Riide, British cousin to Uber, greenlit to launch in Martensville, Sask.

A Saskatoon bedroom community is poised to get its first ride-sharing service.

Martensville's city council approved Riide to receive 10 local taxi licences during a meeting on Tuesday. Martensville is located 19 kilometres north of Saskatoon.

Carlo Triolo, the general manager of United Group of Companies, which owns Saskatoon's United Cabs, filed the application for the Martensville Riide chapter — the first to be approved under the city's new Vehicle For Hire Bylaw.

Riide operates in the United Kingdom, Ireland and parts of the United States.

Martensville will be the company's first Canadian offshoot, according to the taxi licence application filed by Triolo.

Same prices as Saskatoon cabs

Riide rates will be on par with the fares charged by Saskatoon cabs, Triolo wrote in the application. The minimum taxi fare in Saskatoon is $3.75.

Riide plans to add more Saskatchewan communities to its service map.

Saskatoon is still working on the bylaw that would allow ride-sharing services, also known as transportation network companies, to hit the city's roads.

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Until then, no TNC applications can be processed by the city, according to a City of Saskatoon pokesperson.