Rideshare service Wridz launches in Minneapolis, plans to onboard drivers

Bosnian immigrant Jasmin Ascic has driven for Lyft since 2018, but after hearing rumors the rideshare giant might leave Minneapolis, he reached out to an Austin, Texas-based competitor.

He said he was certain another company would enter the market after Uber and Lyft threatened to leave.

His appeal might have moved the needle. Wridz is one of two new rideshare companies the city has approved in recent weeks. On Wednesday, Wridz officially launched service in Minneapolis, with owners setting an ambitious goal of onboarding 1,000 drivers in their first week.

The company operates in 22 other markets, including Chicago and Rapid City, South Dakota.

“We’re not afraid of the minimum wage that’s being mandated here. In fact, we embrace it. I think it’s a good thing for drivers to get a fair pay,” Wridz founder Steve Wright said at a news conference Thursday.

The company enters a market in flux. Uber and Lyft have threatened to leave the city — and the state — over a minimum pay ordinance passed in Minneapolis that is now set to take effect in July. A separate effort in the Legislature would set a statewide pay floor that is slightly lower than the Minneapolis rate.

Wright said his company would stay in the market even if Uber and Lyft remain. And unlike some other recent applicants, Wridz has been operating in multiple states for years.

Wright was accompanied by Council Member Robin Wonsley during Thursday’s announcement of the app’s launch.

He said Wridz would not be implementing the Minneapolis ordinance rates for drivers until the policy goes into effect on July 1. When asked if that was fair, Wonsley said the implementation date was July 1 and that’s when all businesses should follow the new pay rates.

According to Wright, Wridz has received about 400 driver applicants but has only onboarded a “handful” although some of them have already begun accepting rides.

“It’s kind of like we’re the Netflix of rideshare, drivers pay one small fee per month, and they get to keep everything, the passengers pay all the bills,” Wright said.

Wridz does background checks, drug tests and in-person interviews as a part of its onboarding process. Wright said he’d be in the Twin Cities for a few days onboarding drivers before taking a short break.

Wright said he expects his app will soon receive approval to operate at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in St. Paul. In the meantime, riders can request any dropoff location, as long as the ride starts in Minneapolis.

The app has already been tested by Minneapolis Council Member Jason Chavez, who posted about his experience on X . Chavez said he paid $5 for his trip.

As of Thursday, four rideshare companies — Uber, Lyft, Wridz and MyWeels — are licensed to operate in Minneapolis.

At least two other companies, Moov and Joiryde , have filed applications, and  city spokeswoman Greta Bergstrom told the Star Tribune a third was in the pipeline.

Wonsley said she’s aware of some companies planning to operate without a license in the city.

According to her, city staff will be working closely with the Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association (MULDA) and other stakeholders to enforce the new pay ordinance and other city regulations.

Bergstrom said the starting fine for operating without a license is $250 and may double for each infraction. Those citations can be assessed against the company and the individual drivers.

“We are complaint-driven but we do have a progressive enforcement process for TNCs [rideshare companies] in specific and unlicensed businesses in general,” she said.

Thursday afternoon the company continued its driver onboarding from an office in Bloomington. Wright scheduled 10 drivers for a 1 p.m. meeting and ended up onboarding 15.

“It’s not our first rodeo. We’re the only company coming here already out in the real world competing against Uber and Lyft,” Wright said to the drivers present.

Drivers were given Wridz stickers and a light-up sign to display in their vehicles.

Wright said drivers on standard fares would be getting 85 cents a mile and 21 to 23 cents a minute.

Drivers will also be paid a minimum of $5 per ride.

“I think we can take all 10,000 drivers in the city, but we don’t want that,” Wright said.

While Wridz enters the market, Wright said he wants to see other companies start up as well, expressing a desire to see companies like Moov succeed.

Drivers like Ascic also said they want to have more options to serve passengers.

Ascic has driven for Lyft for years, and he’s also driven for Uber, but he had his account disabled after he received what he said were “false” negative reviews.

According to Ascic, he and most drivers will most likely keep at least two apps running on their phones while driving.

Wridz lets passengers select their favorite drivers and it’s possible to request them via a special number on the app when looking for a ride.

Wright said that helps drivers maintain customers and earn higher tips.

Ascic said he hopes to be able to use the feature in the future.

“I’m gonna have to test it out before I can say if it’s good or not good,” he said. “But if there’s an option to do so, you know, probably it’s a good idea.”

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