(UBER Headquarters Calgary, Dayton Abbott CMRU.ca)
Uber has revolutionized transportation worldwide with its technology, the people it employs, and the impact it has on the world. Their app, drivers, and idea for ride-sharing has changed society and transportation in the modern age. With thousands of drivers in Canada alone, and driving in over 400 cities world-wide, it’s not just the riders that are impacted but the drivers as well.
(Map of Cities Uber drives in Worldwide Courtesy: Jean He, Uber: Network Engineer)
Ride-sharing and the use of Uber started over-seas long before it came across to North America starting in the United States in March of 2009 and then eventually coming to Canada as of September 2014. They started in Toronto and more recently have moved west to cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. However, when they moved west new laws were put in place to ensure a fair market, a safe market, and defining what ride-sharing is in each province.
Early on, Uber had some requirements but not many that their drivers had to abide by before they could start driving with Uber. As each provincial government and each city passed their own laws when it came to ride-sharing, it wasn’t easy at first, but over time ride-sharing has been more accepted. Thus, Uber had to have a stricter list of requirements for their drivers not only for driver/passenger safety, but to abide by the new ride-sharing laws as well.
Uber Driver Requirments for Canadian Drivers, courtesy: Uber Canada
Many people who cannot find jobs in our economy turn to Uber as a secondary or primary source of income. For example, an graduated engineer who can’t find work in his field, or someone new to Calgary needing a job, or even people who retire who would like some extra cash. Your background doesn’t matter when you drive with Uber, it’s how you present yourself and the company.
Uber has already changed the way we view ride-sharing in today’s world. With the development of new technology all the time Uber is constantly looking to upgrade its app to make it easier and more efficient. Furthermore, as we look to the future Automation has been talked about a lot which leaves us asking ourselves will there be Uber in the future?
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