8 ms·

Lyft Set to Claim Third of U.S. Market in 2017

141 points by WisNorCan 9y ago

aantix 9y ago
This makes me happy. I started using Lyft in SF back in 2012 and I've always thought their drivers were friendlier and flat out more fun to ride with than Ubers. I understand that a lot of people may not enjoy that kind of ride, but it's nice to see that level of customer service start to win out.
- djrogers 9y ago
  These days 80% of the rides I take are with drivers who are running both Lyft and Uber, and there is little to no difference between the drivers attitude or the ride. The rare exceptions are not always in Lyft’s favor (over-the top theme decorated cars with annoying sound effects and props, or super chatty drivers who don’t stop talking even when I take out my earphones to explain that I’m on a call or watching a training video etc).
andygcook 9y ago
Whenever I take a rideshare I have a habit of asking the drivers how they like the app they’re driving for — Lyft/Uber. Hands down Lyft drivers have better things to say than Uber drivers. Lyft pays more, reportedly treats the drivers better and was the first to build tipping into the app. Anectdotely as a rider, Lyft drivers tend to friendly. Good to see Lyft growing.
- vinutheraj 9y ago
  Most drivers I have talked to use both and shift between them based on the number of rides they are getting.
- furioussloth 9y ago
  Whether Lyft treats drivers better is very debatable. After 180 days of change campaign that Uber did many drivers believed Uber is better for them than Lyft. But Lyft also takes smaller cut of fare compared to Uber (Lyft also charges way less in my city so drivers get paid pretty much the same.) Both companies screw their drivers in one way or the other but Lyft does it with smiles and fist bumps. Source: I spend more time on uber/lyft drivers subreddits than i would like to admit.
- tootie 9y ago
  I'm a Lyft devotee but 99% of drivers are signed up for every service available. In NYC that's Uber, Gett, Juno and probably a few more. So I don't think any service is differentiated by drivers.
- djohnston 9y ago
  I don’t like the new tipping functionality. Lyft is just pushing its obligation to pay its drivers fairly onto the customers.
joelrunyon 9y ago
I always wish we as riders could set a "preset" for what we'd like in a ride. Most times I take a lyft/uber I have something else to do in the car ride + rarely want to talk to the driver. Maybe that's rude, but if I take a taxi or a bus, I just want to get somewhere, not have a conversation. With the advent of "tips" and "compliments" - I've noticed how much more drivers talk to you just because they think it will help with tips, when really - I'll tip them more if they get me there faster w/ less hassle. Maybe this makes me a bit cold, but I feel like it could be a trivial thing to fix considering each rider has their own preferences. Seems like you could set a default on your profile "I like chats", "just business" etc - and let your driver know ahead of time and avoid the "I don't really want to talk right now" type of chats that have no way to not come out rude.
- aeontech 9y ago
  If I need to work or nap or just think quietly, I just tell the driver upfront. Never had anyone take offense or bother me after that. Not sure why that needs to be automated. People tend to talk out of social anxiety or the perceived need to entertain a passenger who looks bored. I do not think the majority of drivers talk as a mercenary plot to try to get a bigger tip - simple human sociability seems just as likely an explanation. Also, Lyft’s “thing” from the very start was to be a more friendly ride, with drivers encouraged to offer bottled water/snack/phone charger and chat.
  - jessriedel 9y ago
    I agree that just saying you want to work is totally acceptable and I've never had an issue, but I think it's naive to think driver's don't strike up a conversation, at least part of the time, as a way to build camaraderie and generate tips. This is a ubiquitous technique in the service industry and there's nothing wrong with it.
    - ggg9990 9y ago
      If Uber driver conversations were mostly tip-motivated then you would have seen an increase in the frequency of them when Uber introduced tipping a few months ago. I haven't observed that. Something like 80-95% of my drivers have started conversations.
aviv 9y ago
Lyft is a good example for startups that are 2nd or 3rd place (or worse) behind a competing market leader. Perseverance can pay off tremendously. You never know what the market forces will dictate, when your competitor will be tied in some massive scandal, when the #1 market leader will get bought out and have their primary product shut down a short while later, etc.
- tyingq 9y ago
  Avis rent a car used to embrace that attitude: https://visual.ly/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/avis-1.jpg https://visual.ly/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/avis-1.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QjhMFKRvyqo/SODNmsNEHCI/AAAAAAAAAks/v4Awy6s_vjQ/s400/AvisNeedsYou64.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QjhMFKRvyqo/SODNmsNEHCI/AAAAAAAAAk...
  - faitswulff 9y ago
    Did it work out for them?
    - tyingq 9y ago
      They're number 3 now. Enterprise was the surprise, taking the number one spot
  - rokhayakebe 9y ago
    They could scratch everything save "The Line at Our Counter is Shorter." That sounds powerful enough.
    - TulliusCicero 9y ago
      I'm surprised there aren't rental car counters that are just a bunch of automated kiosks, like they have for flight check-ins. It seems like there's rarely anything that actually requires a human at the desk when I've already booked the car rental a while ago.
      - 9y ago
revelation 9y ago
A whole third of a market where no one is making money, and hasn't for a decade now? What a great achievement.
- dang 9y ago
  Would you please not snark or post unsubstantive dismissals? We're trying for better than that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
unabridged 9y ago
I like that lyft is getting more marketshare. But could we create an opensource rideshare server and a nonprofit that lets drivers keep 99% of the fare? There is nothing these companies are doing that the drivers couldn't get done themselves with a handful of developers. The lawyering/lobbying part is taken care of as long as they follow in uber and lyft's footprints.
- listenallyall 9y ago
  isn't that a bit optimistic? while you're at it, why not create an open-source ticket-selling site where fees are only 1% of the ticket price? and a short-term home/room rental with tiny fees also? oh, and a global auction (or BuyItNow) marketplace with virtually no fees, because open-source. when you're finished with those, don't forget a worldwide social network with no ads, because why not, its gonna be opensource, right?
  - TulliusCicero 9y ago
    Exactly correct: there are many developers overenthusiastic about free/open software who trivialize everything other than the code (and sometimes even that). "Business things? How hard could businessing possibly be??"
  - WisNorCan 9y ago
    Do any of those sound crazier than (1) a free open source OS that anyone can just download and modify or (2) a free encyclopedia created by people on the Internet that has the same quality as EB. Dream big. All the best ideas sound impossible until someone does it.
- cbcoutinho 9y ago
  > "... couldn't get done themselves with a handful of developers" This sounds like someone with an idea looking for a developer to 'just' implement that idea into an app for them. The software side of a real-time ridesharing service is not trivial
- Tangy92 9y ago
  I've thought about this but it's not feasible. Firstly the software side is not trivial, costs for servers and payment processing and everything are real, and providing support for unsatisfied riders would be impossible.
indescions_2017 9y ago
After $1B investment from CapitalG, Lyft may also go public before Uber: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/20/new-york-times-digital-lyft-exploring-i-p-o-raises-1-billion-led-by-googles-parent.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/20/new-york-times-digital-lyft-... It will be very interesting if their two paths diverge. With Uber aggresively investing in autonomous systems, logistics and emerging markets. While Lyft provides its Open Platform to car manufacturers. And pivots to a more "experiential" consumer-centric culture and service.
habosa 9y ago
Uber is like the classic movie evil villain. They had their enemy dangling over the pit of alligators, but they spent too long giving their final speech and the good guy got away. If Uber had better direction in the last 2 years they would have completely crushed Lyft, even put them out of business. But I'm glad they didn't. I like Lyft more and the competition is good for users of both.
- icebraining 9y ago
  I'm not sure this is bad for Uber. Having competition can be helpful politically. It reduces claims of monopolization and makes laws that help "ride sharing" services less likely to be perceived as a favor to a single company.
akerro 9y ago
Why is there no Lyft in Europe?
- KerrickStaley 9y ago
  Lyft is very focused on winning the US market before doing aggressive international expansion.
  - chris_wot 9y ago
    It appears they are also willing to follow the law.
    - asabjorn 9y ago
      What do you mean by following the law in this case? And how would they be different from Uber in this regards? Uber has recently worked closely with regulators in both London and Brazil to create regulation where little existed before.
      - gsnedders 9y ago
        What regulation have they created in London? AFAIK, Uber London Ltd has always just operated as a private hire firm; the only notable things with regards to regulations was what ended up with the court case as to whether their use of GPS distance-tracking was considered a taximeter.
        asabjorn 9y ago
        In Brazil it’s passed regulation while in London it’s currently a WIP according to press. You did not answer my question though. How is Lyft any different in this regard? Quite to the contrary Uber is as far as I know breaking ground in this regard in Brazil and London with possible replication of these efforts elsewhere.
musgrove 9y ago
Here's the source: "a private Lyft investor document." I'll take it with a grain of salt.
jacksmith21006 9y ago
Google was coy on their plans in Arizona involving Lyft. They did share there would be news in the not too distant future. Google ride sharing in Arizona need to be supplemented with human drivers for trips Google can not do automated. My guess is Google will use Lyft will this service for the humans. BTW, Google also owns 9% of Uber.

141 points by WisNorCan 9y ago

This makes me happy. I started using Lyft in SF back in 2012 and I've always thought their drivers were friendlier and flat out more fun to ride with than Ubers. I understand that a lot of people may not enjoy that kind of ride, but it's nice to see that level of customer service start to win out.

djrogers 9y ago
These days 80% of the rides I take are with drivers who are running both Lyft and Uber, and there is little to no difference between the drivers attitude or the ride. The rare exceptions are not always in Lyft’s favor (over-the top theme decorated cars with annoying sound effects and props, or super chatty drivers who don’t stop talking even when I take out my earphones to explain that I’m on a call or watching a training video etc).

andygcook 9y ago

Whenever I take a rideshare I have a habit of asking the drivers how they like the app they’re driving for — Lyft/Uber. Hands down Lyft drivers have better things to say than Uber drivers. Lyft pays more, reportedly treats the drivers better and was the first to build tipping into the app. Anectdotely as a rider, Lyft drivers tend to friendly. Good to see Lyft growing.

vinutheraj 9y ago
Most drivers I have talked to use both and shift between them based on the number of rides they are getting.
furioussloth 9y ago
Whether Lyft treats drivers better is very debatable. After 180 days of change campaign that Uber did many drivers believed Uber is better for them than Lyft. But Lyft also takes smaller cut of fare compared to Uber (Lyft also charges way less in my city so drivers get paid pretty much the same.) Both companies screw their drivers in one way or the other but Lyft does it with smiles and fist bumps. Source: I spend more time on uber/lyft drivers subreddits than i would like to admit.
tootie 9y ago
I'm a Lyft devotee but 99% of drivers are signed up for every service available. In NYC that's Uber, Gett, Juno and probably a few more. So I don't think any service is differentiated by drivers.
djohnston 9y ago
I don’t like the new tipping functionality. Lyft is just pushing its obligation to pay its drivers fairly onto the customers.

joelrunyon 9y ago

I always wish we as riders could set a "preset" for what we'd like in a ride. Most times I take a lyft/uber I have something else to do in the car ride + rarely want to talk to the driver. Maybe that's rude, but if I take a taxi or a bus, I just want to get somewhere, not have a conversation. With the advent of "tips" and "compliments" - I've noticed how much more drivers talk to you just because they think it will help with tips, when really - I'll tip them more if they get me there faster w/ less hassle. Maybe this makes me a bit cold, but I feel like it could be a trivial thing to fix considering each rider has their own preferences. Seems like you could set a default on your profile "I like chats", "just business" etc - and let your driver know ahead of time and avoid the "I don't really want to talk right now" type of chats that have no way to not come out rude.

aeontech 9y ago
If I need to work or nap or just think quietly, I just tell the driver upfront. Never had anyone take offense or bother me after that. Not sure why that needs to be automated. People tend to talk out of social anxiety or the perceived need to entertain a passenger who looks bored. I do not think the majority of drivers talk as a mercenary plot to try to get a bigger tip - simple human sociability seems just as likely an explanation. Also, Lyft’s “thing” from the very start was to be a more friendly ride, with drivers encouraged to offer bottled water/snack/phone charger and chat.
- jessriedel 9y ago
  I agree that just saying you want to work is totally acceptable and I've never had an issue, but I think it's naive to think driver's don't strike up a conversation, at least part of the time, as a way to build camaraderie and generate tips. This is a ubiquitous technique in the service industry and there's nothing wrong with it.
  - ggg9990 9y ago
    If Uber driver conversations were mostly tip-motivated then you would have seen an increase in the frequency of them when Uber introduced tipping a few months ago. I haven't observed that. Something like 80-95% of my drivers have started conversations.

aviv 9y ago

Lyft is a good example for startups that are 2nd or 3rd place (or worse) behind a competing market leader. Perseverance can pay off tremendously. You never know what the market forces will dictate, when your competitor will be tied in some massive scandal, when the #1 market leader will get bought out and have their primary product shut down a short while later, etc.

tyingq 9y ago
Avis rent a car used to embrace that attitude: https://visual.ly/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/avis-1.jpg https://visual.ly/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/avis-1.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QjhMFKRvyqo/SODNmsNEHCI/AAAAAAAAAks/v4Awy6s_vjQ/s400/AvisNeedsYou64.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QjhMFKRvyqo/SODNmsNEHCI/AAAAAAAAAk...
- faitswulff 9y ago
  Did it work out for them?
  - tyingq 9y ago
    They're number 3 now. Enterprise was the surprise, taking the number one spot
- rokhayakebe 9y ago
  They could scratch everything save "The Line at Our Counter is Shorter." That sounds powerful enough.
  - TulliusCicero 9y ago
    I'm surprised there aren't rental car counters that are just a bunch of automated kiosks, like they have for flight check-ins. It seems like there's rarely anything that actually requires a human at the desk when I've already booked the car rental a while ago.
    - 9y ago

revelation 9y ago

A whole third of a market where no one is making money, and hasn't for a decade now? What a great achievement.

dang 9y ago
Would you please not snark or post unsubstantive dismissals? We're trying for better than that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

unabridged 9y ago

I like that lyft is getting more marketshare. But could we create an opensource rideshare server and a nonprofit that lets drivers keep 99% of the fare? There is nothing these companies are doing that the drivers couldn't get done themselves with a handful of developers. The lawyering/lobbying part is taken care of as long as they follow in uber and lyft's footprints.

listenallyall 9y ago
isn't that a bit optimistic? while you're at it, why not create an open-source ticket-selling site where fees are only 1% of the ticket price? and a short-term home/room rental with tiny fees also? oh, and a global auction (or BuyItNow) marketplace with virtually no fees, because open-source. when you're finished with those, don't forget a worldwide social network with no ads, because why not, its gonna be opensource, right?
- TulliusCicero 9y ago
  Exactly correct: there are many developers overenthusiastic about free/open software who trivialize everything other than the code (and sometimes even that). "Business things? How hard could businessing possibly be??"
- WisNorCan 9y ago
  Do any of those sound crazier than (1) a free open source OS that anyone can just download and modify or (2) a free encyclopedia created by people on the Internet that has the same quality as EB. Dream big. All the best ideas sound impossible until someone does it.
cbcoutinho 9y ago
> "... couldn't get done themselves with a handful of developers" This sounds like someone with an idea looking for a developer to 'just' implement that idea into an app for them. The software side of a real-time ridesharing service is not trivial
Tangy92 9y ago
I've thought about this but it's not feasible. Firstly the software side is not trivial, costs for servers and payment processing and everything are real, and providing support for unsatisfied riders would be impossible.

indescions_2017 9y ago

After $1B investment from CapitalG, Lyft may also go public before Uber: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/20/new-york-times-digital-lyft-exploring-i-p-o-raises-1-billion-led-by-googles-parent.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/20/new-york-times-digital-lyft-... It will be very interesting if their two paths diverge. With Uber aggresively investing in autonomous systems, logistics and emerging markets. While Lyft provides its Open Platform to car manufacturers. And pivots to a more "experiential" consumer-centric culture and service.

habosa 9y ago

Uber is like the classic movie evil villain. They had their enemy dangling over the pit of alligators, but they spent too long giving their final speech and the good guy got away. If Uber had better direction in the last 2 years they would have completely crushed Lyft, even put them out of business. But I'm glad they didn't. I like Lyft more and the competition is good for users of both.

icebraining 9y ago
I'm not sure this is bad for Uber. Having competition can be helpful politically. It reduces claims of monopolization and makes laws that help "ride sharing" services less likely to be perceived as a favor to a single company.

akerro 9y ago

Why is there no Lyft in Europe?

KerrickStaley 9y ago
Lyft is very focused on winning the US market before doing aggressive international expansion.
- chris_wot 9y ago
  It appears they are also willing to follow the law.
  - asabjorn 9y ago
    What do you mean by following the law in this case? And how would they be different from Uber in this regards? Uber has recently worked closely with regulators in both London and Brazil to create regulation where little existed before.
    - gsnedders 9y ago
      What regulation have they created in London? AFAIK, Uber London Ltd has always just operated as a private hire firm; the only notable things with regards to regulations was what ended up with the court case as to whether their use of GPS distance-tracking was considered a taximeter.
      - asabjorn 9y ago
        In Brazil it’s passed regulation while in London it’s currently a WIP according to press. You did not answer my question though. How is Lyft any different in this regard? Quite to the contrary Uber is as far as I know breaking ground in this regard in Brazil and London with possible replication of these efforts elsewhere.

musgrove 9y ago

Here's the source: "a private Lyft investor document." I'll take it with a grain of salt.

jacksmith21006 9y ago

Google was coy on their plans in Arizona involving Lyft. They did share there would be news in the not too distant future. Google ride sharing in Arizona need to be supplemented with human drivers for trips Google can not do automated. My guess is Google will use Lyft will this service for the humans. BTW, Google also owns 9% of Uber.