TappCar shutting down in Winnipeg, exploring female-only ride-share service
TappCar shutting down in Winnipeg, exploring female-only ride-share service
TappCar CEO Noel Bernier said the service shut down in Winnipeg as of Sunday. It had already shuttered operations in all other Canadian cities in early 2021. (File Image)
A Canadian ride-share service marketed as a discounted, regional alternative to Uber has shut down, with management pointing to the pandemic and soaring fuel prices as factors in its demise.
TappCar CEO Noel Bernier said the service shut down in Winnipeg as of Sunday. The Edmonton-based company had already shuttered operations in all other Canadian cities in early 2021.
According to Bernier, TappCar was still struggling from the fallout of the pandemic when fuel prices rose beyond what was sustainable for the company.
“It was getting impossible to recruit part-time drivers for a discount driver service,” he said.
He added TappCar passenger levels dropped off by 95 per cent when the pandemic first hit in March of 2020, noting Uber’s entry into Manitoba months later made it even more difficult for the Canadian company to recover.
“You have a global competitor like Uber that can afford to lose money during tough times. You have a much lower demand for what I call ‘social riding’. So as bars and nightclubs and that kind of environment went to zero, so did the people needing rides to and from those things,” he said.
TAPPCAR EXPLORING FEMALE-ONY RIDE-SHARE SERVICE
Bernier said with the former TappCar model in the rear-view mirror, the company is considering switching gears to launch a female-only, safety-forward ride-share company.
The service would likely employ only female drivers and service only female riders.
“From our point of view, the challenges of female safety and ridership have been ongoing and a reality for many, many years,” he said.
“However, the higher rates of violence and higher rates of crime in a post-pandemic area, we believe, make the service more needed than ever.”
Bernier notes they are still reviewing the concept’s viability in Winnipeg. The goal is to launch in the fall of 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors call for action as growing number of Canadians dying from common food preservative
Doctors are among those calling for tighter regulation of sodium nitrite as a growing number of Canadians are dying after intentionally ingesting unsafe quantities of the common food preservative in its pure form.
Trump says he took the Fifth in New York civil investigation
Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he testified under oath Wednesday in the New York attorney general's long-running civil investigation into his business dealings, the former U.S. president said in a statement.
Some air passengers take claims to court, seeking compensation for delays, missing bags
With some airlines denying compensation for delayed flights or missing baggage, a few Canadian passengers are taking their claims to court.
Donald Trump 'took the Fifth.' What does it actually mean?
Former U.S. President Donald Trump showed up Wednesday for questioning under oath in New York's civil investigation into his business practices. But he quickly made clear he wouldn't be answering.
Two children at centre of Sask. Amber Alert found safe in South Dakota, suspect arrested
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota said it has arrested the man wanted in connection with an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan.
Watch as a small plane crash-lands on a California freeway; no injuries
The pilot and passenger aboard a single-engine plane survived a dramatic crash-landing on a California freeway, in video captured on a dashcam.
RCMP apologize: Questions remain more than 50 years after Yukon woman's death
Family members are still searching for answers after the RCMP apologized for not properly investigating an Indigenous woman's death more than five decades ago.
Plastics producers ask court to quash planned federal ban on single-use straws, cups
More than two dozen plastic makers are asking the Federal Court to put an end to Ottawa's plan to ban several single-use plastic items including straws, cutlery and takeout containers.
London kids to be offered polio shot after more virus found
Children ages 1-9 in London were made eligible for booster doses of a polio vaccine Wednesday after British health authorities reported finding evidence the virus has spread in multiple areas of the city but found no cases of the paralytic disease in people.
Regina
-
Two children at centre of Sask. Amber Alert found safe in South Dakota, suspect arrested
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota said it has arrested the man wanted in connection with an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan.
-
A Saskatoon man stabbed in an apparent random attack at a hospital has died
A man stabbed in an apparent random attack at a Saskatoon hospital has died, according to a close friend.
-
Search continues in Regina for missing 12-year-old girl
Regina police are renewing calls for information about the location of a 12-year-old girl who was reported missing on Sunday.
Saskatoon
-
Two children at centre of Sask. Amber Alert found safe in South Dakota, suspect arrested
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota said it has arrested the man wanted in connection with an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan.
-
Saskatoon woman made checklist while planning abduction, court documents allege
A Saskatoon mother made an apparent 'checklist' while planning to vanish with her son, according to court documents
-
A Saskatoon man stabbed in an apparent random attack at a hospital has died
A man stabbed in an apparent random attack at a Saskatoon hospital has died, according to a close friend.
Northern Ontario
-
Human rights tribunal dismisses northern Ont. man's complaint about pronoun use
In what appears to be a less-than-serious complaint, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has dismissed a complaint levied against the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit related to pronoun use.
-
Sudbury city councillor has pay docked for conduct
Tempers flared in Tuesday's Sudbury city council meeting during a long, heated discussion over the behaviour of one its councillors.
-
Hwy. 144 fully reopened following head-on crash between Chelmsford, Lively
Highway 144 has completely reopened between the Greater Sudbury communities of Lively and Chelmsford after a head-on crash between a transport and a pickup truck early Wednesday morning.
Edmonton
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Valley Line Southeast LRT delayed again after cracks discovered on piers
The Valley Line Southeast LRT will not open this summer as planned.
-
'A win, win, win': Massive addition to proposed gondola plan pitched to councillors
If Edmonton does go ahead with a new gondola over the North Saskatchewan River, a local businessman has a grand idea for what to surround it with on the southern edge of the valley.
-
UCP leadership candidates to meet with Alberta Teachers' Association
Six of the seven United Conservative Party candidates vying for the party's leadership will discuss education spending, policy and the future of teaching in Alberta with teachers from across the province Wednesday afternoon.
Toronto
-
Hundreds of charges laid after Ontario police bust group accused of smuggling guns, fentanyl
A nearly ten-months long investigation by multiple Ontario police services has resulted in more than 400 criminal charges laid on a group of 22 individuals accused of smuggling guns and drugs over the Canadian-U.S. border.
-
Nearly 1 in every 3 people tested for monkeypox in Ontario is positive: officials
The province reported 29 new cases of monkeypox on Tuesday, with labs reporting a total positivity rate of nearly one in three since May.
-
Toronto and Ottawa mayors could draft budget, hire and fire department heads under new legislation
The mayors of Toronto and Ottawa will be granted sweeping new powers which will give them sole responsibility for preparing the municipal budget for council approval as well the ability to hire and fire department heads as they see fit and veto some decisions made by councillors.
Calgary
-
Vehicle in downtown hit-and-run that injured pedestrian found, driver still sought
The pedestrian, a woman in her 20s, was taken to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.
-
Two children at centre of Sask. Amber Alert found safe in South Dakota, suspect arrested
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota said it has arrested the man wanted in connection with an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan.
-
Court appearance put over for man accused in deadly Banff bar dispute
The man accused of killing a 26-year-old Banff man last week is expected to appear in court on Wednesday.
Montreal
-
Remains of priest removed from Kahnawake church grounds
The remains of a priest who allegedly sexually abused Indigenous children in Quebec was exhumed Wednesday morning. Jesuit priest Father Leon Lajoie was buried on the grounds of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Kahnawake in 1999.
-
Mont-Carmel seniors' residence tenants allege landlord is renting to younger people
Tenants living at the Mont-Carmel seniors' residence say they're concerned their landlord is not obeying a court ruling that states the building must primarily house people of a certain age.
-
Air passenger complaint backlog mounts as regulator faces staff shortage
Canada's transport regulator says its backlog of air passenger complaints is growing as a staff shortage comes up against a summer of airport chaos.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa woman missing for 42 years had been living outside Canada
The disappearance of an Ottawa woman has been solved more than 40 years after she went missing.
-
These are the most stolen vehicles in Ottawa so far in 2022
Ottawa police say 493 vehicle thefts have been reported so far in 2022, with the Honda CRV the most popular target for thieves.
-
Toronto and Ottawa mayors could draft budget, hire and fire department heads under new legislation
The mayors of Toronto and Ottawa will be granted sweeping new powers which will give them sole responsibility for preparing the municipal budget for council approval as well the ability to hire and fire department heads as they see fit and veto some decisions made by councillors.
Atlantic
-
Essential Newfoundland highway to stay open as out-of-control wildfires grow
Two out-of-control wildfires in central Newfoundland covered more than 200 square kilometres on Wednesday morning, and Environment Canada warned the flames could cover much of the island in smoke.
-
Former CEO of IWK Health Centre sentenced to 5 months in jail for fraud
The former CEO of the IWK Health Centre has been sentenced to five months in jail for using public money to pay for more than $45,000 worth of personal expenses.
-
NEW
NEW | N.S. boosts cash reward for information in boy's shooting death to $250,000
Nova Scotia’s unsolved crimes program is offering its largest reward ever for information in the case of a little boy shot and killed in Dartmouth in December.
Kitchener
-
Deputy Prime Minister hosts tech sector roundtable in Kitchener
Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is in Kitchener today to discuss the challenges and opportunities the Canadian technology sector is currently facing.
-
National Peacekeepers’ Day sees parade return to Waterloo
On Aug. 9, 1974, Canada saw its greatest loss of life when a peacekeeping mission where nine Canadian peacekeepers were killed.
-
New self-check in system at St. Mary’s emergency department in Kitchener
St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener has added a touchscreen self-check-in kiosk into its emergency department. in hopes of streamlining patients through the triage system.
Vancouver
-
There's a $782/month difference in average rental rates depending on where you live in Metro Vancouver
It's no surprise to renters and would-be renters that it costs a lot to live in the Vancouver area, but a recent report suggests there are some spots where tenants pay a bit less.
-
Driver caught doing more than twice the speed limit near park ticketed, has car impounded
A driver who was caught doing more than twice the speed limit near a Burnaby park had his vehicle impounded and is facing hundreds of dollars in fines.
-
Vancouver weather: Cooler temperatures, chance of rain in forecast
After many warm days in a row, Metro Vancouver's weather is expected to be a little cooler through the rest of the week, with a chance of showers in the forecast.
Vancouver Island
-
Nanaimo man pleads guilty to Brentwood Bay murder
A Nanaimo, B.C., man has pleaded guilty to killing a young woman in Brentwood Bay, B.C., two years ago.
-
Opening of new Langford school delayed by shortage of labour, materials
A new middle school that was set to welcome its first students next month in Langford, B.C., will not open as planned due to construction delays.
-
'This is the best season I can recall': Fishers and wild salmon advocates cheer large returns to B.C. waters
The summer of 2022 is shaping up to be a bumper season for both pink and sockeye salmon in British Columbia rivers, with one veteran Indigenous fisherman reporting the biggest catches of sockeye in decades.