UBER May Be On Its Way to Fargo!

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A company that lets people in the community give rides to others through a smartphone may soon be coming to Fargo.

Uber announced it is coming to North Dakota.

KVRR’s Aries Serrano speaks with an approved Uber driver that’s waiting for the day he can start giving those rides.
 
Alison and TJ, I spoke with a Moorhead man who’s hoping for an announcement that Fargo is allowing Uber rides.

North Dakota already approved its use in the state, but local governments must first weigh in on the issue.
 
Dan Haglund, of Moorhead, is an approved Uber driver.

It’s a service where people can download an app and get a ride from people in town.
Haglund already gives people rides and has been doing it for the past ten years.
 
“Kind of the new alternative to cabs, and they’re cheaper and a lot of times they’re more available.”
 
He heard of it through his son who used the service in Chicago.
 
“There’s over 200 cities in the world that have the service right now, and on average it’s about 30 to 40 percent lower than a cab.”
 
“North Dakota is really at the cutting edge of this. We’ve been working on it the last few months during session. Just to make sure that we’re one, creating the environment that’s conducive to the companies coming here but also making sure we’re protecting people across the state.”
 
Legislators in the state are requiring Uber and similar companies to have insurance for their drivers as soon as a driver turns on the app.
 
“You won’t be able to get a ride from just anyone. Driver have to go through a criminal background check and they can’t have certain convictions on their record.”
 
“The biggest thing is the background check to make sure we have safe drivers. It really came down to it from the states perspective; safe drivers and safe rides.”
 
Haglund is hoping to be a driver as a hobby.

He’s always enjoyed helping people out.

He also says the Fargo-Moorhead area is ready for the service.
 
“When someone’s in need, there’s a great help, there’s a great crowd of helpers in this town and I think that’s kind of what this service does and some people might do it for the money but I think a lot of people might just want to help others.”
 
An opportunity for people in the area to give rides to others, whether it’s for a hobby or a profit.
 
The Fargo City Commission will look at an ordinance related to Uber on May 11th.

Aries Serrano. KVRR news.