An Ontario ridesharing company is considering Humboldt as a test city for its Western expansion plans, mayor Rob Muench says.

The company wants to gauge how much interest exists in the community, so Muench started a poll on Facebook asking if people would use the service - and as of Wednesday morning, 83 percent of the 465 respondents said they would.

“I think it’s something the people of Humboldt are requesting and I think a lot of them have used the ridesharing services in other cities, and they’ve come to expect it’s a very convenient way of getting a ride.”

URide, based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, started as a way to fight drinking and driving, Muench said. The company focuses on small markets and is looking to expand west, he said.

“I’ve heard often from people that if they’re out, say at the bar or at friend’s houses, and they need a ride home it’s hard to get a cab late at night, so this would be an option for that. We all are concerned about drinking and driving.”

The service would also give people an extra option for getting around during the day - though Muench added City Council must ensure a level playing field between any ridesharing company and taxi services.

URide did not respond to a request for comment through its Facebook page and could not be reached by email.

URidemap

A map apparently showing the operating area of URide. (uridetech.com screenshot)