FLINT, MI -- The popular ridesharing service Uber launched in Flint this week, part of a multi-city Michigan expansion that included Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Lansing.



The company announced the expansion Thursday, July 24, on it's website. Now users can use the company's smartphone app to connect with drivers across the city. The new destinations join Ann Arbor and Detroit as Uber cities.



"So whether you've got an important local beer release party to get to in Kzoo, need to get to a friend's house to defend your euchre prowess or it's game day for the green and white, Uber's got Michiganders covered with a safe and affordable ride at the touch of a button to get you where you need to go," the company's announcement read.



The service works by connecting customers with independent drivers driving their own cars. Users hail a ride via the app, and GPS data connects them with the closest driver. Payment is automatically calculated and deducted.



The company is promoting the expansion with a code for two weeks of free rides in the new cities.



Some cities have pushed back against the service, saying it's unfair to local taxi drivers who pay special city licensing fees.



Ann Arbor officials have sought to kick the company out of town, sending cease and desist letters.

Uber has reached a temporary agreement with the city of Detroit, allowing it to operate under a two-year grace period before assessing it's future in the city.

At least one Flint cab company is keeping an eye on Uber's arrival.



But Kristyn Mockles, a human resources manager with Hey Taxi, said she thinks their services appeal to a different kind of customer.



A lot of Hey Taxi cusrtomers are senior citizens, who might not necessarily be hip to a smart phone-powered cab service. Futher, many of their customers like to deal in cash, an option Uber doesn't offer.



"I feel like our taxi service is a little bit more personal than theirs will be," Mockles said.







Blake Thorne is a reporter for MLive-The Flint Journal. Contact him at bthorne1@mlive.com or 810-347-8194. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.