Stranded and need to get back home to rural P.E.I. late at night? Right now, Islanders might find themselves at a loss with few transportation options available.
But that’s set to change in June, when the provincial government introduces a pilot project with a local ride-hailing company to help people travel safely in rural areas.
“I’ve been the 40-year-old that has called mom and dad to come get me — in certain occasions you have limited options,” said Finance Minister Jill Burridge, who grew up in Souris.
“It fills a gap that has been missing for a lot of years in rural communities.”
The pilot project will be offered through the ride-booking app Kari to areas like Souris, North Rustico and Tignish. Burridge said it will cost the government around $30,000.
The province is partnering with the P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission to deliver the project, which aims to reduce impaired driving by providing people with more safe transportation options.
P.E.I. has the highest rate of police-reported impaired driving incidents across all Canadian provinces at about three times the national average, according to Statistics Canada data.
“My vision is that we do have a Kari rural ride that functions seamlessly in our communities across P.E.I., that people are getting home safely and that there is that extra option for people,” Burridge said.
Matt MacLeod, co-founder of Kari, told CBC News last year that the company has been working on expanding its services across the Island in recent years, but found it challenging to recruit drivers in rural communities.
Because ride requests in those areas are less frequent, he said, it’s difficult to maintain a steady network of drivers who are consistently available.
The new pilot program aims to combat this issue through government funding. Islanders will still pay for each ride, but the provincial money will be set aside to top up drivers’ wages to ensure they meet a pre-established minimum amount for each shift.
Liberal Opposition Leader Hal Perry has been offering a sober driving service to people in the Tignish area for 15 years. He said he spends half of his weekends each year driving locals to and from events.
“I’d love to see this being offered 24/7, 365 days a year, and that’s the hope that I have that it will turn out to be something that’s permanent,” Perry said, adding that the service could help Islanders feel safer on the roads late at night by reducing the number of impaired drivers.
“People need to know that they have that option if they want to go out.… They can let their hair down and know that they’re going to have a safe drive home.”
According to a news release from the province, drivers will be operating from the following base locations:
Drivers involved in the pilot program will not be deployed in urban areas or those that have pre-existing taxi services.
Service hours will vary based on local need but schedules will include evenings and weekends, according to the news release.
Applications are open now for drivers in those rural areas.
