Bahamian UBER set to come on stream early Spring

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Bahamas Ride Co-owner, Gavin Christie.

Transportation is expected to become more convenient for locals, according to one emerging ride company considered the new Bahamian UBER, as it was officially announced yesterday.

Bahama Ride has partnered with mobile service provider ALIV, to ensure all it future passengers have a highly comfortable experience.

“We realized there was need, a void in the market for taxi drivers and we want to assist to fill that void,” said Bahamas Ride Co-owner, Gavin Christie.

“It was very difficult to get a taxi outside the normal means of being at a hotel or being at the airport.”

The new transportation platform launches April 12.

Company executives said at that time, patrons will be able to access and download the Bahamas Ride app on their smartphones, plug in a location and let the app find a driver in their area.

Users, according to executives, will be then quoted a price for the ride and will be able to pay for the experience via cash, debit or credit card.

All Bahamas Ride vehicles will be equipped with WIFI for up to five passengers to use while in transit, the company said.

The most unique aspect of this transportation platform is seemingly that Bahamas Ride is not seeking to threaten the livelihood of existing taxi drivers. In fact, taxi drivers have been invited to sign up.

Drivers, the company said, will be vetted, trained and vehicles inspected to ensure a top-notch quality experience.

“This is a chance for all of us to … work collaboratively with taxi drivers who’re really mini entrepreneurs and  the backbone of this country instead of in opposition to them, as other platforms may have done and to really transform … the way we do business in this country,” Chief ALIV Business Developer Gravette Brown said.

 Chief ALIV partner Alan Bates confirmed the company’s excitement to be on board.

“We did our due diligence on this app and we really have tested it,” Bates said.

“That, combined with the power of the ALIV LTE network, two LTE networks throughout the Bahamas is unique – with the super-fast speeds, the location-based services and, as Gravette has alluded to, the tourism market is so important here. We love the partnership, we think it’s right. The network is ready.”

When launched, the rides are said to be available in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera and Exuma.

 

About Theo Sealy

Theo Sealy is an award-winning journalist who serves as senior broadcast reporter and weekend TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. He has achieved several career milestones, including his work as a field contributor with CNN, his coverage of four consecutive general elections, his production of several docuseries and his Bahamas Press Club Awards win for “Best Television News Story” in 2018.