Plan on about 20 minutes for the 12 km ride from Port Coquitlam to Lougheed. A standard rideshare costs around $25 at normal demand, and the likely range is $22 to $30.
Working out the $25 fare
The calculation starts from average rideshare rates, which are $2.50 base, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2.00 booking fee. Distance adds $13.80 and time adds $7.00. With the base fare the subtotal is $23.30, and the booking fee takes it to about $25.
Uber did not publish any of these amounts; they are our estimates. When you enter your addresses, the Uber app shows the real upfront price.
If many riders are asking for cars, the multiplier rises. A busy spell at 1.2 times gives about $30. At 1.5 times, very busy, the price is about $37, and at double the normal rate it comes to roughly $49.
Vehicle type matters too. Comfort is priced around $31, XL (up to 6 seats) around $36, and Premier around $54.
Taxi against rideshare from Port Coquitlam
Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi share one tariff, with a flag fee of $3.75 and a per km rate of $2.18. On 12 km that gives a meter estimate of about $30. Waiting time and any extras are left out.
The meter figure matches what you would pay for a rideshare at the busy level, so a taxi is not a bad choice when the app is showing a higher price.
If you are travelling alone and demand is normal, the rideshare is the cheaper option by about $5. Once the multiplier passes 1.2, that advantage is gone, and the taxi tariff starts to look better. Phoning for a quote costs nothing and settles the question in a minute or two.
Tips for the ride
Trips between two busy hubs can be affected by demand, so allow extra time if you need to arrive by a set hour.
- Check the pickup spot in the app and walk to it before the driver arrives.
- Ask the driver or choose XL if you have luggage or more than three passengers.
- Compare the app price with a phone quote from a taxi company when demand looks high.
- Book an accessible vehicle by phone ahead of time, since app requests may not match you with one.
Yellow Cab Vancouver and Vancouver Taxi both list wheelchair accessible service, card payment and app booking. Ask which vehicle is being sent when you phone, so you know what to look for at pickup.