Accio, a Vancouver Island company known for delivering anything to anyone in Victoria, is hoping to expand its service to delivering people.
The company said it is set to sneak into the ride-sharing business before Uber hits the local market.
Accio, which was launched last spring and is billed as a concierge for everybody, is planning to add Accio Rides, a ride-sharing software application like Uber, to its stable of services.
“We have the logistics and the delivery platform, so we thought instead of just delivering things, we decided it would be a good idea to deliver people as well,” said Accio co-founder Mike Rowe.
The app would allow anyone to request a ride from a stable of drivers, get a quote for their trip, pay without cash and rate their driver, all from a smartphone.
“It’s pretty similar to Uber,” said Rowe, noting they want to be ready to launch immediately after the province comes up with regulations for the ride-share industry. “Uber is huge and with regulations coming we think it will be our only chance to get in before there is no chance for us.
“If we are able to launch a ride-sharing service in Victoria before Uber gets here, at least we’ll have some traction before they come and probably crush us.”
There’s no timeline for any provincial regulations in B.C. at this point, but Transportation Minister Todd Stone has suggested they are in the works.
Stone met with the taxi industry this week to discuss the ride-share industry and how to deal with it.
“There was a strong acknowledgment on their part that technology is evolving and innovation is all around us,” Stone said, noting ride-sharing services like Uber are inevitable. “B.C. can’t put a big wall around itself nor do we want to.
“The ride-sharing economy will be here at some point and we want to make sure when that day comes it’s a result of a heck of a lot of engagement and discussion with existing stakeholders, including the taxi industry.”
Taxi companies have protested the emergence of Uber in several cities, noting Uber drivers have an unfair advantage because they're not subject to licensing and insurance rules.
The B.C. Taxi Association is pushing for an even playing field for their group and ride-sharing services.
Edmonton was the first jurisdiction in Canada to pass regulations dealing with the industry, with other regions expected to soon follow suit.
In Edmonton, ride-share providers must now carry provincially approved insurance, have an annual vehicle inspection and agree to a criminal record check. They must also charge a minimum of $3.25 per ride. And only taxis are permitted to pick up street hails or use stands.
Rowe doesn’t believe there will be much of a backlash to his service in Victoria, as it will not be launched until the regulations are in place creating a level playing field.
He said their target market will be the booming technology sector and the bar crowds on Friday and Saturday nights. He also expects they will be able to offer competitive trips to the ferries and airport.
At this point, Rowe has not established a stable of drivers, but when he does, Accio will be looking for drivers with Class 4 licences and carrying commercial insurance, and they will be expected to have newer vehicles that have gone through a commercial inspection.
Rowe said there is plenty of demand in a city Victoria’s size, and noted Uber has been operating profitably in similar-sized cities.
Accio’s delivery system has been growing steadily since its launch.
To use the service, a customer texts ACCIO to a phone number, they then sign up with a name, address, and credit card information using a secure link.
That process only needs to be done on first delivery. Once an account is set up, the customer texts a request. Accio staff will then find it, price it and provide a quote the customer can confirm or decline.
If the customer confirms, the credit card is charged and Accio buys the item and delivers.
Accio charges a 10% premium on the cost of the item, a $5 delivery fee and a 20% tip.
