaw was updated and approved this past December. “The corporate office of Uber would need to purchase a license and then they can have as many drivers out of Martensville as they want. As soon as they want a license, we are ready for them. We worked really hard to try to be amongst the first to be ready for them and really welcome them. I think it is a really good option for people here to potentially become Uber drivers. It is something that they don’t have to make a full time commitment to that local cab companies have done in the past, and it is something that people can do on the side,” Dillon Shewchuk, City of Martensville Community/Economic Development Manager, said. Uber is available within Saskatoon, and can provide rides to Martensville. For more information, download the Uber app.
Riide – This option comes from a partnership between Comfort Cabs and United Cabs. Riide has an app that can be downloaded on your phone similar to that of Uber and Lyft; however, it is a taxi that will be arriving to pick you up. The app provides you with information on when your ride will be arriving, the driver’s name, and multiple options for payment. “Riide is using some of the tools that transportation network companies have become famous for such as utilizing an app; however, they can accept more forms of payments and offer more options to pick up passengers such as street hailing because they are still a taxi company. They are trying to be the best of both worlds,” said Shewchuk.
Driverseat – This is another ride option that has an app that you can book rides on; whether it be for a designated driver to get you home, or a shuttle to get you to the airport. With this option, you can either download the available app; or use the online reservation tool located at driverseatinc.com. “With Driverseat, their primary point to do business is in Saskatoon, but they are licensed within Martensville, so they are here, and it is an option, especially if you want to get your vehicle home,” Shewchuk explained.
The City of Martensville is always looking at new transportation options for its residents and will continue to work to bring in new options as they become available. “In the end, what everyone wants is reliable, affordable transportation and that is our goal,” added Shewchuk.
