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Lyft vs Uber: The Rivalry

Are you wondering how the top two transportation network companies:  Lyft vs Uber stack up against each other?

We break down the two industry-leading services to find out who has the edge in the battle of Lyft versus Uber.

lyft vs uber guide

Try these ridesharing services out for yourself and see which one is best for you.  Below is a list of the top 3 rideshare services along with a promotional code for a free ride.

  • [randomtext category=”lyft code amount”] Lyft Promo Code: [randomtext category=”lyft codes”]

Pro Tip: The codes above are only valid for a limited time so use the credit shortly after you enter the code into the app

Lyft against Uber: Customer Service & Support

With the rapid increase in the number of users on the Uber and Lyft platforms, the quality of customer support and service has slowly been getting better.

At this point, response emails from Uber or Lyft representatives typically take between 1 to 3 days.

Each company has an excellent history when it comes to covering their drivers’ backs, especially in times of need.

For instance…

One of the more helpful platforms comes from Lyft in the form of invitations to its active drivers for the driver lounge Facebook group.

In this group, they can answer questions raised by other drivers, publicize community events or even share inspirational stories.

Lyft also maintains 24/ 7 emergency call centers at 855-865-9553.

On the other hand, Uber contrary to Lyft have an online support form that the customer may submit.

As the battle for customer service supremacy continues, we take a closer look at Lyft versus Uber below.

Uber and Lyft: Company Popularity & Growth

Uber and Lyft are two dominant private rideshare transportation companies in the United States.

Basically…

Rideshares are transportation network companies that use online platforms to connect drivers to passengers.

The drivers use their vehicles to provide transport services to clients.

Lyft against Uber is a battle between two of the leading rideshare companies in the United States.

Technically, rideshares are transportation network companies, a more formal name created by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2013 to describe companies that use an online platform to connect passengers with drivers who use their cars.

Uber-against-lyft

These two premium rideshare companies have been sniping at each other for some time now.

However, the following data shows that their rivalry is pretty lopsided.

In comparing the two, one finds that Uber has more investors and greater popularity nationwide.

The company now offers sign-up bonuses to Lyft drivers who jump ship to Uber.

Similarly, Uber has more cars in its portfolio than does Lyft.

Uber also tends to arrive sooner than Lyft vehicles.

Uber rides are often much newer since most of them were bought solely for rideshare purposes.

Most Uber drivers are also male professional drivers with better street knowledge than their Lyft counterparts.

Lyft or Uber: Battle of Consumer Cost

In taking a closer look at the Lyft against Uber debate, it appears to be the case that both Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are very similar in terms of pricing and cost.

Although both companies offer expensive, premium rides in limos and luxury SUVs, a basic ride costs pretty much the same in Uber as it will in Lyft.

However, costs vary from city to city for both rideshares.

Generally, however, rides cost $ 1 to start, $ 1.50/ mile and $ 0.25/ minute.

The rule of thumb cost is about $2 per mile, which is 20 to 30 percent cheaper than taking a traditional taxi cab service.

Still, these rides tend to cost a little more in cities with higher ride demand (such as San Francisco and Los Angeles).

Anyhow, when comparing Uber vs Lyft costs, they come out about equal.

At high-demand locations and times, the cost of your rideshare can increase significantly.

For Lyft, the prime time can increase your cost to 200 percent while the surge pricing for Uber can increase the cost by 7 or 8 times the initial price.

Additionally, Uber makes it easy for passengers to notice the surge pricing prior to placing a pick-up request.

You’ll always be prompted to enter the surge multiplier before requesting a ride.

Just keep in mind that using rideshare at peak times may be more expensive than off-peak times.

Lyft in contrast to Uber: Company Culture

Lyft in contrast to Uber

Now, let’s look at the experience of utilizing each of these ridesharing services.

If you are looking for an engaging, front-seat and fun ride, then you should choose Lyft.

Uber workers dress well and more likely to open the door for you while Lyft drivers greet clients as friends with fist bumps.

Lyft drivers also adorn pink mustaches and sport fun themes (including the Cookie Lyft, the Karaoke Lyft, the Trivia Lyft and the Harry Potter Lyft) on their cars to make the ride more fun.

Therefore, with regards to fun company culture, Lyft takes the biscuit.

Lyft and Uber: Company Growth

Most wealthy hedge-fund investors have aimed their money guns at both Uber and Lyft.

Investors understand the long-term potential and profitability of both rideshare companies.

Therefore, they have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in both firms.

As a result, both Lyft and Uber have started offering incredible deals to attract and retain more customers.

Exclusive deals you can enjoy include ride credit with a lyft code for new passengers.

Both Lyft and Uber have secured significant investor funding to help them expand into new areas and to increase awareness in new markets.

Lyft Contra Uber: Smartphone App

Uber and Lyft developed their apps around the same time.

These apps are primarily used to connect drivers and riders.

They also track the cars with GPS and accept payment via credit card.

The battle of Lyft vs Uber continues to heat up with a showdown of the smartphone app from a customer’s perspective.

You can do a lot on both apps, including watching your driver on a map as they navigate to your location, plug-in an address before the pick-up and submit electronic payments and ratings.

The Uber app shows riders the real-time cost of their transportation.

Still, Uber drivers are required to use pre-supplied iPhones at a cost of $10 per week.

Most of these iPhones restrict drivers from downloading non-Uber apps.

On the other hand, the Lyft app is more functional and user-friendly.

Therefore, the Lyft app wins in the long run.

Lyft Facing Uber: Revolutionary Tech Services

Lyft Facing UberUber offers a wide range of services, including the UberBlack (for limo rideshare), UberEATS (food delivery service), Uber XL (for groups of 6 people) and UberPLUS (where up to 4 passengers get to share stylish and sleek rides at affordable prices).

Similarly, Lyft offers Lyft Line (which allows passengers traveling through the same route to share the ride and split the cost) and Lyft Plus (for groups of 6 passengers).

This is in addition to the regular process of taking a Lyft ride on your own.

The Lyft versus Uber debate is hard to pinpoint a clear winner with both sides having advantages in each category; each has pros and cons to its overall experience.

Uber counter to Lyft: Rides for Business/Work

Both Lyft and Uber have ride services for workplaces.

Uber for Business and Lyft for Work each work with businesses to provide rides for employees.

These programs can be used for daily commutes, business travel, late night rides, special events, or even to supplement public transit.

For more information about Lyft for Work, check out their website:  https://www.lyft.com/work.

For more information about Uber for Business, check out their website:  https://www.uber.com/business.

Uber contrary to Lyft: Coverage Area

Uber has been in the market longer than Lyft.

At the moment, Lyft operates in 60+ cities while Uber lists close to 200 cities (in 45 countries) on their website.

Top cities include San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles.

Uber vs Lyft is one of the hottest topics in the transportation industry.

In conclusion, each company has its own unique advantages.

Using Lyft or Uber is much easier than hailing a taxi on crowded corners.

You only need to whip out your smartphone, log into your app of choice, tap for the ride and wait for the driver to show up.

Once you get to your destination, you just tap again to pay for it.

Your choice of a ride will depend on exactly what you are looking for.

However, it is better to try out each service first to see which you like.

Uber or Lyft: Rideshare Drivers

uber-or-lyft-rideshare-drivers

Both Uber and Lyft have pros and cons when it comes to driving for the companies.

While the job is essentially the same, there are differences from the driver perspective.

Each company offers a fair standard rate as well as bonus incentives.

Which to choose?

View our full analysis of becoming an Uber worker here:  Uber: Rideshare Driving Jobs Guide

And…

Also read our analysis on becoming a Lyft driver:  Lyft Driver: Rideshare Driving Jobs Guide

According to a recent Uber survey for their drivers are mostly happy.

Lyft drivers love the fact that they get tipped at the end of the ride contrary to Uber who doesn’t offer a tipping option.