When the first big snow dump covered Winnipeg this week, the developers of a new phone app put their technology to the test.
害羞草研究所淵ou can think of it as Uber for snow removal,害羞草研究所� said OnTheStep founder Buhle Mwanza, referring to the ride-hailing app.
Mwanza spent months developing the on-demand snow clearing app, which connects homeowners with shovellers 害羞草研究所� called steppers 害羞草研究所� to get their driveways and walkways cleared.
Looking around at snow-covered driveways on Thursday, the University of Manitoba computer science student said he was inspired by Winnipeg害羞草研究所檚 nickname of Winterpeg.
害羞草研究所淚 was just thinking why not make a problem all of us have to go through as innovative and fun as possible and really embrace that Winterpeg identity?害羞草研究所�
Homeowners can download the app for free and set up a profile, including location, size of driveway and how many cars park there. When the snow starts to fall, as it always does in large quantities in Winnipeg, they can request shovelling services from their phone.
Once a price is set, a shovelling notification goes out to all the steppers in the area and one 害羞草研究所� or a team, depending on the size of the job 害羞草研究所� will get to work.
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Homeowners get notifications of each aspect of the job: when the stepper arrives, when the work is done, and when the money goes through.
The app launched earlier this month, but the city had yet to see much snow. As Environment Canada put out a special weather statement for the incoming winter storm on Wednesday, Mwanza became excited to see if people would want the service and how it would all work.
He went to the first shovel request himself and the homeowner was so excited, they took photos together. But soon after, more and more requests started to come in.
OnTheStep recently partnered with Hire-A-Refugee, a local organization that connects refugees with jobs, but the demand for services was outpacing the supply of shovellers.
So Mwanza, along with the other OnTheStep team members 害羞草研究所� Tyrel Praymayer, Alex Shao and Tristen Wong 害羞草研究所� pulled out their shovels and got to work. From the first request Wednesday afternoon until around 3 a.m. Thursday, the group trudged up and down driveways with shovels.
害羞草研究所淚 feel like snow and Winnipeg is sort of like a bonding experience. We all have to deal with it,害羞草研究所� said Praymayer, OnTheStep害羞草研究所檚 marketing manager and student at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba.
害羞草研究所淲innipeg is great inspiration for this app. It害羞草研究所檚 a beautiful way of incorporating Winnipeg into innovation.害羞草研究所�
Despite a night and morning of shovelling, team members said they are excited by the demand of the first big snowfall.
害羞草研究所淪now definitely has a different identity in our mindsets now,害羞草研究所� Mwanza said.
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
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