computers, software engineering, startups.
November 3rd, 2014
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I moved to San Francisco from outside of New York City a little over a year ago. I quickly learned that public transit (BART/Muni) isn’t the same as in NYC. In NYC you have trains that will take you everywhere in and around the city to within a few minutes walk from your destination at any time of the day. In SF the transit is similar if you happen to be traveling around one of the few lines, but it takes about 4-6 times as much time as it would to drive and there is no service between 1am-5am every day of the week which is a real pain on the weekends.
When faced with a difficulty or inconvenience, Startups quickly appear to solve these issues with technology. Uber and Lyft are both trying to solve it in different ways.
Uber is not a taxi service itself, it does not employ any drivers (technically). Their app connects people looking for a ride with available private drivers who are on the Uber platform as well. All fares are charged based on the standardized system and payments/tip is handled automatically via credit card. No cash required, and if you have a problem they ask for feedback after every ride.
Lyft is not a taxi service either, but a Ride Sharing application. The drivers are screened and employed by Lyft. While the fares are also calculated automatically, they give you flexibility in the tip that is left for the driver, allowing you to give extra or less. Lyft drivers receive “Donations” in order to be compliant with laws as drivers who are not licensed taxi drivers. “Your friend with a car” is their tagline for a reason! Lyft encourages their drivers to be talkative and friendly during your ride, to make you more comfortable and pass the time quickly.
Both Uber and Lyft have a similar app which has a map to choose a pickup point (helped with GPS) and a drop off point (optional) and a updated ETA/visual icon of the driver on the map so you know when and where to expect them to pick you up.
Surge pricing (Uber) or Prime Time (Lyft) is something that both companies do to inflate the ride prices during peak times. They do this to encourage drivers to drive and to go to the high demand areas. The down side of this is that you can often pay 2-3x the normal rate, which adds up quickly! Often walking just a few blocks away or waiting a few minutes will get you out of the “surge area” and give you a much more reasonable price.
Both Uber and Lyft offer a referral program in order for users to spread the word while gaining free rides on their platforms. The promotion codes they provide are unique to each user so they know who referred who. This can be a great way to get around the city for less than the full price of the ride, since each promo code is worth $20 on Uber, or $10 on Lyft. The Uber promotion code is only available for a limited amount of time, so let your friends know while you still can!
Happy Riding!