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Imagine if travelling to an event, preparing for a business meeting or getting to the airport was a pleasant and productive experience, where a certified chauffeur would drive you around in the comfort of your own vehicle. Traffic snarls weren’t stressful. Circling the block looking for parking was no longer an issue. Those time-consuming post-work errands like picking up the dry cleaning or gassing up the car no longer felt like chores? Instead, everything was taken care of by your own driver. Sound amazing? Well, this can be your reality and for the affordable rate of $25 an hour.
Kater is a new, round-trip chauffeur service that’s evolving the way people think about commuting by connecting clients to pre-screened professional drivers, all through a convenient and comprehensive mobile app. Drivers are booked in advance and since the entire system is cashless and seamless, there are no surprises at the end of the trip or need to calculate a tip. The innovative service was beta-tested and then launched last summer and complemented by the development of an app that became available in March. Now, Kater is planning to expand to major cities throughout North America and beyond.
Unlike expensive limousine services, Kater makes the most of an asset you already own: your vehicle. By offering a smart and affordable alternative to driving, Kater removes the dangerous temptation of distracted driving and gives people more free time. It helps people rethink when it makes sense to drive and when it’s smarter to call on a professional.
“Kater is saving me money and creating more efficiency in time,” says Stuart McFadden, a realtor and customer of Kater who uses the service two to three times a week travelling from his White Rock home to events in downtown Vancouver. Rather than spending a tiresome three hour round-trip drive focusing on the road, McFadden settles into the back seat of his own vehicle and makes phone calls or takes time to unwind en route—all for a fraction of what it would cost for him to take a cab.
“I do a lot of charity auctions where I’ll go downtown,” says McFadden, who sometimes attends multiple events during the course of an evening. The driver drops him off and waits for him in between stops; plus there’s no headache parking or walking in the rain, he adds. Having another beer while watching a live Canucks game isn’t a worry either: the professional driver is available during the entire booking, or longer if the game goes into overtime.
McFadden recently took advantage of Kater’s concierge service, another built-in perk. The driver picked up some packages in North Vancouver for McFadden while he enjoyed himself at an event in Vancouver.
Compared to a cab, Kater is a “personal assistant on wheels,” says McFadden. “It’s less expensive and there’s better service.” The father of four also uses Kater for airport runs instead of piling into two taxis with kids and luggage, which can be an expensive and stressful ordeal. With Kater, everyone gets into his family-sized SUV for a safe and comfortable drive and the chauffeur returns the vehicle—freshly washed—to McFadden’s home. The perks and cost-savings are great says McFadden, but they’re not what he values most. “No stress,” he says. “That’s the best part.”