We caught up with our founder, Ryan Staley, to chat about the vision behind Coastal Rides, his favourite places on the Sunshine Coast, and what’s next for this community-minded ridesharing business.
Hi Ryan! Tell us about yourself.
Well, I grew up in Vancouver and to me, any family vacation involving a ferry meant adventure. Inspired by those early childhood journeys, I ended up getting a degree in transportation planning, though I spent much of the next decade after school working in the ski industry in Banff, Whistler, and BC’s Hemlock Valley. In 2016, my family made the move to the Sunshine Coast. I still try to get out skiing and biking when I can, but a lot of my leisure time is now spent on the side of a soccer field watching my kids have their own adventures.
Why did you start Coastal Rides? What was the inspiration?
Too many times waiting for the bus at Langdale Ferry Terminal. There’s not many transportation options on the Coast, so when I moved here, I looked into starting my own. In 2019, the BC Government introduced legislation to allow ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft into Vancouver, so I applied for the same license to operate. The flexibility to have people use their own vehicles, plus the convenience of using an app and the ability to pool multiple trips all made a lot of sense to me.
What does it mean for you to connect people through ridesharing?
Getting people where they need to go by connecting them with local drivers feels like an important community service. In many cases, people are able to take trips that they couldn’t otherwise make. With Coastal Rides, they can avoid dangerous walks along a dark highway, or enjoy alcohol responsibly and get home safe.
What do you love about living on the Sunshine Coast?
It feels like a small town but with super close access to the big city. Whenever I get off the ferry and start heading up Highway 101, it immediately feels less frantic and more like home.
What are some of your favourite local businesses?
Gourmet Girl in Davis Bay, Brickers Cider in West Sechelt, El Segundo in downtown Sechelt, and my kids always love making a stop at e.b.’s for ice cream. When friends visit for the weekend and are looking to get on the water, I always recommend Pedals and Paddles, who operate out of Sechelt Inlet.
Do you have a favourite trip that’s made possible through ridesharing?
It’s always fun hailing a ride for me, my kids and our bikes when we’re looking to explore the trails. Our go-to is to start at the Big Tree trail near Trout Lake in Halfmoon Bay, then ride the trails into West Sechelt ending up at Brickers Cider for a glass of cider (me) and some cake pops (for my kids). Then, we’re picked up via Coastal Rides and shuttled home.
What’s next for Coastal Rides?
We’re always looking for more drivers to join our team. It’s exciting because we’re getting to a point on the lower Coast where we have pretty good coverage throughout the day and into the evening. We’re also expanding our service into Vancouver Island. We’re adding lots of new drivers there, particularly in the Comox and Campbell River areas. We’re also looking to launch service in Nanaimo and Port Alberni soon. And with coverage in all these communities, we’re seeing lots of longer distance trips across the Island where there is limited scheduled bus service.