High-tech taxi

As the popular ride-sharing app Uber moves into Montana, Whitefish already has its own local driver.

Raymond Pearson, a Whitefish native, is in his third week of driving for Uber. He’s aware of two drivers in Kalispell, but as far as he knows he’s the only driver operating in Whitefish. His girlfriend recently signed up and will begin driving soon as well.

Uber, a ride-sharing company based in San Francisco, arrived in Montana earlier this month. Uber Montana held a pre-launch party at 406 Bar & Grill in Kalispell, and a few drivers are now operating in the Flathead Valley. The app works similar to a taxi service: users pull up the app on their cellphones and set a pickup location. Nearby drivers show up on a map, denoted by little images of cars, and the user is assigned a driver. The app charges for miles traveled and riders pay with a credit card saved on the app. Anyone can be an Uber driver, provided they pass a driver inspection process.

After having good experiences with the app in San Francisco, Pearson was quick to reach out to be a driver in Whitefish. He applied online at Uber’s website, sent in personal information such as his driver’s license and proof of insurance and filled out details regarding his vehicle. Pearson said Uber looks for clean, well-maintained cars with no dents that are no more than seven years old.

“They’re not just letting anybody drive,” he said. “They want to make sure you have a reliable car. They’re a pretty good outfit.”

Pearson drives as a second job on his days off from his work as an armed security guard. Most of the riders he picks up from nearby hotels or Glacier Park International Airport. The fun part is helping visitors get around and making suggestions on places to check out.

“My thing is, when I pick up a client or a rider, I get to know them, what they’re here for, and I’m kind of a tourist guy. I tell them where to eat and the great places we have as far as breweries. They like that, they want to experience a new town,” Pearson said.

Not everyone is excited for Uber’s arrival, however.

Randy Cowger, owner of Glacier Taxi, said he doesn’t think Uber will succeed in the Flathead Valley because of the distance between destinations as compared to bigger cities where the app is popular.

If it did take off, however, Cowger said it would mean trouble for his business.

“I can see that if Uber really were to drop the hammer on the Flathead Valley, suddenly 13 people are going to be out of work and I’ll be filing for bankruptcy, because I wouldn’t be able to pay the unemployment,” he said.

“I spend all my revenue here in the Valley. It goes towards repairs, it goes towards wages for my employees, meaning that it all gets spent here in Montana. Everything stays local,” he said.

Cowger said legislation that has allowed Uber in Montana has also created an uneven playing field. He said Glacier Taxi pays $375 a year to operate at Glacier Park International Airport and $30 a year to drive in Whitefish while Uber pays none of these fees.

“How fair is that?” Cowger asked.

The Montana Legislature last spring passed a bill allowing ride-share services to operate, and the state’s Public Services Commission approved Uber in December.

Bob Lake, R-Hamilton, who was the only commissioner to vote against the measure, said ride-sharing had an unfair advantage over traditional taxi services and said Uber would operate without any oversight from a Montana-based agency.

Scott Larkin, manager of Great Northern Bar and Grill, said he hasn’t heard too much from his patrons about the ride-share app. While more accessible transportation is a plus, Larkin said he hopes existing services continue to do well in Whitefish.

“I think more rides are good, as long as we’re helping the local businesses first,” he said.

Pearson said he thinks he has as much of a right to offer rides in Whitefish as anyone else, and he’s very happy doing so. Getting a ride through Uber is a welcome addition to the city, he said, and he thinks the service will work well in the Flathead Valley.

“I think it’s great, because Whitefish is as big a tourist town as it is,” he said. “As hard as it is getting around town in your own vehicle, I think it’s going to benefit Whitefish, and even the Valley, a lot.”