Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft launched in Vancouver Friday morning.
At a news conference, Lyft general manager Peter Lukomskyj said his company’s initial operating area will be restricted to the core of Vancouver, bounded by Dunbar Street to the west, Victoria Drive to the east and 41 Avenue to the south. It will also service the Pacific National Exhibition and Vancouver International Airport.
Lukomskyj said the area would expand as the company attracted more drivers.
Uber’s operating area includes a much bigger region of Metro Vancouver, including Coquitlam, Surrey, Delta, West and North Vancouver.
In a news release, Uber said it would expand its operating area “as soon as more drivers complete the permit requirements.
The launch of both companies comes less than 24 hours after the Passenger Transportation Board announced it had approved ride-hailing.
First Lyft ride in Vancouver <a href=”https://t.co/edh6uWsbnr”>pic.twitter.com/edh6uWsbnr</a>
—@ybrend