VICTORIA -- The first ride hailing service to be approved in Victoria is launching operations on Friday, Aug. 7.

KABU, a ride hailing company that is based out of Richmond, B.C., is now active in Victoria and the Capital Regional District after first being approved by the Passenger Transportation Board back in February.

The ride hailing company says that it hopes to provide a new option for daily transportation in the region, as well as support employment for drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As B.C.’s economy slowly begins to recover thanks to our provincial healthcare leaders, KABU wants to be part of the solution by helping full-time and part-time drivers in Victoria and the Capital Regional District earn a living wage on a flexible schedule where they get to pick their hours,” said KABU-Ride Inc. president Billy Xiong in a release Thursday.

Victorians can start using KABU by downloading the app from the Apple App Store or through Google Play.

All passengers are required to wear a mask during trips, and vehicles will be sanitized between each customer.