I know this may sound hyperbolic, but I hope that others join me in finally getting around to installing the Lyft app today.
Before now I'd considered them too small to be worth bothering with, but hey, if Uber is worried then maybe I should give it a try. After this, and Uber's attempts at doing the same with GoTaxi a few months ago, I'll be very happy to take my business elsewhere.
I'd also be interested to know if the VCs that invested in Uber were aware of these tactics. It's especially sad to think of good startup investment money being used to defraud a competing company rather than invest in good customer service.
I was in San Francisco for a few days in mid June.
Having never used a ride-sharing service before, I hesistantly installed Lyft and handed over my payment information.
After the first ride, I didn't look back. I used their services maybe 10 times in 3 days in order to get around the city. Waits were never very long (we got rides at many different times of day, morning, mid-day, late night) and all of the drivers I had were friendly.
My experiences were all pleasant and the fares were reasonable. I can't speak to the quality of the Uber experience, but it seems many of the Lyft drivers were not too keen on the company.
Having used both, the one thing that keeps me from exclusively using lyft is coverage. Around Atlanta suburbs they don't seem to have much coverage, not something that can be fixed easily I guess.
On at least two occasions in San Francisco I've seen someone with the Uber U on their windshield and a pink mustache on the dashboard, ready to swap out. Don't know how widespread it is, but it seems pretty easy for drivers to work both networks.
I was in SF a few weeks ago (for YC Hacks, actually) and virtually every one of my Lyft drivers (~4) was a driver for both Lyft and Uber.
All of them said they vastly prefer Lyft — they said Uber's policies for firing otherwise excellent drivers as soon as they dip below 4.6/5.0 stars makes them very worried.
As a user, I found the actual driving experience of Lyft better, but the Uber app is vastly superior to Lyft's – not being able to split rides being a major annoyance.
The drivers' experience carries far more weight than any policy on paper, though.
Actual implementation of policies can be completely different (imagine a ratings drop triggering an automated email saying "turn in your kit before 6pm today or a security detail will come get it" vs. triggering a non-confrontational call from someone trained to help you improve your ratings). Even the tone with which a policy is generally enforced (even if the end result is exactly the same) matters.
I don't have direct experience with either Lyft or Uber, but I wouldn't discredit drivers' impressions.
This is what I imagine drivers doing. In NYC, if you're in the outskirts of the boroughs you're probably better off as a driver being part of both networks.
I'd love to take my business elsewhere. Particularly to Lyft however when I tried to sign up the other day to try it out I got a message that my account was banned and I had to contact support. I believe it said I had a duplicate account. I've never used Lyft.
I wonder if action they took against my account was a result of them trying to mitigate these attacks from Uber. If so the damage is much worse than just the canceled rides.
Same, pretty sure I've been shadow-banned by Lyft for the past year or two since it never shows any available cars in the middle of the day despite living in downtown SF (and plenty when my roommate opens the app next to me). I'm very cordial in any rideshare service I take, and have a very high Uber rating over hundreds of trips (though that large quantity is a direct result of not being able to use Lyft). I've always joked I was caught up in the counter-Uber net, because I see no other reason why I wouldn't be able to use the service.
Nope, it's pure speculation based on multiple reports of seemingly baseless shadowbans from Lyft. But given uber's recent behavior Lyft might want to look into this just in case. I have no idea what the relevant laws are but parking a username seems less much risky than making fake calls, yet it could easily have similar upside for uber.
You honestly think Uber would risk their customer's credentials to shut out a competitor they are already trouncing by most accounts? I would consider the risks of using customer's credentials in such a careless and ridiculous way many magnitudes higher than the potential rewards. It's much safer to buy burner phones and assume fake identities. Sorry, it just doesn't make sense without some evidence to back up it up.
Credentials? They would just need a username, unless I'm mistaken?
> the risks of using customer's credentials in such a careless and ridiculous way many magnitudes higher than the potential rewards
Are you sure? What are the risks of parking a username? I doubt it's illegal and I bet they could obfuscate the traffic well enough to make it very difficult to prove to a court that they were the ones doing it. The only downside seems to be a bit of slightly negative PR (i.e. the assumptions of those who jump to conclusions) when Lyft detects the widespread parking.
Meanwhile, the upside is the expected value of their most profitable customers times the probability that they will switch to Uber+Lyft or 100%Lyft.
Low risk, large upside... I don't think this is as bad a business proposition as you make it sound like.
My sympathies - it was exactly issues like that which drove me away from Windows Phone (7) back to Android. I hear it's a lot better these days, but all it takes is one missing app...
I switched back from WP8 to android a couple of months ago, and I must say the better app selection has been huge.
Where I felt the app shortage hurt the most wasn't at the top - there are a few glaring omissions, and some of the apps took a long time to show up, but WP8 for the most part has apps for top services (facebook, twitter, instagram, spotify, uber, etc).
But then there's this second tier of apps where WP8's coverage is absolutely terrible.
I was talking with a coworker today about how his bank (small, local bank) just released an app allowing mobile check deposit - on android and iOS.
Your favorite pizza chain or sub shop has an app for ordering delivery or takeout? Android and iOS only.
Target has an app that allows you to search an item, and then see what aisle it's in in the store - android and iOS only.
There's this huge class of convenient but not necessary apps that you don't get on windows phone right now, and having spent a couple of months with them, I don't think I could go back. It's too bad really, I feel like Microsoft got a lot of things right with WP8. I definitely preferred the UI compared to android.
I got my second Windows Phone (in spite of developing exclusively on iOS myself), and I don't miss most apps. It's amazing how many good third-party apps work with the cloud-backed apps I use on my iPad. Instapaper, Trello, Simplenote, etc.
In line with Microsoft's info-not-apps philosophy, I'd love for them to work with, say, Lyft, to integrate the APIs behind the app into Cortana - so I can have a similar experience as the Lyft Android Wear app. Extrapolate to all the apps that are UI layers for a web service.
No doubt. I've found that Lyft is the one major missing piece for me, but because Uber has an app (and has previously had a full-functioned mobile site) that it wasn't a deal breaker. I'm probably simpler than most around here in my wants from my smartphone though.
You don't say it directly, but I'm inferring that you're suggesting Lyft because you disapprove of Uber's tactics as described in the story.
I'd be interested to know what, specifically, you disapprove of. The article sounds to me like one company trying very hard to recruit another's drivers.
What is the alternative? One or both companies refrain from recruiting each others' drivers? Google and Apple (and others) recently got in trouble for doing that sort of thing.
Not being the GP I don't know, but I'd wager it has something to do with the whole planning to disrupt their usual business part of it. It's not just recruiting, it's running interference.
If you the type of person who closes a bar, though, I would strongly suggest additionally adding a photograph, since it will make you easy to identify in the crowds of the bar rush.
Oh, great news. that's what kept me from signing up in the first place. They replied to my comment saying they were "inherently social" as if you can't be social without Facebook.
Huh, that's interesting. I assumed it was far more common for people to have both. Whenever a price drop is announced, I switch, and it's been a pretty good heuristic so far. Also lyft predated uberX, so I would've thought that many people would have it from back when it was essentially a different service.
I also use Lyft and Uber in Seattle, and I much prefer Lyft.
It's interesting, there are two totally different cultures when it comes to Lyft and Uber drivers. Lyft drivers are always happy to talk and love it when you sit in the front seat. Uber drivers are always pretty friendly but often encourage sitting in the back like a taxi. There are drivers that are both on Uber and Lyft and they are always great and seem to be more like a typical Lyft driver than an Uber driver.
Maybe I'm different (hey, it's possible), but I like UberX for the inverse reason. When I do one of the "ridesharing" things, I'm usually half awake, coming off of a shift at work, and I just want to go home or wherever else I'm going. I wish there was a socially acceptable way to say "I'm grumpy and don't want to talk, please just hush." Since Lyft has a reputation for being more open and friendly, I stick with Uber/UberX because they're usually quiet drivers.
Before now I'd considered them too small to be worth bothering with, but hey, if Uber is worried then maybe I should give it a try. After this, and Uber's attempts at doing the same with GoTaxi a few months ago, I'll be very happy to take my business elsewhere.
I'd also be interested to know if the VCs that invested in Uber were aware of these tactics. It's especially sad to think of good startup investment money being used to defraud a competing company rather than invest in good customer service.