Someone just created an Uber for truck rentals in Toronto

One Toronto company is trying to revolutionize the way we move our stuff. This startup launched Fetchit, an on-demand service connecting those with vans and pickup trucks with users who have items to move.

CEO Matthew Karabela says he and his team came up with the idea last year because his co-founder used his pick-up truck to get part-time moving gigs via Kijiji.

“We’re like, you know what, there’s a market for this because looking at the moving section on Kijiji, you’ve got tons of pick-up truck and van drivers and you don’t know anything about them and the costs are all over the map. You never know what you’re going to get,” says Karabela.

Fetchit does criminal background checks on its drivers and has a structured rate system. Prices start at $39 and $49 for pick-up trucks and cargo vans. It's $2 per kilometre for the first 20 kilometres and $1.50 per kilometre for the next 20. Anything over 40 kilometres is $1 per kilometre.

Each trips comes with 10 minutes of loading and unloading time - anything over that is $1 a minute. This means if you need to pick up and move a couch, you don't need to worry about schlepping it into your apartment yourself.

You can schedule a move via the iPhone or Android app, but can also request a truck on demand. Karabela notes it's not "Uber-fast," but says Fetchit can usually provide someone within one hour and the company operates between Oshawa and Niagara Falls. Although Karabela notes most of the trips happen downtown.

Currently, Fetchit's looking to partner with SpaceIShare, another local startup that provides alternative storage solutions for Torontonians.