It's been a long road, but Uber is now live in Newfoundland

After weeks and months andmaybe even years for some of anticipation, Uber officially went live in Newfoundland on Tuesday, bringing with it an alternate form of travel outside of public transit and private cab companies.

The company bills itself as a safe, affordableand reliable transportation option at the touch of a button, where users can order rides, track their journey and make a payment all through the app.

Drivers began appearing on the app in St. John's shortly after noon on Tuesday. All fees are up front, so riders aren't left wondering how much they'll have to fork over as they reach their destination. The coverage map is the entire Avalon Peninsula.

Gary Noftalltook the honour of being the first driver to sella ride for Uber's launch.

His passengers? Curling legends Brad Gushue and Mark Nichols.

"They're quite the celebrities and they make Newfoundland and Labrador proud, and it was quite an honour to drive them," Noftall said.

"I didn't really expect to be the first, but here I am."

It's the province's first dive into ride sharing after it made legislative amendments to open the door to operating companiesin December.

In January, the province pulled its first ride-share licence fromRedsea Riding before thatcompany could begin operating.

WATCH | There's room for taxis and Uber, insists the ride-hailing company's Canadian manager:

Uber hits the streets of N.L. as company looks to hire more drivers

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Ubers first ride in Newfoundland and Labrador was a scenic one around Quidi Vidi village. Its been long talked about, but the ride-hailing company has now been launched in the province. While the company touts flexibility, the specifics of how and how much drivers are paid wasnt clear when Uber Canadas senior manager, Jake Brockman, was pushed for details by the CBCs Heather Gillis.

But Uber isn't a simple local start up. The company operates in 10,000 cities around the globe and in over 140 municipalities in Canada.

"We're going to add our name to the list," said Premier Andrew Furey, who was on hand for Tuesday's launch.

Others coming

Its start in Newfoundland this week does pavethe way for others.

Digital Government and Service N.L. Minister Sarah Stoodley said other applicants are waiting in the wings and working through the licensure process.

Residents and tourists have long called for more transportation options in the capital city. Frustrations have boiled over in the past as weary travellers voiced their dissatisfaction online about their wait times for a ride from St. John's International Airport. Others have said the same while waiting for a ride home from George Street after a night out downtown.

"We've been hearing from the community for years, actually, in Newfoundland about the need for more transportation options," saidJake Brockman, senior public policy manager for Uber Canada.

"So we were pleased to see the province move forward with the regulatory framework last fall."

The province hopes Uber will help supplement the transportation pool as tourism season draws near.

Furey said the service also modernizes Newfoundland and Labrador's transportation network.

But taxi company owners have also been vocal. They're pushing backagainstride sharing in the province, arguing they're left juggling high insurance rates and forced to operateunder different rules.

Furey said he's happy to meet with owners to discuss any changes to the industry.

"Uber exists in 10,000 cities. They don't exist in isolation. They co-exist. We don't' think of this as a competitive environment, we think of it as meeting and growing a market demand," he said.

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