UberSKI, an Uber vehicle that has room for your skis and has snow-driving capabilities, is a welcome sign for skiers and riders in the western mountains.

According to a report from Engadget, however, the rideshare giant is bringing UberSKI to the Twin Cities and Green Bay, too.

Here’s an excerpt from Uber’s announcement about the new product from its website:

UberSKI is your answer to stress-free rides to and from the slopes. When you request UberSKI, a vehicle will arrive with either a ski rack or a truck bed so that you, your friends, and all your gear can fit with ease. Only certain vehicles are eligible for UberSKI—you’re sure to get a car that can handle the snow.

Available in many ski towns across the United States, UberSKI lets you skip the crowded parking lots and jam-packed shuttles to spend more time on the mountains you love.

– Uber.com blog post

According to Uber’s website, the usual rates will apply, but there will be an $8 surcharge for the UberSKI option.

In our eyes, this is undoubtedly a positive for skiers and riders in the mountains. Don’t want to pay to park? Went too hard apres and can’t get your vehicle home safely? Need a ride back to the car after a sidecountry adventure? UberSKI answers all these questions.

The biggest question to me is, why the Midwest?

Again, definitely a positive here too, but it’s interesting to me that they would target MSP and Green Bay for this service. Especially in places like the Midwest, if you have ski gear, it’s likely you have a way to get your gear to the hill, too.

Uber is, at least in theory, a data-driven outfit. So did they see a high demand for drivers with ski capacity in this area? Or are they just launching it anywhere there is a ski hill and seeing how it goes?

One utility I envision would be a way for parents to get their kids to the hill and back without having to drive them yourself.

No matter how it’s designed, I’m intrigued by this Engadget report listing MSP and Green Bay as UberSKI locations.

For the record, the official Uber release says the first launch is only in more traditional skiing areas like Utah, New Mexico, Lake Tahoe, Colorado and Flagstaff.