Before you book a ride from Downtown Nanaimo to VIU, open the Uber app and look at the upfront price, because that is the figure you will actually pay. Our estimate for a standard rideshare is about $11 at normal demand. The trip is 3 km and takes about 8 minutes, and the likely range is $9 to $13.
The VIU fare in detail
Our inputs are average rideshare rates: $2.50 to open the fare, $1.15 for each km, $0.35 for each minute and $2.00 to book. Three km adds $3.45 and 8 minutes adds $2.80. With the base fare that is $8.75, and the booking fee brings the total to about $11.
The regional minimum fare is $3.94, and a short trip like this is the kind where a minimum can matter. Here the calculated price is well above it, so it does not apply.
Demand changes the result. A busy period (1.2 times the fare) gives about $13, very busy (1.5 times) about $15, and a peak (2 times) about $20. Uber sets its own prices, and ours are only estimates.
If you are travelling with friends or heavy bags, Comfort is about $13, XL (up to 6 seats) is about $15 and Premier is about $22.
Taxi meter and pickup tips
Yellow Cab’s published tariff starts at a $3.90 flag fee and adds $2.72 for every km. For 3 km the meter would come to about $12, which is close to the rideshare estimate at normal demand. A meter reading would not count waiting or extras.
On a short ride the flag fee and booking fee make up a large share of the cost, so a small change in demand shows up quickly. The likely range of $9 to $13 spans only a few dollars, which means the gap between the taxi and the rideshare is small in either direction. Comfort or XL rarely makes sense for 3 km unless you need the space, since the extra cost is about $2 to $4 over the standard fare. If the app price looks high, check it again a few minutes later.
For a campus destination, share the exact building or street address so the driver can drop you close to the door. Allow extra time around the start and end of classes, since many students may be asking for rides then.
If you need an accessible vehicle, book it ahead and mention it in the request. Short trips are easy to leave to the last minute, but a driver may still need a few minutes to reach you, so request the car a little before you want to leave.