Ride-sharing makes us safer

We recently returned from Europe and are continually amazed with their inner- and inter-city public transportation systems. We have ridden buses, subways and trains within and from London to Paris to Madrid. The costs are reasonable and the efficiency and speed of their systems are incredible.

Comparatively, our local transit system is a painful and costly experience. This last trip we also employed ride-sharing numerous times and were impressed. The ride-share apps are easy to use and we waited only minutes for rides to appear, day or night. Costs are cheaper than cabs and the apps provide photos of the driver and their vehicle with copies of their driving credentials and rider reviews. All drivers were competent, courteous and knowledgeable of their respective cities.

MADD Canada’s push for ride-sharing to reduce impaired driving is warranted. Many patrons of bars and restaurants, especially younger generations, will use the excuse that they’re OK to drive (after drinking) due to the lousy bus system or high cost of a cab. That’s no excuse, but it’s a reality.

Local taxi companies are over-regulated and overpriced. We have ridden cabs in numerous Canadian cities and nowhere have we found them to be more expensive than Saskatoon.

There is no doubt that the availability of ride-sharing, urban and rural, will reduce the incidence of impaired driving.

Terry Neefs, Saskatoon