Star Tribune photo by Aaron Lavinsky

Residents in Duluth, Minn., will have a new transportation option starting at noon Monday when Uber begins service in state's fifth largest city.

To kick off the service, the nation's largest ride-hailing service is offering two free rides up to $15 on trips taken between Monday and 11:59 p.m. Thursday. To redeem the free rides, users can enter the promotion code RIDEDULUTH into the Uber app payment section when setting up their trip.

The Duluth service also includes Hermantown, Cloquet, Carlton, Superior, Wis., and surrounding communities.

Uber allows riders to arrange transportation by using their Smartphones.The company partners with pre-screened local drivers who use their personal vehicles to give neighbors a ride on their own schedule. "It was clear that Duluth residents and our nearly seven million tourists a year would benefit from additional transportation options," said City Council member Noah Hobbs. "This comes just in time for our busy summer season and Grandma's Marathon. We are thrilled to welcome Uber to Duluth to offer both residents and visitors a new and additional option from getting to point A to point B."

Uber's expansion in to Duluth comes two months after the San Francisco-based company started service in Rochester, St. Cloud and Mankato. It also operates throughout the Twin Cities seven-county metro area.

In March, Uber also began service in service in Bismarck and Grand Forks in North Dakota, and Eau Claire, La Crosse and Wausau in Wisconsin.