I would never use either of these disreputable companies that blatantly violate the law, exploit their allegedly independent workforce, worsen traffic congestion and violate their customers' privacy. They're gangsters, really.
20
No doubt Uber and Lyft appreciate the free publicity and glorification from the Times. Free publicity, to the exclusion of publicity for, and comparative evaluations of, other modes of transportation, including (for example) small regional taxi/livery companies.
The article calls “tech” its subject matter, but it’s really about transportation.
lt’s an example of news that has consequences (unintended, but foreseeable).
20
I have used Lyft a dozen or so times and have ALWAYS had a positive experience, I rarely hear anything about Lyft drivers driving drunk, robbing, or raping their passengers, as I do with Uber. I would never consider using Uber.
34
This review does not take into account which company treats their drivers better. In New Orleans, for example, most drivers are on both Uber and Lyft. I've asked about a dozen times which company the driver prefers and the answer has always been Lyft. They say the pay is better. So I try to use Lyft more often even if the cost is a little higher than Uber.
52
Lyft lost my business a while ago. I hailed a ride at Boston's Logan Airport, and their driver couldn't find the proper lot for ride shares - I think he circled the airport 3 times. After 20 minutes, the driver canceled the fare, so I went to the app for another ride. Only now, the price had increased substantially. Lyft wouldn't honor the original lower price, and their customer service process was unhelpful.
5
During the early "no tip expected" ride-share days, I used both Uber and Lyft. One day Uber came to pick me up at Boston Back Bay Station. The driver didn't get out to help with my luggage, drove a mile to Cambridge, and again didn't get out to assist with the luggage. Back then, one could only give a tip on Uber in cash. Notwithstanding the driver's lack of customer service, on a $9 ride, I gave the driver $2 in cash. I had few enough rides to know that the driver scored me a '4' as a customer score. It was the last time I used Uber when Lyft was also available.
11
My wife and I recently needed a ride in Seattle from the waterfront to a local hospital. Not a great distance but all uphill. Walking wasn't an option. We have never used either Uber or Lyft so we wanted a taxicab. What a hassle that was. When they learned where we wanted to go, the drivers didn't want to take the fare. Too short, we presumed. Well I raised a pretty good fuss right there on the street. Finally one driver said he'd take us. We tipped him well as we always do. The whole experience makes me reconsider using the new ride hailing services. Sounds like Lyft might serve our needs better and from the comments here, it seems that Lyft treats their drivers the best. That works for me.
16
Took a cab fr LAX a few yrs ago before the app rides were allowed to pick up at airports. Driver was on his phone the whole time, it was 88 deg but refused to turn on the AC, car was dirty and smelled...cost me $70. For my return, I took an app ride, clean car, smooth ride, friendly driver, paid $24. And the cabbies complain about losing out and being disrupted? As they say adapt or die...(not literally of course).
26
I still use taxicabs when I need a ride. I usually don't have to wait too long, and I'm more or less used to the fares. I have resisted using Uber or Lyft, but occasionally think I should check them out and at least get the apps. However, the article and, more importantly, the comments here reinforce many of the concerns I've had about these services -- most notably about safety and background checks (both of which have been raised mainly by the commenters ... not the article). Based on what I've read here, I will continue to stick with taxis, but if I do sign up for a ride-sharing service, it will be Lyft.
4
The subtitle of this article employs the phrase "hitching rides". What? Nobody's standing on the street with a thumb out hoping for a free ride.
Let's call these companies what they are. Uber, Lyft, and the others are no more "ride sharing" services than are buses. "Car services" would be a more accurate description.
12
I've spoken to many (at least 20) NYC drivers who drive for all these ride shares companies at once. They consistently rate Juno as best, Lyft next, Uber is the worst.
11
NEITHER.
Both are anti-labor, unsafe and supported Trump.
TAKE A CAB LIKE A REAL NEW YORKER. Support a loving wage and labor laws for all.
23
@Anna. Bravo. I use an app to call areal cab in Toronto and it arrives regularly in 5 minutes. (The cab industry in Toronto is not the best workplace - but better than Lyft or UBER.)
8
Uber's app refuses to run on my phone. Obsolete phone, I guess.
Lyft's warned me that they would copy my phone's list of contacts. Fat chance.
No Uber, no Lyft for me.
2
As a driver the companies are very different but they both introduced upfront pricing when it used to be a range of what a ride would cost. This increased their take of the cost and often times when a pool ridwe has multiple pick ups the driver often times makes way less of a percent than usual.Uber gave me 500 $ or is supposed to this month as a bonus for doing 5000 rides. they are giving drivers 100$ for 2500 hundred rides . Lyft only offered to those that have given 10 and 20 thousand rides. Uber app is better hands down and is way busier in northen monmouth county . I was surprised by the valuation of Lyft IPO being 50% higher in a year and questioned why so. In my opinion the stock is still over valued and they are getting hit as people realize that they are far from profitability and the hope is that Uber eventually acquires them. As for the screening and the constant parade of terrible news stories involving crime and murder and mayhem I for one welcome more stringent background checks and fingerprinting. I feel this will affect the population of drivers and change wait times and more surge for customers but in the burbs it is way better than a cabs wait time and price in most cases. If your driver is prompt, has a clean car and a personality or repects your quiet please tip them.
8
I’m sorry, but all the talk of “carbon offsets” and “environmental sustainability” makes me laugh.
If you’re using Lyft or Uber in a truly urgent situation, such as when you’re running late for a flight or you’re sick and you need to get to a hospital, that’s one thing. But if you are accessing these services just to go to work or go shopping or meet up with friends when you could be walking, cycling, or using public transportation, then all of your talk about the environment is merely virtue signaling and you’re a big hypocrite.
Since Lyft and Uber became popular, congestion has gotten so much worse, air quality has declined and the kind of transportation that is truly environmentally friendly (e.g., bus) has had a much more difficult time navigating city streets.
Some of you will argue that you live in suburbs where no viable public transportation exists. In other words, YOU made the choice to live somewhere where your day-to-day life requires you to have a much larger carbon footprint.
15
Only Uber emails a receipt
@Howard Cohen That's not true. I use Lyft almost exclusively and get emailed receipts.
7
NEITHER.
Both are anti-labor law, unsafe and untrustworthy for women.
TAKE A CAB LIKE A REAL NEW YORKER. Support living wages.
7
just for the record, you have never once used Uber or Lyft to hitch a ride. hitching, short for hitchiking, is when you catch a ride from someone gratis.
i hitchiked w/my buddy josh from ny to l.a. in 1971 and all over europe the year before and after. there was no uber and no lyft and we did spend 35 miserable hours on the side of the road in toledo, ohio along with about a 100 other young people. half of america was hitching rides in those days from vietnam vets and hippies to suburban kids and serial killers.
you kindly do one thing--use slang as accurately as you use tech-bro terms, k? right on.
12
The Uber-Trump connection has me using Lyft only!
https://www.daytondailynews.com/business/deleteuber-company-faces-criticism-for-ceo-connection-trump/I6WcItccavEmsEt5Ro2VXI/
8
I use Flywheel for "real" taxis on the very rare occasions when I use a hired ride, because I'd rather ride with a pro who gets drug tested and has insurance and knows the city.
Otherwise I use Lyft for the sole reason of Uber's horrible ethical reputation which isn't improved in my mind by the advertisements featuring their new CEO.
8
This story is on an important issue to some but represents very poor journalism. To have omitted an analysis of environmental consciousnesses/ policy, safety for passengers, driver vetting and, very importantly, corporate practices and corporate "citizenship" (including serious misogyny) is inexcusable. It's a harsh refresher on how the market and most people separate corporate welfare and business from impact on real people, the environment and community. (I'd like to see discussion on companies like these being certified a "B-Corps" or at least following B-Corp principles. ) You missed a big opportunity here. A follow up on these points is more than called for. I would hope it would affect the value success of the IPO - up and down. My vote is for Lyft on all these factors.
19
Some commentary regarding cleanliness standards of the vehicle would have been helpful. I often find the Uber drivers keeping their vehicles cleaner inside while Lyft cars are often not. So are there established policies by the companies regarding this?
Also I receive promotions from Lyft indicating 10% off the next number of rides. However when I compare their price for the same rude Lyft prices it about 10% higher to start.
In Brazil--or at least in Rio de Janeiro--Uber charges your credit card at the moment you request the car. In cases where unusually high traffic increases the time traveled, your card gets charged an additional amount after the trip. In one case, when the cost more than doubled after I made the trip, making it even more expensive than a yellow cab, I complained and Uber lowered the fare to the originally quoted one.
4
I would like know how much these generally charge? Also, do the drivers go too fast?
1
What about safety for female travelers? Background checks of drivers, etc? This is an important difference to 50% of the population folks!
24
Also agreeing with everyone that I am concerned about which company is a more ethical employer. I'm very surprised this wasn't even mentioned. Being a passenger, sometimes I talk have some nice personal conversations with the driver. They provide a good service, and I hope they are being treated well by their employer.
9
@Karen They aren’t treated as employees - so when an Uber driver died in a car accident here in February there was a GoFundMe campaign to help with family expenses. If these drivers were employees, as cabdrivers are, Worker’s Compensation benefits would be available. Your ride is on the back of someone who is not being well treated or entitled to the worker benefits which I would imagine most riders have. As unethical (and IMHO unlawful) for the employers, what about ethics of the users?
7
As an older person with occasional mobility issues, both companies’ drivers often unreasonably require passengers to come to them (cross a street midblock, walk to the end of a block) which is less an issue with taxi drivers
3
@David S
My wife is disabled and cannot cross a busy street to Uber's 'pickup point'. I always have to text the driver to come to my exact location. Many times I am cancelled by the driver because he's to lazy to make a U-turn. In San Francisco, Lyft is better for pickup.
7
What about safety, checks of driving history of drivers, cleanliness of cars? I’d like a comparison of what vetting process these companies put drivers through - I’ve had a few Uber drivers who should not be on the road
15
I feel sorry for the professional cabbies who really know their business and are losing out to kids with little experience. I'm a professional photographer and we are losing business to some kid in the office with an iPhone.
Many years ago I took a cab from JFK to Port Authority and left my passport etc. in a valise on the seat of the cab. I only realized it when I was on the bus to my girlfriend's house in New Jersey. Shortly after I arrived I got a call from the cabbie. He had gone through my address book with his wife to try to figure out which of several girl's names might be the right one to call. Fortunately they guessed correctly. He offered to bring everything to me at my college 50 miles up the Hudson from NYC and refused any payment when he had done so.
His name was Reuben Mittman and I have remembered his name fondly ever since. I googled him recently and was saddened to see that he had just passed away. I hope his career was long and successful and ended before the un-medallioned hoi polloi arrived.
29
@Don Oberbeck Completely agree about the professional cabbies (especially NY cabbies). This is a business and way of life for them; I'm sorry to see it disappearing.
8
What a disappointment that this piece neglected to report on what many women consider to be the most important criteria-how well vetted and trained are the drivers? My understanding is that Lyft does a much better job in terms of background checks and other vetting, but it would have been helpful to include this information in the Times piece.
29
You missed an entire category of consideration: how the company compensates and treats its drivers. Who knows what is truth and what is lore in this, but if the internet can be believed, Lyft is way better to drivers than is Uber. That’s why it’s the only car app on my phone.
32
A helpful article, but it could say more about which app treats drivers more fairly—and which has a better way of encouraging tipping. I'm not a driver, just a rider, but I feel for the folks who work so hard for such little pay.
13
They both routinely offer discounts. That’s who I use that week or through the discount period. It’s that simple.
I use Lyft in the U.S. and Canada and have never ever been disappointed. I hail cabs in London and Europe because they are better at their job than the Uber drivers and are licensed. Underlying my refusal to use Uber is a basic belief that ethics matter. It's not just all the many awful scandals that the Uber executives allowed and even oversaw but also the carbon credits that Lyft purchases. I'll patronize decent people and only decent people, which is also why I've walked away from Twitter and Facebook and Google.
14
You forgot a big difference. Lyft purchases carbon offset to make its business carbon neutral. to the best of my knowledge, Uber does not. For those that care about climate change, this is important. In addition, for every 4 business rides you do, Lyft gifts you a free personal ride. In my mind, Lyft wins!
22
why is the emphasis in the "app"? The title of the article implies that the distinguished features between the two companies boils down to the differences in their software. But the reality is that software is only part of it. Ultimately it is about service and how the customer is treated. The title of the article should be: "Uber vs. Lyft: Which company's service is better."
6
@DMG
Again, this is a " tech fix " paper discussing apps (tech), it is difficult to address all big social. business issues in a short tech paper like this
3
Not one word about how these two companies pay their drivers. I want to know!!
18
@Gail Schorsch
On one hand, like SD said, "" tech fix" paper discussing (tech), it is difficult to address all big social (issues)."
On the other hand, I would like to know to if the drivers are paid more during "Surges" or "Prime Time." (Which, incidently, is an advantage to calling a cab instead.)
1
Both services at times have a quality control issue especially when it is a holiday weekend or its increment weather. In certain zip codes the drivers arrive in cars that are in need of serious service and there pricing is the same as a cab. So why use Uber vs a cab? Least with a cab I don’t have to fear for my life.
There IPO’s offering is ridiculous and the quest of replacing public cabs doesn’t make any sense. Over pricing of Uber, is not going to get you more business where everyone , the driver and the corporation make a profit. It is not a business plan that is in a position to make money. And Wall Street states that they are not going to make a profit. This is crazy. Another example of the Wall Street farce for regular people. Making funny money to make white people rich with no product that is real. People driving cars without benefits. People support public cabs.
Everyone is working hard as usual but the elites are making all the money and doing nothing for the rest of society.
Time is running out for this financial insanity before we are in another depression. Regular working people have been in a depression since the 70s but the world is dealing with climate change and wage stagnation. Uber like technology giants are imports that other countries are enacting laws to stop greedy monopolies from coming into their countries and destroying there economies.
2
Fare splitting is NOT free. Uber charges each person in the split $0.25. When my friends and I use Uber, we use Venmo to split the fares.
11
@Mrmoleman I too was surprised the fare splitting fee didn’t get a mention - my friends and I also use Venmo for the same reason.
2
This was a fascinating read, because some of the Uber practices described here are not global -- at least, they are not available in Mexico.
For example, Uber in Mexico does not offer a rewards program that offers "platinum" riders priority access to drivers at airports.
In Mexico, however, Uber's receipts do break out details like length and duration of the trip.
I am a frequent Uber passenger and therefore my biggest gripe is that Uber dings my credit card for each individual ride. Rather than opening up my credit card statement and seeing dozens of small charges for Uber rides drown out the other charges on my credit card, I would vastly prefer to get a monthly itemized bill from Uber and only one charge to my credit card for Uber's monthly total.
5
Safety is most important to me!
I have read that while yellow cabs do a background check of a driver's entire life, these other services go back only 7 years!
Not good enough.
Safety first.
9
@BLB
And like @Tony said, "... drivers arrive in cars that are in need of serious service and there pricing is the same as a cab..."
1
Brian Chen has missed the key differentiator in the value proposition: It's not the app, it's the driver.
One can clearly differentiate my preference for the Lyft experience over the Uber experience.
My Lyft rides, usually in San Francisco with the LyftLine multiple passenger activated, often became delightful experiences meeting interesting people. I'd ask, "How long have you been in San Francisco? What's your favorite restaurant?" That turned a ride with strangers into a wonderful discovery experience.
Several times I sought to recruit software developers for the several startups I was advising at the time. I once had a conversion with two developers, when at the next stop a VC joined the ride. I politely asked the VC to wait while the three of us finished our discussion and info exchange. The VC was impressed by the idea of Lyft as a recruiting opportunity. I later ran into a driver in Denver who was a tech HR executive using this technique.
That would NEVER happen within the caste system of Uber with all-powerful passenger and a subservient driver.
There are times you want to be alone, or just a couple, in which case either service could work as well in my view.
I distinctly recall when many Uber drivers were openly complaining about the change in their compensation. I was reminded of a former SF neighbor who 25 years earlier was a cab driver. When he described the cab business model in the early 1990s they, too, all veterans, were getting squeezed.
6
Sorry, for a second I thought it was 2014, which would have been about the time questions like this were asked and answered in numerous articles. Now, the answer is still the same as it's always been, for 90% of their users it's whichever one is cheapest. They're both still popular because neither charges for the full cost of providing the ride and users will continue to simply choose the cheapest one.
4
The reporter needs to realize that neither Uber nor Lyft have anything to do with "hitching a ride"; a hitched ride is free. With Uber and Lyft you are hiring a car and driver, not hitching a ride.
13
Given the ubiquity of these apps, I’m shocked at the lack of depth in this author’s “analysis”.
1. As a journalist, the author has a responsibility to ALL his readers, not just the men. Say it with me boys: safety!!! Safety and security are top of mind for anyone getting into a stranger’s car. Where is the analysis of each company’s safety and security record? Who does more/better/frequent background checks? Which company has more female drivers? How does each company handle instances of harassment or worse? What protections does each company have in place for riders? Sorry, Uber, but your little app panic button is no match for Lyft’s in-person response team and their annual background and safety checks.
2. Social responsibility: seriously? No mention of Uber’s disgusting bro-culture shenanigans?? Since when does a “slightly better app” make up for rampant sexual harassment and misogyny? The fish rots from the head down. Maybe Uber drivers are nastier or ruder than Lyft’s or Via’s or Juno’s, even when they drive for all companies, because of the company’s code of conduct? And what about carbon offsets? Fair wages for drivers? Shouldn’t any of that factor into the “who does it best” analysis?
3. Rewards: author’s information is outdated. Lyft’s subscriptions cap the cost of a set number of rides and then discount the rest. And you get Delta Skymiles. As for Uber’s “reward” program, do we really need another tiered system? Why should my rewards devalue others?
41
@Max
It's fair to say that his focus in this article (with limited space) is to compare the two apps. Big questions like social justice etc are really difficult to address in a short tech analysis.
5
@SD
Fair enough. I suggest that a savvy editor would have suggested widening the scope of the article or adding a second piece. Also with the emphasis in other parts of NYT, where's the privacy code comparison?
4
Okay. Maybe it's me. Despite author's conclusion, I read this piece as "advantage Lyft"--well, for the things important to me. Left unmentioned is that most drivers "work" for both. At least in NYC.
Also unmentioned is Lyft's horrid choice of corporate colors: pink and purple. UG-LY! And the mustache? Give me a break! That said, anything is better that Travis K., who reports I've seen indicate is either still secretly in control or scheming to be so. How much, one wonders, will upcoming Uber IPO benefit him? Oh, and the word "uber" does have some unhappy historical associations of which, perhaps, Travis & Co were unaware. (Yeah, right!)
7
For us tree-hugger types, Lyft is the only one with a Green Mode that will allow riders to choose hybrid or electric vehicles. Its rental program for drivers also added electric vehicles as an option.
14
Funny how the writer doesn't worry about which company is a better employer. I make my choice based on the preference of drivers I've met who've worked for both--and it's Lyft.
38
@NL that is exactly the information I was looking for and was saddened not to find.
2
When in London - use the Gett app. Best tip
I’ve gotten as a London business traveler.
This app only hails London’s famous black cabs with drivers that have passed strenuous tests and are professionals choosing to drive for a living - often with decades of experience. They know every inch of the city. Pricing is similar to Uber. Tons of cabs are available 24 / 7.
26
Is information available about how much drivers are paid with each service?
1
I’ve asked drivers—many who work for both services— who they prefer to work for, and they’ve all said Lyft. I feel that having slightly happier drivers is a benefit to me and also fulfills my desire to support businesses that great their employees/contractors well.
31
Really? We need an article in the NYT for this? Anyone who has used both for more than 5 minutes knows that it is not even close, Uber wins by a mile in terms of pure app functionality. Though I suspect that there are many people like me who give most of their business to Lyft just to spite Uber
6
Via. Hands down. The best ride sharing service in NYC. Much cheaper than either Uber or Lyft, cars are always immaculate, and the algorithm ensures that even though you are picking other people up you don't weave around the entire city in the process. Like a luxury shuttle service. Hope it goes beyond NYC and the other select cities its in.
3
For me, the issue is safety, safety, safety. Over the past few years, a number of women using Uber, at least here in Boston, have been raped by their drivers—the latest incident occurring three weeks ago, on March 30th.
Yes, there have been times where Lyft has screwed up—picking me up late, not picking me up at all—in which I was absolutely livid and had to write to customer service. I did, however, immediately receive complete refunds or credits.
In those instances, I blame Lyft for hiring drivers who didn't know their way around Boston, drove without GPS systems, and/or had a poor grasp of the English language.
Still, for me, a single woman living in Boston, Lyft's pros outweigh its cons. Feeling safe every time I get in or out of one its vehicles is its greatest.
37
UBER, by far, is the best
Sad to see this person spend a week's worth of fare to provide the least informative of all articles on the internet on this subject.
6
how about the fact that Uber basically killed a womanin Arizona testing its autonomous driving technology recklessly?
4
This article seems to be missing a comparison of safety features in both apps..
4
Given Uber’s “rampant culture of sexual harassment”, how can you even include Uber?
Have you no shame?
Never Uber.
12
Team Lyft all the way. They show up in a jiffy & don't switch drivers on you in the meantime, making the wait longer. They have started having digital signs on their dashboards that have your name so you know you are not getting into some random car with a serial killer (maybe uber does this, too?)
In San Francisco, lots of drivers work for both and every one of them I have asked has told me Lyft is better.
Also, hereabouts, it is a fools errand to try to summon either of these services outside of a popular attraction or on a busy street. As another commenter noted, the cars are making traffic truly terrible (too many people think they are too good for mass transit now that there is another option). The abrupt stopping on busy streets is quite hazardous. What I do is walk a block, max 2, to a side street and put in that address and have the car pick me up there. So much better than standing around 60 other people with their phones out searching for their drivers and/or causing traffic accidents.
Reward points for using either service -- did not know that was a thing. Who has time to keep track of that and why would you want to? Same for share splitting? Why? One time one person pays, and the next time someone else does. I mean, all we want to do is get to where we want to go, not have to look for parking, and not drive drunk.
Still, Team Lyft! Color me conscientious.
20
Tough to believe that the article did not compare how each company treats its drivers!
8
Uber or Lyft? If you're in New York, the answer yellow cabs.
8
NEVER Uber! Uber is premised on an illegal foundation and money spent with Uber still benefits Travis Kalanick, who doesn't deserve a thin dime, IMO.
I stick strictly with NYC medallion cabs, which have been reliable for me over many years; if I have a problem, I know where to file a complaint - and unlike Uber, the TLC is actually responsive to passengers!
18
If ride hailing services were educational institutions, Uber would be a public high school, whereas Lyft would be a charter school
2
@John. What does this mean? I have NO idea.
3
I like Lyft simply because Uber seems evil. Logical? Not by a long shot.
8
Take a taxi!
5
Several things I'd like to add.
If you are using these services for business, both companies make it difficult to produce a paper receipt. They used to automatically email you one. Now they send it to your phone, which I need to take a screen shot of, send it to myself, then print it out. You can get a receipt on each company's web site, but with Uber, for some strange reason, it does not include the tip on it when you print it out.
Canceling a ride after it has been requested can also be a challenge. Often the driver is not familiar with where he/she is going and wanders around searching for the location with an inadequate GPS app. Either the driver gives up, or I do because I am running late. I have often been charged a cancellation fee when a driver does not show up, which thankfully, Uber rectifies fairly painlessly. (In one instance a driver made up a trip which was about 1,000 yards away from where I was and billed double the amount it would have cost to take me 2 or 3 miles. I had to admire the audacity.)
Lastly, Lyft has a rule that the tip must be added to the bill within 24 hours, otherwise you have to go through some minor hoops to do so.
2
I recently had a very scary ride from an airport by a taxi cab driver who had very poor driving skills. I fear that lyft/uber have become the obvious choice for a competent driver able to provide good service, leaving the dregs for the taxi cab fleets in locations that are covered well by lyft/uber.
I have found Uber to be much safer than Lyft. With Uber, the app tells me how long someone has been driving on the platform, and it shows their rating to two decimal places of accuracy. This information makes it much easier to know when to cancel a ride request. Also, Lyft has serious grade inflation, because they give drivers a 5-star rating if the passenger doesn’t rate within 24 hours.
4
The truth is that it is neither the app nor the companies themselves that determine the quality of a ride. It is the quality(ies) of the drivers themselves that make the distinction.
As a Lyft driver who rode with Uber a handful of times, I’ve concluded, after much observation and research, that other than the facts that Lyft drivers are far more intelligent and much better looking, there is virtually no difference between Lyft and Uber drivers.
17
Does anyone else ever find that the estimate for a pick-up that appears when using UBER always turns out to be much less than the actual arrival time??? This is absolutely the case every time I use UBER no matter what city, even in Paris. It may show 3 or 4 car icons moving around my location and then say 4 minutes and inevitably it takes 8-14 minutes. Considering the technology available and the real time traffic algorithms this constant underestimate appears to be part of their approach to marketing. If it is going to take 12 minutes to arrive, say so, don't tell me its 3 or 5 minutes. Considering the fact that UBER sees itself as a tech company this is a huge shortfall, but like I say above I believe they do so on purpose
6
What about Juno? I use them every work day! They pay the drivers, according to my information, a higher percentage than the other two. And although there is a difference in quality of drivers and of cars on weekends (is that true for all the companies? I don't know) during the work week they are superb!!
2
Oh no please "don't keep the Uber app on your phone in case you travel to somewhere like London, Paris". Paris is a small city by US standards. You can walk, bike, buses, even try the metro if you must, without contributing to congesting the city. London is much bigger but it has an efficient system with the Tube and night buses bring you back on a boozy night. Uber treats drivers like an afterthought, and congests traffic in cities where the air quality is already poor. Why can't technology writers take into account environmental and social standards in their analysis ?
20
Not very well known fact is that Lyft is committed to carbon neutrality- a percentage of any ride fare you pay with Lyft goes to carbon offset projects around the world. "For every ton of carbon pollution released by its drivers, Lyft will pay to keep an equivalent amount of carbon pollution out of the atmosphere, either by removing it directly (by planting trees) or preventing its release," (The Atlantic, 4/19/2018). Don't know why this isn't more widely advertised as I know many people who'd use Lyft over Uber for this reason alone!
38
Most important feature "hands down" is price. LYFT is always cheaper than UBER. Sometimes i've noticed they charge half of what UBER will for the same ride same time.
9
@Mr. Dave -- That's funny. I've found just the opposite.
1
or take taxis which pay drivers better.
i find it amusing in the bay area where rideshare folks who profess themselves as social justice liberals hide behind lyft/uber pricing as a way to effectively hide their libertarian selves.
9
Hoping one company will enact a no fragrance rule (for air "freshener" or driver)--that will give that company the edge.
18
I typically only take taxis for really important journeys e.g. airport. Last time I was in NYC I needed to get somewhere at a very specific time. Unsure how you book taxis in NYC, I pre-ordered an Uber. It never came then the next two cabs I requested on the app , accepted and then cancelled a few mins later with no reason. Luckily managed to hail a yellow taxi cab in the end. I'd be interested to see the stats on reliability of both apps say during rush hours etc
9
This has been noted by many other commenters, but it bears repeating. For a woman, it is safety, safety, safety. Getting into a car alone with a stranger... It's very alarming to me how often I hear about dubious behavior on the part of Uber drivers, something we do not hear about taxi drivers, who are much more thoroughly investigated. Sorry this was not addressed in this article; it's one of my primary concerns.
42
@P Toro
You are correct!
But Uber drivers only: not Lyft?
(Sorry, don't use either one; therefore, I dunno.)
1
@P Toro
I agree! We were taught as children not to get in a car driven by strangers. Still good advice. I am suspicious of drivers who haven’t had to pass background checks, thus I still prefer to use taxis.
1
This is not comprehensive. How are the drivers treated? That's a large part of my personal calculation in what share ride to use!
23
no mention of how much the driver's take home from each fare. when I was in the states I stopped using Uber after talking to multiple driver's who all said Lyft was better for them in their pocket. they often drove for both but still preferred Lyft.
as the author mentions though, it's a shame it's still only available in Canada and the USA...
20
Sounds like most of the concerns raised in the comments merits a follow-up article to address them.
8
I prefer Lyft in large part because the company culture has been less fettered with scandal (less macho perhaps?). One factor that has supported my preference for Lyft has been this: when I hail a ride with a Lyft driver I am almost always likely to be pleased with the driver, their consideration, friendliness and cleanliness of the car. When I have had a driver who drives for both Lyft and Uber, they tend to be less friendly, and less considerate (for example radio blaring). So I will continue to prefer Lyft over Uber. I don't require ride splitting or wheelchair accommodation so those are not factors for me, however I understand how that might be a huge deal breaker.
11
Be careful with pre-ordered rides. Uber doesn’t tell the driver what time you scheduled the pre-ordered ride. I ordered a pre-ordered Uber yesterday in Albuquerque. It showed up 30 minutes early and the driver wouldn’t wait and canceled the order but I was charged $5 anyway. When I complained Uber quickly offered a voucher. However, since I almost never use any ride service this voucher is worthless.
9
Does either of the ride hailing companies provide rider insurance in terms of injury or delay due to accidents, sort of like ride insurance?
8
I have the apps on my phone but the last time I tried to use either of them no one showed up to take me home at 10:30PM from a building on East 30th St in Manhattan (to W 15th St). So I walked to the corner and took either a bus or a cab - don't recall which.
Interesting article and even more interesting comments from users and drivers which make me wonder why anyone uses these services at all. Lots of excellent questions and concerns raised by commenters.
8
The only issue I am interested is which company pays/treats its drivers better.
Unfortunately not discussed even though it should be a central part of our opinion about companies.
34
i'm annoyed with both and rarely use the one i've chosen, lyft, because of the tipping bait-and-switch. when they launched, they were billed as tip-included ride services. now when i am besieged with passive tip requests at fast-casual restaurants, dry cleaners, and convenience stores, here comes another tip request.
4
Superficial. Real issue for me is time to pickup (and missed pickups). Of late Uber seems particularly bad at 5 min waits turning into 15 mins actual. Worse is drivers who show up late, then cancel the ride (since they'll get a low rating).
9
Uber charged me $6 for a ride I had cancelled 24 hours in advance. It's difficult to get the money back when they make a mistake. They applied the $6 to Uber Eats, which I would never ever use.
12
As a guy, you don't touch on safety. As a woman that's the biggest issue for me. Lyft feels safer.
I've used ride sharing cars exclusively for over a year, often multiple times a day. I've had a couple iffy experiences with Uber. Once the vibe was so wrong I didn't get in the car and Uber charged me for canceling the ride. A couple times, I wished I hadn't gotten in the car - the driver didn't feel safe. In contrast I've never felt unsafe with a Lyft driver. I'm not sure why there would be a difference but there does seem to be. Maybe it's because Lyft has a stronger tipping culture, is more socially conscious and re-runs background and DMV checks annually where Uber doesn't. Maybe it's because Uber drove out most of their female Software Developers vs Lyft which (presumably) has some women in tech roles making decisions and adding a safety conscious element to design in some subtle way.
Whatever the reason, Lyft feels safer to me to such an extent that I don't even bother price comparing them anymore.
116
@Anne Totally agree. It's hard to pin down exactly why Lyft feels safer, but it really does.
18
@Nadia I agree with you and Anne of Seattle
4
@Anne I too was shocked that this article was about the app and few features that while nice are not necessary. Safety first and starts with good vetting and taking care of the drivers. Good employees will yield happy customers.
3
Which of these services pays their drivers better?
Which of these services allows the driver to deviate from the GPS when the passenger knows a faster/shorter route?
Which of these services does *anything* to make sure their drivers are familiar with the geographic areas within which they operate?
Which of these services trains their drivers not to sit in bus stops and not to block traffic lanes?
Which of these services does a comprehensive background check on their drivers?
Which of these services or their drivers can be the subject of a complaint to a regulatory agency?
Which of these services requires their drivers to have a Commercial Drivers License?
Which of these services carries insurance coverage in case of an accident or criminal acts by the driver?
Can’t find out any of this from this useless article.
99
@Joan P I tell Lyft drivers which routes to take all the time. The usually thank me for the info.
11
@Nadia. During a ride home from the airport, Lyft’s route was the slowest possible, but the driver told me he was not allowed to deviate. I wonder why the discrepancy.
6
@Joan P
I think it is fair to say that this article mostly focus on the two apps, even so, no room to cover all aspects
I've had no problems with Uber in my area, and it is a welcome service since taxis are practically unavailable and very expensive in our not heavily populated area.
However, in San Antonio, I had the experience that two Uber drivers could not find the entrance to my large hotel in the middle of the city, but the taxi driver could because he knew the city like the back of his hand.
I felt sorry for him, as he had 25 years of experience, was a battle-scarred worker, and was so grateful for any business left over from the Uber upstarts.
27
The problem with either of these is that their employees are "employed" -- i.e. with contracted jobs that include benefits, insurance and pensions. Why is this a good idea? The main beneficiaries are the companies, and they aren't even making money because the business model doesn't work.
The argument that this provides extra income for creatives needing extra income or those who are otherwise short, also doesn't hold water as nothing prevents traditional taxi companies from offering part-time contracts that would fill the same purpose. These companies, convenient as they sometimes are, are exploitative -- as revealed by the low re-upping rates (below 10% ) -- and thus, dangerous.
In most European cities, taxis work well. In cities where they don't, better to re-regulate and fix them rather than exploit those who cannot command a living wage.
9
@Sarah Taylor Traditional Taxi companies wouldn't be able to offer part time contracts that allow me to work when i choose, in my own vehicle, which Lyft does.
Yes i'm a contractor with no benefits, but i am also a contractor that decides when i want to work, minute by minute. I don't have to tell anyone when i want to start and stop, i just do it. I knew the deal when i started. Nobody is forcing me to do it.
I'm certainly not exploited. The work is fun, i meet all sorts of great people and sometimes it's just better than sitting at home watching the TV. Added bonus, i'm financially better off at the end.
3
I'm surprised you didn't think to compare how either company treats its drivers. It is a much more valid concern than how many "points" one earns per ride.
41
I am convinced that both of these companies have dramatically worsened the traffic in San Francisco (where I live). There are more cars on the road and the plague of drivers stopping willy nilly, not bothering to pull over-- even when there is space at the curb, is a huge frustration to me. Also, many of the drivers come from neighboring cities and don't know their way around. Obviously nothing wrong with coming to SF even if you don't know the city well, and nothing wrong with trying to earn money, but the sheer numbers of people uncertain of where to go and double parking is really taking a toll. I wish this columnist had introduced a 3rd option: not using either service.
29
I started using Lyft several months ago and can tell you that the price difference to my destinations between Lyft and Uber is significant. I'm talking sometimes a $10 to $12 difference. I am using Lyft more now than Uber because there rates have become too expensive. Unfortunaetly when the prices go up the perks are not passed on to the driver who have to work so many hours to make ends meet.
15
Which of these two companies is funded LESS by Saudi Arabian money? Now that’s a feature not mentioned. Curious riders would like to know.
13
Uber is the bully on the block. In 2012, Travis Kalanick, then Uber CEO, became obsessed with destroying Lyft after his offer to buy it was spurned. Now, we see what a 7 year race-to-the-bottom looks like - stupid/chaos. And, Lyft is still here.
Instead of building a long term operation based on true economics and understanding the dollar value it offered riders they lowered prices. Uber and Lyft have almost killed the Golden Goose.
1) Uber and Lyft fares are not the same. I drive for Uber and Lyft in Los Angeles. Two weeks ago Uber lowered what it paid drivers. From $0.795 to $0.60 per mile driven with customer in vehicle and raised the time stamp up $0.03 to $0.21 a min. Drivers basically took a 15 - 20% hit. Did the riders receive any of that 15 – 20%? No. Lyft pays drivers $0.72 per mile and $0.09 per minute. Those rates impact pricing, too.
2) Uber's current business model is unsustainable. Their inability to recognize true value is staggering. Instead of trusting reality and increasing the fare riders pay, money that would help cut Uber’s loses and help drivers survive, they decided to use their accumulated data to start earning more in a questionable way. They do this by upfront pricing the rider’s fare. Showing them the price they would pay for the trip. Uber raised the prices building algorithms to determine where to increase a fare. Uber’s IPO numbers got better, but the drivers didn’t get any of that. Drivers are paid by mile and minute, only.
34
Uber is awful. Made me wait nearly 10 minutes, then said driver unavailable, then said another coming, but walk 6 blocks, then said he also unavailable. AND THEN THEY CHARGED ME FOR FAILING TO SHOW UP!! Would not refund, only give a credit. Not so useful if I want never to use them again.
21
@mike This sort of thing has also happened to me with uber. Quite annoying. At least they offered you a credit. One day, the app just disappeared from my phone for apparent reason and I haven't re-installed it.
8
Lyft used to be a lot nicer company to deal with as a driver. When I began driving for Uber, the area I was assigned to work included the Manchester-Nashua area in New Hampshire, where I live, and Eastern Massachusetts. When Uber added Maine and Vermont, they arbitrarily added those states to my area and took away Massachusetts. Since I was often getting rides to Logan Airport in Boston, that meant I had to deadhead back to NH or shift to Lyft. Nashua is in the natural catchment area for Logan Airport. They still let their Massachusetts drivers work our MHT airport in Manchester. They both aren't making money and continue to try to make money by squeezing more out of the drivers, in a perverse Dutch auction. It reminds me of the story about the cheap junkman, who kept cutting down how much he fed the horse pulling his wagon. He was very angry: "I had just gotten him down to eating nothing and he went and died on me!"
15
Or, you could just ride whichever is cheapest at that specific time and not track all the random features mentioned in the article.
4
Count me as a 'never' for either of them - I prefer a vetted taxi driver who is trying to succeed at his job and treats it with respect. Taxi's are not that much more money, in San Diego, and I am more likely not to get some drunken unhappy housewife who hasn't checked their tires in years, and wouldn't know how to change a tire with a google map in front of them. No thanks, Lyft. and Uber..I will pay for a taxi.
17
@grace thorsen - We took a cab the last time we were in NYC. It was in the middle of a heat wave and the car had no AC, the driver was rude and the car was dirty.
Uber was better in every way.
1
I have found Lyft to be FAR more helpful and responsive when there have been issues. I prefer them. Uber give you a bot type response that is clear they did not even bother reading.
12
No comparison on safety??? How many riders (especially women) have been attacked and/or murdered by drivers? Come on guys, that fruit was so low-hanging it was practically underground
32
Why didn’t this article didn’t address the question “which company treats/pays their drivers better?” - it’s baffling, particularly when NYT has written extensively on the challenges of the gig economy.
29
@Lindy Desciak
Both Uber and Lyft need to pay their drivers way more money . I have given over 8000 rides with both and the only reason I can justify the time spent is because I drive a Prius which gives me good gas mileage ( over 50 mpg) I think that both services are great for the general public who know how to use them both efficiently - but both are not so great for the drivers - who are being exploited for the opportunity to set their own working hours .
Nevertheless - I drive for Uber because I need the money and at 60 years old can’t find employment which will offer me the ability to earn $1000 a week for 40-50 hours of hard work .
3
I've been using Lyft to transport cats in carriers to and from vet appointments. Every single ride has been perfect, on time, and all drivers warmly agreed to have an animal in their cars. I would gladly pay a fee or surcharge for this, because animals can incur driver costs such as vacuuming stray fur, etc. So I always pay the highest suggested tip. Even though I'm not a regular rider, I consistently receive 10% off rides for most days and times. I didn't see this mentioned in the article, and I'm not sure how these discounts are earned.
Given that drivers are better vetted and treated by Lyft, I'm staying with this service. (I also hailed a taxi twice and got rudeness, wrong routes and a stinky, littered car - they aren't helping their case.)
14
As a frequent rider (130+ rides last year), I generally agree with what you said. Although, I have had more than one experience where I checked pricing for the same ride between the two and Uber was significantly higher. My assumption is that they decided to do surge pricing and Lyft did not. I'm talking nearly 100% more for Uber. When I asked them about it, their response was "we told you the price" so too bad. Not at all the kind of customer service I'd hope for. When at all possible, I use Lyft
7
Conscientious consumer here- Lyft all day everyday. No Wells Fargo, no Facebook, no Uber. I can't change the world but if I can make some minor sacrifice because a company acts in clear violation of what I consider important then there is no need for me to be a customer.
34
I wish the article mentioned driver compensation. So many service apps rip off those actually providing the service. I always try to tip cash to ensure the drivers actually get compensated, but it would be good to know which platform better compensates its drivers.
5
Last summer I needed to go to Newark Airport at 4 am. I had taken a few Lyft rides that were fine, and found Lyft had a feature that (supposedly) allowed for booking days ahead. I got confirmation that I would be picked up at 4 am on the appointed day. Come that day, 4 am, no Lyft. I messaged for help, and Lyft told me no drivers were in my area. Then they sent one guy who appeared to be circling my area but suddenly disappeared. Then a charge from him appeared, showing I had been picked up at a location nowhere near where I was -- although I had NOT been! Panicking that I might miss my flight, I quickly downloaded Uber and got a driver within 15 minutes. Gave him a big tip. Uber forever, Lyft never again!
2
You neglected to mention:
Lyft is committed to full carbon neutrality and purchases carbon credits for all its rides.
For some of us riders, this means A LOT. And it appears to be reflective of core corporate ethics which show up in other aspects of their strategy.
24
Uber has not been convincing that it has completely extinguished the boys-behaving-badly culture that made it the poster child of sexual misconduct in Silicon Valley. As a customer, I want to see real change demonstrated before I will use Uber again. Until then, nothing else matters, and I only use Lyft.
I hope Uber is making progress on this, but I want to hear more from Uber that it has completely changed. How diverse is their company and its management? I haven't seen that. Until I have heard enough to develop confidence in Uber, I will continue to only use Lyft and encourage others to do the same.
9
Amazing all the problems people have had this with this supposedly wonderful entrepreneur culture I took UB twice. One was great, the other cancelled my out after waiting 30 minutes (most of it watching the driver double back on his route). In the end I took a Yellow cab parked across the street for the same amount UB was charging. If software or computer companies offered services with the problems that are reported in these comments about uber and lyft
there would be no digital industries I choose software and computer needs based in superior customer service. Why anyone would invest in companies that loss money year after year and seem to devote so little effort towards building superior customer service to a true mystery
4
Notwithstanding your described equivalence of rates and service, I have used both Uber and Lyft(shared service in both cases) in NYC and note some significant differences
Lyft is significantly more expensive except for occasional and unpredictable discount programs. Even when offered, the price quoted often does not reflect the discount so you don't know you will be paying less than shown.
Uber can be very difficult to deal with. In particular they charge you first and only then tell you how long you will have to wait for a car and make it extraordinarily complicated to cancel at all, much less avoid a "cancellation fee"
I find Via to generally be better than either with lower costs and a more user friendly app. You see the price and wait time before you "Book" the ride.
7
Which is better? You mean "better" as in circumventing laws and local ordinances (a la Austin) by lining the GOP state legislators' pockets to enact laws that give them preferential treatment, right? I'd say Uber has done swell in this regard, but Lyft is a worthy second.
15
Since you mention service outside the U.S. I would add that Uber can be just as expensive, or more expensive than a cab depending on where you are and other factors. On a trip to Rome, I found the price of taking Uber from the airport into the city was almost 50% more than a cab.
10
I use Lyft exclusively, and will continue to do so irrespective of hailing features or cost of transport, because drivers frequently tell me that Lyft's policies put more in their pocket. If that changes and I hear Uber treats their employees better, I'll switch, but until then, I'm sticking to Lyft.
48
@Cameron i don't understand why treatment of the de facto employees of these companies isn't included in this article
35
Fair price for honest service.
I'm with you. The service can make tons of money whether it takes care of it's drivers or not, but ultimately I want a service that doesn't just take money without any concern for its drivers!
5
@Cameron - Good to know. Thank you.
1
I tried to sign up for Lyft years ago, but when I installed the app it said it wouldn't work with my phone service because it is from a mobile virtual network operator. So, I installed Uber instead.
1
Sorry, this column tells me nothing.
I have both apps. I go by which is cheaper which is usually Lyft. All other comparisons like rewards etc don’t matter. I take ride service to save money.
I am sure if you compare a limousine service to Uber or Lyft it will win hands down but can you use it for almost double the price of Uber or Lyft.? Matter closed
2
@bxchen Another correction you need to make in addition to describing an outdated surge fare model - the Uber Cash deal you mentioned is not effectively a 5% discount, it is a 5% discount. You pay $95 and are credited for $100.
Far and away, the number one consideration for me is how each company treats its drivers, but that's not mentioned at all in here. Not everything is about what's most convenient and cheapest.
33
@Kim I assume that drivers are free to work for either company (and maybe some work for both?) so it makes no difference to me how the companies treat their drivers.
You left out customer service. Uber has no way of reaching out to their customer service other than via email. They robbed me of 80.00 dollars that I then had to dispute with my bank to get refunded. I dare you to try to find a working phone number for UBER customer service for Riders. It doesn't exist, they only have customer service for drivers. This is a glaring red flag for me as far as UBERS upcoming IPO. Also there is a very low and the likelihood of us using them again.
38
We like Lyft because of the passenger rating system. While Lyft drivers do rate passengers, passengers cannot see their rating. We think Lyft may eventually edge out Uber because Uber shows passengers their rating. What ever happened to the customer is always right? More so people (like taxi drivers, Uber drivers and Lyft drivers) that drive in stop and go traffic all day are notorious for being bonkers. So again, I do not think it is wise of Uber to show passengers their rating, and for that matter to even rate their passengers at all.
2
I have to disagree with you about the passenger ratings. Ride share is a two way system and drivers are independent contractors. I wouldn’t want to pick up someone rated a 3 out of 5 (puking in cars, rudeness, etc...).
1
I agree! What other business has their customer-facing employees rate their customers and then refuse them service without any explanation? Could you imagine an airline flight attendant giving a mother with baby a low rating because the baby cried, and then all other airlines seeing those ratings and refusing the mother the ability to fly? I suspect many riders have lower ratings due to race, age, orientation, and/or looks.
I would like a feature in both apps that would automatically take a screen shot of the price when I order the ride. I once had a big surprise when the price surged between the time I first looked at the price and the time I pressed the Order button. I complained and received a refund, but a screen shot would have removed any doubt.
6
Lyft and Uber are just as bad as taxis, except they have better apps. Lyft and Uber drivers do a terrible job of trying to find me when I stand in a rather obvious location. I have had to scream and chase them down. Lyft and Uber drivers should not play the radio without asking the passenger for permission. I'm paying for the ride, not for having to listen to their choice of music or talk radio. Lyft and Uber drivers should ask whether an open car window or no air conditioning is comfortable for the passenger. Lyft and Uber cars are occasionally dirty or cluttered. Lyft and Uber drivers are becoming more like taxi drivers along with the poor attention to customer service of taxi drivers. Lyft and Uber need to differentiate from taxi drivers by providing better service.
6
ask for better service and cheaper service at the same time?
3
Uber's track record of willfully breaking the law in pursuit of profit is enough for me to choose Lyft.
28
I want to know which one pay their drivers more, right now i only use Dial 7, Carmel Car Services. Uber take a very large cut and underpays the drivers, what about Lyft?
8
I recently asked a Lyft driver since curious about same thing. He drives for both companies and says Lyft pays better and treats them better. But for anyone to make decent money you have to work for both. :(
22
@AmyO This is accurate. Many ride share drivers work for both even though most will tell you that Lyft is a better company. But, since Uber has better name recognition, drivers have to juggle two apps to make their money.
7
@FH NYC
No difference.
Neither company does a comprehensive driver background check. Hence, it's a taxi for me every time. There's a record of my call, a record of the driver, and the taxi service is so grateful I didn't call Lyft or Uber that they treat me right every time.
25
I think it's also important to consider rider safety. It's my understanding that Lyft conducts background checks of all of its drivers, but Uber doesn't. Based on that alone, I've chosen to only use Lyft and not Uber. It's easy to forget that when we call a rideshare, we're not only getting in a stranger's car but also showing them where we live.
40
Uber does background checks on an ongoing basis
1
A very timely article, but how do you do a comparison like this without comparing the quality of cara, drivers and overall level of service? Specifically: cleanliness and condition of cars sent. Professionalism of the drivers. How far off from the times estimated did they pick you up and drop you off? Did you have any problems with drivers cancelling your ride as you waited? Anecdotally speaking, I have generally found Uber to be superior in all these key areas, but I've never done a week long comparison, either... an unfortunate missed opportunity for a more informative smackdown between the two giants of share rides.
7
Lyft, all the way. The drivers seem to care. Uber drivers will "wait" for me at a place maybe 2 blocks away and expect me to find them. No call, nothing, just a waiting dot. Expected arrival times also seem to be off by about 50% most of the time: 4 minutes becomes 6, 10 becomes 15, etc.
Now that I'm in London, there's no Lyft, but there's Gett, which hails you one of London's iconic black cabs. It's a few quid more expensive (you pay the meter rate) but you arrive in style, driven by someone who's mastered The Knowledge.
36
Call me old-fashioned if you want, but reading the comments about safety, treatment of drivers, etc. . . . I'd prefer to get a regular cab or limo service.
Anyone can put an Uber or Lyft sticker on the windshield, which has been tragically driven home in the recent past.
22
@Chris You might prefer a regular cab, but not if you live in Albany, the capital of New York State. Here, if you could even get one, the cabs are notoriously disgusting with aggressive drivers, filthy vehicles and forced ride sharing without the benefit of a reduction in fare. Uber and Lyft were a real game changer here.
3
@Silvia. Ditto for Schenectady and Niskayuna.
Lyft for ethical reasons! And my opinion was supported by a good customer service experience as well. I'm not a frequent user, but while in a medium-sized city recently for a meeting, my colleague had a rude Uber driver to the airport. He showed up significantly early, probably so that he could get onto the next client, and grumbled at coming back later, etc. My driver showed up exactly on time, in a clean, well-marked car, was a safe driver, less expensive - and as an employee she said she preferred Lyft.
28
Between the two, I default to Lyft because of all the governance and other issues involving Uber, and also because the "surge pricing" is more transparent and reasonable. The one major problem I have with Lyft, however, not discussed in the article, is the way that once one's driver is identified, that same driver can suddenly get diverted to another ride. This puts you back to square one and can significantly increase one's wait time.
14
A few months ago, I needed a lift to get to the commuter train so I could get to a lucrative job. I arranged it in advance so as not to miss the train. The driver couldn't find my house, and wouldn't work with me so I could help him find me. He left. I booked another to catch the next train, who also could not find me, and who also left. Uber charged me a fee for their time, which I contested, and which they dropped - only to reinstate it an hour or so later, and it was no longer possible to question it. So I wasn't only out the money for the job, but also I ended up paying for a ride I never got! The fact that I had no recourse to talk to a human was the final straw. I haven't used lyft yet. I hope they're better.
18
There are many factors which contribute to diminished competition in our economy. The habit of making choices based on some perceived higher status, dubious reputation ratings or frequent user perks is likely part of the story. Yes, these things are important, but mostly only in the extremes.
Costs - both in terms of dollars and time - are almost always more important but sustaining the deception that they offer something special is probably very profitable for many businesses.
Driver here, 20 000 rides combined on both platforms.
Who treats drivers better? This is so complicated that I will chose not to answer it. It is also something that changes week to week. I have always preferred Lyft leadership, but with Travis gone things things have somewhat improved. The rest all depends on where you drive, how much you drive (bonus' depend on how many rides you give, really, there are so many variables)
It goes without saying if one company clearly treated drivers better that is where every driver would be. So it is an endless balancing act.
Meanwhile, no one is getting rich out there, so, TIP.
I am irked by the premise of this article since the answer is the same for passengers: it depends.
And for anyone jumping in with "I had a better experience on last 100 rides with L or U, well, that is not big enough of a sample.
alsosanfrancisco.com
13
@lucy kafka
I AGREE ABOUT THE 'LAST 100 RIDES' IDEA... If I were a driver for one or the other I'd put in a comment like that acting as if I were a serial rider... why not get more uumph out of your comment; after all that is the purpose to promote the service.
I had recent emergency and both services unable to provide transportation. Local livery services with ability to speak with someone on the phone who managed to find me a driver meant everything. Uber and Lyft position themselves as being all things to all people. Far from it. The extra expense to use a local service is a non-issue when transportation support matters.
7
@Bekoz
I agree, i also feel safer with a local car service, especially late at night or early in the morning.
6
In the past year I have switched completely to Lyft from Uber. Approximately 30% of the Uber rides I took over the last 3 years had problems: dropping me at the wrong address at Midnight; running stop signs; not being able to find me; not having a working phone, to name a few. Lyft drivers arrive more quickly and I have yet to have a problem. I do have to concur with other posters, that once enough drivers realize they are losing money, ridesharing in general will become less popular.
15
I want to like lyft, but the app is not as good. when i log in it suggests i sign up as a driver, and it always circles back to that. no idea why.
there is no search function on their website and their help site is weak. there is no ride history tab on their website, and there should be.
for my job i need to print a copy of each receipt. their receipt did not print out correctly (despite trying to adjust settings) and i had to finally save the receipt as a word doc, re-send to myself to have it print correctly. i have no other settings issue with any other site.
i don't like how uber takes more $$ from their drivers but lyft isn't worth the added aggravation.
1
Neither. Love my local car service 24/7. They cater to the hospitality industry (think late night and cash) and screen their drivers very carefully. LGBTQ friendly as well!
8
Ethically, I would like to know which app treats their drivers better. For which company do drivers get a better deal in terms of payment, requirements, availability, and possibly benefits? Are they the same or is one better than another? People I know who have driven for both say that lyft is better but what’s the reality?
9
The sharing economy is the new form of slavery.
There is nothing good about companies who force people who can't do the math into driving for ride hailing companies.
Since Uber and Lyft are subsidizing the rides, it is quite obviouse that this whole business model does not work.
11
Thanks for recommending the company with "a rampant culture of sexual harassment." Nope, I'll stick with Lyft whenever possible.
57
This article is incomplete. Lyft also has a “express” option where you agree to walk which is called Shared Saver.
5
Lyft is not very transparent at all. Recently I took a ride with a Lyft driver who fell asleep at the wheel at a traffic light. When I reported the issue to Lyft, the response was to deflect any questions I had about what actions they took agains the driver and offer me a $5 coupon off a Lyft ride (only in the next 30 days, though) as compensation for putting two passengers' lives at risk with a dangerous driver.
8
Lyft is smaller. If it goes down, Uber becomes a monopolist. That's why I use Lyft when I can.
36
What happens to the price of fares after these companies stop subsidizing? Since both companies will be publicly traded the shareholders will demand profits; that will be hard to do with subsidies. Fake it till you make it?
7
Interesting responses. The drivers i ask unanimously prefer UBER. They prefer Uber's maps, support and quick pay - most of all, they prefer the higher pay, because Uber is the busier app (they can switch back and forth, but that's a bit of a pain). As a customer, i love Uber and have rarely had anything other than an excellent ride. The "ethics" issues are sort of not relevant since Uber hired a new CEO almost two years ago - they had an issue and they dealt with it. As for safety, Uber provides millions of rides per day around the world - of course there will be issues, but not a lot riskier than walking across the street. It's clearly important to make sure that you get in the correct car - i always check the license plate.
1
@BB: Ethics must not matter very much to you. You say Uber "had an issue and they dealt with it" - yet Travis is ultimately still profiting from all the Uber passengers.
I fail to see how continuing to enrich the bad guy indicates to you that the "issue" has been dealt with.
7
Both companies woefully inadequate with regards to wheelchair accessible vehicles. Uber in only 15 cities. Lyft in none. How is this fair?
6
I'm in Miami a lot and find Uber drivers often don't speak English which makes it difficult to ask questions. I've had much better luck with Lyft. I know that many drivers work for both, but I now exclusively use Lyft in the city.
4
As many people note, there is no information about how drivers are treated and what they think about each service. I'd like to see a future article that focuses on how the services work from the driver's perspective - what they see and when about the ride request and destination, how they make decisions about when to pick up passengers, when and if they switch between driving for each service during a shift, how long they are required to work (if there is a requirement), what's a good strategy for making money and can they pick and choose trips (airport etc.).....I could go on. Write the article so that people who are not drivers can learn the inside scoop.
21
Why not analyze which app is better for the drivers' in terms of their compensation? This would be a big driver for many of us in deciding which app to use.
27
@HD
? Maybe because we are the customers? Do you think the drivers read the Times?
There is a third option: Get a taxi. And boycott all these "ride hailing" services until they treat their employees like employees rather than disposable parts in a machine. For those who don't know, there has been an epidemic of driver suicides in New York because these services have led to cratering salaries, both among uber/lyft drivers and taxi drivers.
32
@Locho
In many cities , the taxi people are silent, speak little english and charge much more including tip.
Uber drivers make conversation, speak english and talk about local hotspots and charge much less.
I will NEVER hire a taxi again.
3
@Sam: Which cities? In Hawaii only?
@Sam -
The last thing I want is to have a driver “make conversation”, particularly when he doesn’t have the faintest clue as to the best route from A to B.
6
Lyft. I dropped Uber after the Kalanick scandal.
Lyft vets its drivers and cars pretty thoroughly, based on conversations I've had with several Lyft drivers recently. Never had a bad experience with a Lyft driver or pickup. Plus, they offer frequent discount pricing.
I use them a lot in Las Vegas when at trade shows. A lot cheaper than cabs and the quality of the ride is just as good.
11
The city of Austin passed a referendum banning Uber et al unless their drivers were fingerprinted -- a standard requirement for cab drivers. Uber spent millions opposing it, and still lost.
Failing there, they then spent millions convincing the state legislature to outlaw Austin's position.
Just what are they afraid of, to refuse fingerprint verification? If a driver resists such a check: I certainly don't want to be his next victim.
I'll never get into a car driven by an unchecked diver. Yes, they use names, SSNs -- but those are readily faked. Fingerprints don't lie.
90
@Austin Liberal
Foolish to think prints will make anything safer. WHO will check 'em? against what? how? then take what action?
But Uber is the entitled one, thinks it can flout laws, get laws changed, ignore public complaints, etc.
1
@mike
Checking fingerprints: Submission to the same authority that verifies cab driver applicant prints.
7
I used Lift for the first time in Miami Beach after they sent me a 50% discount to be automatically applied to any ride I used for the next two weeks. As a tourist without a car, this was great. If Uber wants me back, they will have to do the same, next time I travel.
2
Public transportation anyone? These “rideshare” services are just more single occupant vehicles driving around all day and night. Every night I see several drivers sleeping with their cars idling as well. Make an environmentally sound choice and ditch these polluters.
76
@Mike totally agree with you for cities like SF--there is amazing and abundant public trans--when I visit i ride amtrak in and use muni to get everywhere. Where I live (Fresno, CA) there is a bus system But. getting across town in a car (10-15 minutes) same ride on the bus , hour plus perhaps? Many cities have not made the investment into public transit that bigger cities have. Until they do, we have to use ride shares to get along safely when we shouldn't be driving or when walking home isn't the safest option for a single person. I have been starting my weekend evenings with a walk to the local hangout now that there are more hours of sunshine, and maybe i will give the bus another chance if I don't have to be there in a hurry. You have given me something to think about! thanks!
6
@Mike Couldn't agree more!
1
"Hitch a ride"? "Ride sharing"? Aren't those basically things that don't cost anything? How did the online car services industry manage to hijack this language (and why is the Times facilitating it)?
17
Absolutely shocked NYT treats "ethical reasons" as a footnote and doesn't even bother to factor in their treatment of drivers.
146
The real question is which apps drivers are more likely to smoke weed before they pick you. One of these apps has drivers that regularly drive stoned.
2
What about quality of cars?
5
I find it stunning that Mr. Chen apparently does not think it is worth mentioning Uber's history of disregarding regulations and regulatory bodies, both in Europe and domestically. It has been a lawless company, bro capitalism at its worst.
132
Lyft has been a better company for women and, in my experience, way fewer skeevy, angry drivers with a DUI history.
51
This article doesn't mention the NYC taxi strike...also comes out in favor of Lyft.
10
What about Via?
1
Man. How do you leave out a comparison of safety? Many people (myself included) use Lyft because they have a reputation for vetting their drivers more strenuously. I would've loved to see a comparison of the vetting processes and of reported "incidents" (sexual harassment, stalking, assault, etc.) for each company. Most of the stuff in this article is either common knowledge or easily found online - the safety information, not quite as much.
271
@Kristin Miller Why do you believe Lyft "more strenuously" vets their drivers? Do you have proof of that? Or is that just your perception? I don't have answers, but if both companies are using third party companies to run background checks, it would seem to me they would have a fairly similar process. From what I have heard, many drivers work for both Uber and Lyft, and those who drive for Lyft only, often couldn't pass Uber's security screening. Is that hearsay? Yes. But having a "reputation for vetting more strenuously" means nothing, only that Lyft spends more money on PR or social media.
6
Both Uber and Lyft use the same background check company. In addition many states also require a more thorough background check (Massachusetts requires a separate CORI check).
5
@Bill Given the drivers experiences reported in the above comments it seems prudent to carry a weapon if you take either of these services.
2
I find the Lyft app easier to navigate (pun intended). For that reason i use Lyft.
8
Both are simply cab companies attempting avoid taxes and regulation, and to underpay drivers grotesquely. When they submit to the same rules as everyone else, and start screening drivers to eliminate sexual assault and other violence they may be worth considering
39
Another comparison which i would like to see or understand is about support post-accident. I was recently on an Uber trip when the driver slammed into the car in front of us. Missed my flight and spent the next 3 hours in the hospital. I tried for days to speak to someone at Uber about this and only received emails about me having to contact the drivers insurance company. Since i used the "Uber app" i was told to resolve with the driver as a third party. As of today (3 months later) i still haven't spoken to a single person at Uber and nothing is resolved. Each email i send them gets returned by a new person. So how does Lyft respond to accidents with their drivers?
226
@AMR When I was in an accident in an Uber, they called me immediately (before I even got out of the car) and were extremely helpful. Granted, I didn't need to go to the hospital. I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but it was quite different from mine.
5
@Meghan: Uber has a well-earned reputation for being unavailable to help in any difficult situation the passenger experiences. You were lucky once; you may not be again.
"Granted, I didn't need to go to the hospital." Uh, what do you think Uber would do for you if you found yourself in the hospital as a result of one of their drivers getting into an accident?
17
@AMR Retain an attorney
20
As an avid user of both apps, I'd just add that Uber's GPS is much better than Lyft. If I am traveling between cities, Lyft has a harder time registering I am in a new place, and its current location is often way off. This doesn't matter much if I'm familiar with the city I'm currently in, but has been cumbersome when traveling. Don't have the same issue with the Uber app.
1
Two glaring omissions:
* How do drivers fare? Many of the drivers I talk to prefer that you book through Juno where they get a larger share of the fare even though it's almost always cheaper than both Uber and Lyft.
* Car seats...Uber has used really good child car seats for a while. Looks like Lyft recently added this feature but I haven't used them.
5
"old-school taxicabs" have apps now too - Curb is one. I recently went from downtown Manhattan to LaGuardia, and Lyft showed a 25 minute wait while for Curb it was 4 minutes.
I do prefer Lyft to Uber though, for the ethics, carbon consciousness and pricing.
56
@TS
In NYC the business model of walking out to the street and waving your hand at an approaching yellow cab with its roof light illuminated is as good or even better than the app. No cancellations, no vagueness as to what the cost of the ride will be (it's on the meter), no surge pricing, no blocking traffic lanes while waiting for you, and a driver who is more likely to actually know where he's going than your app driver.
That's why the yellow cab industry in NYC isn't going away. Many drivers and passengers are returning and the value of the medallion is showing a pulse.
4
I'm extremely loyal to Lyft because the drivers overall seem happier. They take pride in keeping their cars clean and comfortable; greet you cheerfully and, if there's a conversation, keep it light and upbeat; and most importantly, seem to drive SAFELY to the destination rather than in a furious race to pick up the next rider. On the rare occasion when I have to take Uber, it's always so depressing.
25
My understanding is that Lyft gives drivers a bigger cut of the fare, which I read in early articles and which drivers have verified when I asked. Also, Uber took part in a Trump Administration corporate think tank, while many other major corporations declined to do so. For this two reasons, I removed the Uber app from my phone, only use Lyft and it has never been an issue.
51
@VVV03 That is also my understanding, the bit about Lyft drivers getting a bigger cut, also through verifying and asking drivers about pay. I have also asked drivers who drive for both companies which they prefer. All said Lyft.
19
@VVV03 While both companies at one time paid a percentage of the fare to the drivers, 75-80%, depending on when drivers started, this is no longer true. Both companies now pay mileage and time rates, and these rates vary depending upon the market. While both companies also used to pay drivers their full percentage of the surge or prime time (dynamic pricing), this is no longer true, either. Both pay only a minimal flat "surge" or "bonus". This amount may range from as low as dollar upwards, but never anyplace near the full amount of the surge. A driver may see as little as 30% of a surged fare, although he/she will typically receive more. Again, this varies depending upon the market and the fare.
2
I think you are leaving out a few details here. for Uber Pool and Express Pool, the price listed is always Express Pool which you then have to select. In DC, deselecting it often makes Lyft cheaper. Secondly, in my experience drivers and riders often have issues with Express Pool of finding each other /being the most efficient route. Often, it is the slower but cheapest ride hailing option.
I would also point of the difference of being able to use commuter benefits (not an option in as many cities with Lyft).
Finally, at least for me, Uber takes over 2 min to hail a car whereas Lyft can be faster (or atleast doesn't force me to wait 2 min minimum).
1
I can't believe that this article doesn't mention environmental sustainability! Lyft has been offsetting all CO2 from its rides since 2018. It does so by partnering with a carbon-offset company. This is just built into the Lyft fare - it's not something you have to specifically request. By contrast, Uber has done basically nothing about sustainability. It doesn't seem to be on their radar.
And as others have mentioned, Uber has a notoriously bad reputation for exploiting their drivers, overcharging their customers, and allowing a toxic workplace culture to fester. I'm not a ride-hailing user, but if I ever decide to become one, my dollars will only go to Lyft - no question about it.
203
I completely agree with Richard from LA. With all of the attention paid to drivers who have recently even gone on strike about their treatment, to ignore this category--how do these two companies treat their drivers--seems completely deaf to the current news cycle and also to how we need to evaluate our corporations today--how do they treat their people?--and, for that matter, which one is better, if either, for the planet?
42
@Kathy Leichter
It's the NY Times. This kind of stuff doesn't count.
Let me add to the chorus asking why the author of this piece didn’t think that how the two companies treat their drivers was a relevant issue. Drivers all prefer Lyft to Uber, although with less enthusiasm now than a few years ago. I live in LA but in New York I exclusively use Juno for this very reason - it treats its drivers better than both Lyft and Uber.
72
@Richard I ask every Lyft driver (have never used Uber) which they prefer and ALL have said Lyft. They cite better treatment from Lyft.
14
@Miranda you might have a somewhat skewed data set there, no?
1
@Miranda
All in the past ... lyft and uber both treat us like we are disposable and irrelevant.
5
Even better, play it safe and preserve jobs you can live on by eschewing the rip-off gig economy by taking an actual taxi.
19
@Al M...if only an old fashioned taxi would respond as fast as Lyft it could be an option....in SF typically cabs turn up late or never. It’s not much cheaper just more reliable and for me at least the drivers are much friendlier ..
2
Or conversely..refuse to support a non-competitive, closed-shop industry which benefitted from regulatory barriers to new entrants for decades, riddled with corruption and with famously bad customer service, and use Uber or Lyft.
8
@Al M Cabs won't even come to my neighborhood. The last two cab rides I took were awful -- I'm done. I feel for the plight of the drivers, but that is no reason to support a corrupt and outdated business. I think it would be easier to build protections for gig workers that fix the toxic stew that is the cab industry.
8
The author didn't do their research on the rewards programs. For those riders with Delta mileage program, Lyft/Delta give them mileage points equal to the amount spent on Lyft. And in addition, for any Lyft rides that start/finish at an airport, the amount of mileage points is doubled (for example, if the Lyft ride costs $50, you'll get 100 mileage points on Delta).
In addition, I typically check prices on both ride apps before going with the cheapest option. More than 75% of the time, it's a Lyft option - and often times by a substantial amount.
16
@Compassion & Resilience
Similar relationship also between Lyft & JetBlue.
2
“Uber lets people request wheelchair-accessible cars in about 15 of its top cities. In my tests in San Francisco, wheelchair-accessible cars were available in many areas.”
This is only superficially true. When you request a wheelchair-accessible ride in the Uber app, it transfers you to a separate, independent, unaffiliated company or non-profit specializing in servicing the disabled. In SF, these requests have been transferred to taxi companies with ramp lifts, or paratransit vans subsidized by the City, or simply ignored.
35
@Bill when is the last time you tried this? It does not connect you to taxi companies with ramp lifts at all and usually, you get a newer dodge caravan.
1
Lyft does have fare splitting when you set up a business travel profile. Using that profile also opens up discounts and the ability to connect Lyft to your company’s expense reimbursement system. The business profile also creates an Tax report as well.
3
It is surprising that there is no mention here of the services reliability: I have increasingly found Uber's time estimates in NYC unreliable and, what is worse, they have dropped the option of cancelling a ride if the delay as shown after ordering is much greater than at time of ordering. In addition, even increased waiting times are often not met...and just keep going up and still no capacity to cancel ride. it is theoretically possible to complain to Uber about this through many steps on their website but the trouble is hardly worth it: this is blatantly an attempt to increase revenue by generating no show charges or holding customers hostage while waiting an indeterminate amount of time.
I have not used Lyft, so I cannot comment on their reliability in this respect , but Uber's inefficiency and predatory practice heres here have driven me to other car services when practicable. Again, surprised that this article makes no mention of these services actual performance in these respects.
63
Using Uber is unconscionable in this day and age. For years they have operated without any sense of ethics whatsoever.
86
I far prefer Lyft; the drivers I’ve gotten have been noticeably better than the ones I get from Uber, and I appreciate that Lyft offsets its carbon emissions. In the Bay Area, I’ve noticed that Lyft prices are consistently a little lower, although the opposite is true in LA from my experience.
24
I only use Lyft. The drivers I've talked to, who always use both apps, seem to prefer Lyft now though that wasn't the case in the beginning. Uber has cut compensation to drivers.
32
One alternative that never seems to be mentioned are the local car services, which have been used for years for travel in the boroughs and in other cities. We've used them for years, and for the most part, they're reliable, up front with their pricing, and don't charge more for busy times. They're not perfect - sometimes you have to wait - but they shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.
30
Which is fairer to the drivers? Doesn't Uber take 25% versus Lyft's 20%? Shouldn't we consider fairness as a vital part of the which-is-better equation?
163
@L. Mckenzie. - I agree. Drivers who drive for both say both companies are taking an increasingly higher percent of what the driver gets, leaving drivers with less. I’d like to know specifics - what % does Uber take vs Lyft?
16
Yes, neglecting to include information about driver relations is a definite failure of this article. How the drivers are treated is a crucial piece of information. Having asked many drivers who drive for both, I have found that they consistently prefer to work for Lyft. Also, Lyft made it easy to tip drivers in the app years ago when Uber was still strongly resisting making that option available. Lyft cares more about drivers. That's the deciding factor for me.
42
@L. Mckenzie This is clearly worth it's own article. How do these services treat their drivers? Lyft, Uber, Juno, cabs, limos, etc.
7
It should be noted that Lyft can connect with Delts Skymiles and gives you 1 Delta point for every $1 spend on Lyft. Also, Lyft offsets its carbon emissions.
59
There is nothing in this report about how Lyft and Uber treat their drivers, which would be a major consideration for me. It is disappointing that Mr Chen only approaches the topic from the "what's in it for me" perspective
256
@Steve It’s completely anecdotal, but I asked a few drivers in the Bay Area who work with both, and they all preferred Lyft. One driver had dropped Uber altogether, sticking to Lyft exclusively. Ask your local drivers.
119
@EML I always ask drivers that have both logos. Driver's are about 12:1 in favor of Lyft. (On the southside of Chicago)
33
@Steve: I agree with you, but Mr. Chen is probably the prototypical passenger in only caring "what's in it for me." I think most passengers only care about themselves.
7
I live near the airport in Boston. The first time I used Uber, a taxi cab came and charged me the meter price for the thirty mile trip to Salem. Coming back the same day, I ordered an Uber ride and the driver called and said he had a black car, was that okay. I told him I would look for a black car. When it came it was a limousine, and the trip back was more expensive than the trip out. I use Lyft now.
5
@Galen You don't know how to use the app. Those options (taxi & black car service) are clearly identified and their descriptions of what type of pricing are quite clear. Also, the app tells you the make/model of the car that will be picking you up. Lyft's app is basically the same in this regards.
3
Lyft works better for me. Uber never lets me ride saying I need to update my credit. For months now! Gave up. Use Lyft for church on Sunday mornings which saves at least $10 over a cab. $6.50 vs $17.00. Lyft also give credit if a driver is loud or rude.
5