🌟 How CoTravel Was Born – A Newcomer’s Story

It all started on a chilly morning in Calgary.
I was a newcomer to Canada — full of hope, dreams, and that nervous excitement that every immigrant feels when stepping into a new country. I had just landed a job interview downtown, and I remember searching for a ride from my house to the city center. The clock was ticking, and I didn’t yet have a Canadian driver’s license.
I just needed to get there.
But when I looked up my options — I was stunned. The ride prices were shockingly high. For someone just starting out, it felt almost out of reach. I thought to myself: “If getting to a job interview costs this much… how do people manage every day?”
In that moment, something clicked.
Commuting isn’t just about convenience — it’s survival.
If you can’t get to work on time, or school, or even your child’s daycare, how do you build a life? How do you write your success story?
That was the day the idea of CoTravel was born.
I realized the problem wasn’t just mine. Every year, thousands of immigrants arrive in Canada carrying dreams in their eyes and skills in their hands — ready to contribute. But the cost and inaccessibility of daily travel is a real barrier. Public transport doesn’t always reach far-flung communities. Taxis and ride apps are expensive. And for many — especially newcomers — driving isn’t even an option right away.
So I asked: What if we could build something better?
What if we could connect people going the same way, every day, in real-time — making commuting affordable, safe, and reliable for everyone?
That’s how CoTravel began.
Not just as a rideshare platform, but as a movement — to remove the everyday barriers that stand between people and opportunity.