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Is Lyft still a serious platform?

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3.1K views 40 replies 26 participants last post by  Jsaxophone  
#1 ·
Might not be for every market, but Lyft is completely dead in the Tampa Bay area. Using both apps, I probably make about $6 on Lyft for every $100 I make on Uber. I don't even shut the app off, anymore, I just accept ANYONE who pings me on Lyft and make them wait until I'm done with my Uber passenger.

In any case, I started on Lyft in 2017 as a referral. After about 2 days, I realized I couldn't survive by sitting in my car for an hour waiting for a ping. I quickly added Uber to my apps and I drove for both ever since. Lyft never paid as well, but I wasn't going to cut off my nose to spite my face, it used to fill in the gaps between Uber rides.

I like to call it Lilyff', because of the quality of people who use the platform. Mostly trashy white and black people who would otherwise be using public transportation, who smell like a mixture of cheap laundry detergent, pot, cigarettes, and 5 pets that have never been washed (the smell of poor). Don't expect a tip because I am a bus service to them and they are literally going to the extents of a minimum fare. They've probably come across a free ride promo and are on their 5th free ride by borrowing their uncle's, sister's, dad's, brother's credit card.

I don't necessarily shuffle someone, unless I'm picking up from a grocery store or kwik-e-mart, but I've made a habit of accepting rides that are way too far and waiting until that fella on the other end gets the hint that I'm not coming. If they still can't take the hint, I'll cancel and say it's too far. My acceptance/cancel rates are in the toilet and somehow I've never had more than a sternly worded email. I'm almost under the impression that I am THE Lyft driver in my area and Lyft can't afford to lose me.

In any case, I've recently taken a break from Lyft because of the Driver verification. It requires me to enter my ENTIRE social security # just to prove it's me and go online. I'm willing to enter the last 4, even the last 6, but I don't really have the desire to submit my social security number into the abyss, every time I plan to drive. They can F themselves.

It doesn't seem to me that Lyft is able to keep customers or drivers.
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
I never said they wouldn't survive without me, personally, I simply think that my area is dead when it comes to Lyft, and the problem seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy due to frustrated drivers and frustrated passengers.

One thing I learned from a few years of ridesharing is that competing drivers are actually a fantastic thing. Drivers don't want to drive 30-minutes across town to pick up a pax any more than a pax wants to wait 30 minutes for a driver to arrive. More drivers means there's always someone nearby, which results in more satisfaction, which results in more passengers and it's a logarithmic trend of people either jumping on board or jumping ship.

There's a saying in business: "They lose a little money on each sale, but they make up for it in volume." It's a joke about how sometimes companies lose money doing business and the more business they do the more they lose. This is how Tesla operated for many years, it's how almost every company gets its start, and it's certainly the business model of BOTH Lyft and Uber. The first several years are in the red, because investments haven't yet come to fruit. Saying that Uber is doing bad because they lost more money than Lyft is not looking at their overall business model. Here's some figures:

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It seems that both companies are gaining customers....also, the more customers they gain, the more money they lose (for now, anyway). Problem I see is that Uber isn't losing any ground in any particular area...Lyft is. Even if Lyft is growing, the fact that it can fail in certain areas....and exponentially so, is not a good sign. Lyft's customer and driver loyalty is incredibly volatile, and that's a bad sign. Some people may choose to 'hate' Uber for the same reason they hate McDonald's or Walmart, but from my perspective, McDonald's and Walmart aren't going anywhere. The people who use Uber (or McD's or Wally World) are faithful to the core. Lyft drivers and pax seem to only be faithful long enough to milk a referral incentive or a free ride coupon.
 
#5 ·
Same experience, with Lyft, on my end. Four years ago it would, actually, fill in gaps. And would provide income between $150 - 250/week out of $800 - 1100 total rideshare payout. Always secondary, but nice extra money.

Now, like you, it's peanuts along with the same issues you described. See the numbers on Wall Street and good for them. However, I don't care to participate as a driver, passenger or investor. Goodbye Lyft ?.
 
#6 ·
I never said they wouldn't survive without me, personally, I simply think that my area is dead when it comes to Lyft, and the problem seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy due to frustrated drivers and frustrated passengers.

One thing I learned from a few years of ridesharing is that competing drivers are actually a fantastic thing. Drivers don't want to drive 30-minutes across town to pick up a pax any more than a pax wants to wait 30 minutes for a driver to arrive. More drivers means there's always someone nearby, which results in more satisfaction, which results in more passengers and it's a logarithmic trend of people either jumping on board or jumping ship.

There's a saying in business: "They lose a little money on each sale, but they make up for it in volume." It's a joke about how sometimes companies lose money doing business and the more business they do the more they lose. This is how Tesla operated for many years, it's how almost every company gets its start, and it's certainly the business model of BOTH Lyft and Uber. The first several years are in the red, because investments haven't yet come to fruit. Saying that Uber is doing bad because they lost more money than Lyft is not looking at their overall business model. Here's some figures:

View attachment 345500
View attachment 345501
View attachment 345502
View attachment 345503

It seems that both companies are gaining customers....also, the more customers they gain, the more money they lose (for now, anyway). Problem I see is that Uber isn't losing any ground in any particular area...Lyft is. Even if Lyft is growing, the fact that it can fail in certain areas....and exponentially so, is not a good sign. Lyft's customer and driver loyalty is incredibly volatile, and that's a bad sign. Some people may choose to 'hate' Uber for the same reason they hate McDonald's or Walmart, but from my perspective, McDonald's and Walmart aren't going anywhere. The people who use Uber (or McD's or Wally World) are faithful to the core. Lyft drivers and pax seem to only be faithful long enough to milk a referral incentive or a free ride coupon.
u did go on record as writing âš  fake news: " It doesn't seem to me that Lyft is able to keep customers or drivers"

? In reality just the opposite is true. I'm comforted u chose entry level ground transportation as a career and not journalism

Lyft reported record quarterly revenue of $867.3 million, up 72% from the same quarter a year ago, easily outpacing analysts' average forecast of $809 million.

The San Francisco-based company hiked its full-year revenue guidance to between $3.47 billion and $3.5 billion

 
#30 ·
u did go on record as writing âš  fake news: " It doesn't seem to me that Lyft is able to keep customers or drivers"
? In reality just the opposite is true. I'm comforted u chose entry level ground transportation as a career and not journalism
Lyft reported record quarterly revenue of $867.3 million, up 72% from the same quarter a year ago, easily outpacing analysts' average forecast of $809 million.The San Francisco-based company hiked its full-year revenue guidance to between $3.47 billion and $3.5 billion
Earnings predictions determine what's good for investors, not drivers and not customers. A company that is losing money hand-over-fist, can't hold onto workers (except for workers with no morals), can't keep customers, but somehow still a cash cow for investors? Sounds pretty familiar.

You know the name, Sears? K-Mart? Circuit City? Toys-R-Us? Radio Shack? Service Merchandise? and other companies you thought closed their doors? Well, those companies have been "Dying" for decades, yet, they still keep storefronts and an online presence. They're still heavily invested companies and still highly profitable for a handful of people on the board. Companies that are constantly bought and sold to new Venture Capitalists. Why? Because they're easy platforms to milk. It's still easy enough for a company like Sears to secure a bank loan, pocket the loan, and then default on the loan. The bank uses it as a tax write-off, the executives pocket the principal, the workers go without pay, and they claim it to be a valiant effort. Rinse, Repeat.

Lyft and Uber have a long way to go before they're no longer shell companies that somehow pay off for a few investors/executives, while simultaneously being in the trash can. I don't think Lyft will ever reach the same audience as Uber, and I believe the Lyft market to be far more volatile to drivers and customers, especially considering Lyft plays more games and pays less. I think the dissatisfaction among drivers quickly leads to frustration with passengers. Personally, whenever I get a Lyft (and actually pick them up) I mess with their heads a little. I say "Wow, I'm amazed I got a Lyft, today," ...and I truly am.
With the rate cuts..you are driving into the negative, why would you do favors for strangers? Don't you have netflix at home for a hobby at the least?
Experienced drivers can make both platforms work for them, but you have to vet your pickups and work the system to do so (and hope you don't get punted in the process).

Lyft certainly does pay less, and it serves less, so it's not something I would want to live off of, but Destination mode (to my real job) does yield me a profit. For me, a Lyft pax still needs to be within 5 minutes, an Uber, 8 minutes, but I always prioritize Uber, if I get both.
Pretty sad when getting these out number getting decent ride requests anymore. Dying on the vine here.
I agree, I get more of these than I actually get a viable Lyft ride/request.
Your stereo typing of Lyft passengers is a little tunnel visioned. Have you done the same assessment of Uber passengers ?
There are no forehead stamps that classify dirty, smelly people as Lyft paxs verses clean acceptable people are Uber paxs.
I think the problem is in your mind.
Well, I do have a nose. I don't need to stereotype a dirty person when I can clearly smell them the moment that they get in my car.

I judge EVERYBODY that sits their ass in my 2015. I judge people who can't place a pin on a map. I judge people who can't be at the curb within 1 or 2 minutes. I judge people who look at me, look at their phone, and then continue to look around the lot like "Where's my driver at?" I judge people who talk loudly on the phone or don't acknowledge my existence. I judge people who carry their problems around on their back. I judge people who ****ing smell. I judge people who drive exactly the distance a M.F. will cover and then walk the rest of the way. I judge people who hail a driver from 10 minutes away, just to cross the street. I judge the people I encounter all I ****ing want.

And you know what this judge has determined? Lyft Pax are smellier, dumber, less pleasant, cheapskates who otherwise should just take the bus. I've crunched the numbers, I like Uber Pax better, there is a clear difference where I drive.
So I guess you smell. Haven't met a rich Uber driver yet. U po son.
That's not how any of this works. Someone who works at a garbage dump will say "I don't smell anything."

If I can clearly smell someone the moment they sit down in my car, it ain't me, son.
lol Lyft is basically trying to kill itself off
When I started using Destination Filter, I used to joke that Lyft is the platform that doesn't want drivers. The 15-min kick-out was ridiculous and it even still is at 30-min. Since I started, Lyft has paid less, bullshitted more, had a worse experience than Uber and I'm almost certain that they are trying to kill off drivers, which will kill themselves, in the process.
Then you don't hate it.
I don't like car insurance companies....I still have one.
I don't like traffic....I still drive.
I don't like McDonald's....sometimes it's the only option.

Liking something and still being part of its existence are not mutually exclusive.
 
#8 ·
In my market there are days where I just can't seem to get going with Uber, yet Lyft keeps me busy. That's really the only reason I keep Lyft - as a backup to Uber. So far today I've only done Uber. It doesn't help Lyft's case that they pay less than Uber in my market and don't offer the wait time and long distance pick up amounts. My last trip for Lyft yesterday was a cancellation. The lady was coming, but the $5 cancel fee was more than the trip would've earned me, so I dumped her.
 
#12 ·
Guess it depends on market...

I've still been grossing $300, give or take some, even this summer while driving about 10-15 hours a week. Before summer I was grossing 2-2.5x that while putting in 30-35 hours.

Guess we'll see how things develop once college kids are back in town at all the area colleges. I probably won't be putting in more hours until the summer heat is gone, though.
 
#13 ·
--------------------------------
Your stereo typing of Lyft passengers is a little tunnel visioned. Have you done the same assessment of Uber passengers ?
There are no forehead stamps that classify dirty, smelly people as Lyft paxs verses clean acceptable people are Uber paxs.
I think the problem is in your mind.

I never said they wouldn't survive without me, personally, I simply think that my area is dead when it comes to Lyft, and the problem seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy due to frustrated drivers and frustrated passengers.

One thing I learned from a few years of ridesharing is that competing drivers are actually a fantastic thing. Drivers don't want to drive 30-minutes across town to pick up a pax any more than a pax wants to wait 30 minutes for a driver to arrive. More drivers means there's always someone nearby, which results in more satisfaction, which results in more passengers and it's a logarithmic trend of people either jumping on board or jumping ship.

There's a saying in business: "They lose a little money on each sale, but they make up for it in volume." It's a joke about how sometimes companies lose money doing business and the more business they do the more they lose. This is how Tesla operated for many years, it's how almost every company gets its start, and it's certainly the business model of BOTH Lyft and Uber. The first several years are in the red, because investments haven't yet come to fruit. Saying that Uber is doing bad because they lost more money than Lyft is not looking at their overall business model. Here's some figures:

View attachment 345500
View attachment 345501
View attachment 345502
View attachment 345503

It seems that both companies are gaining customers....also, the more customers they gain, the more money they lose (for now, anyway). Problem I see is that Uber isn't losing any ground in any particular area...Lyft is. Even if Lyft is growing, the fact that it can fail in certain areas....and exponentially so, is not a good sign. Lyft's customer and driver loyalty is incredibly volatile, and that's a bad sign. Some people may choose to 'hate' Uber for the same reason they hate McDonald's or Walmart, but from my perspective, McDonald's and Walmart aren't going anywhere. The people who use Uber (or McD's or Wally World) are faithful to the core. Lyft drivers and pax seem to only be faithful long enough to milk a referral incentive or a free ride coupon.
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Those scales are meaningless unless Uber and Lyft were the same size. Uber is world wide -- Lyft is USA & Canada.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Driver verification. It requires me to enter my ENTIRE social security # just to prove it's me and go online. I'm willing to enter the last 4, even the last 6, but I don't really have the desire to submit my social security number into the abyss, every time I plan to drive. They can F themselves.
I got the SSN verification too. Same concerns. Started a thread on it, and no one else said they got it. Later lyft did a DL check.

I guess me and you are on a lyft naughty list. I don't double book, but i randomly accept pings

 
#22 ·
I never said they wouldn't survive without me, personally, I simply think that my area is dead when it comes to Lyft, and the problem seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy due to frustrated drivers and frustrated passengers.

One thing I learned from a few years of ridesharing is that competing drivers are actually a fantastic thing. Drivers don't want to drive 30-minutes across town to pick up a pax any more than a pax wants to wait 30 minutes for a driver to arrive. More drivers means there's always someone nearby, which results in more satisfaction, which results in more passengers and it's a logarithmic trend of people either jumping on board or jumping ship.

There's a saying in business: "They lose a little money on each sale, but they make up for it in volume." It's a joke about how sometimes companies lose money doing business and the more business they do the more they lose. This is how Tesla operated for many years, it's how almost every company gets its start, and it's certainly the business model of BOTH Lyft and Uber. The first several years are in the red, because investments haven't yet come to fruit. Saying that Uber is doing bad because they lost more money than Lyft is not looking at their overall business model. Here's some figures:

View attachment 345500
View attachment 345501
View attachment 345502
View attachment 345503

It seems that both companies are gaining customers....also, the more customers they gain, the more money they lose (for now, anyway). Problem I see is that Uber isn't losing any ground in any particular area...Lyft is. Even if Lyft is growing, the fact that it can fail in certain areas....and exponentially so, is not a good sign. Lyft's customer and driver loyalty is incredibly volatile, and that's a bad sign. Some people may choose to 'hate' Uber for the same reason they hate McDonald's or Walmart, but from my perspective, McDonald's and Walmart aren't going anywhere. The people who use Uber (or McD's or Wally World) are faithful to the core. Lyft drivers and pax seem to only be faithful long enough to milk a referral incentive or a free ride coupon.
I hate Walmart, I STILL shop there.
 
#23 ·
This will be year 4 for me and I've gotten the total opposite. Uber started very well and Lyft was non existent. Now, for me, uber is almost non existent and Lyft is being ran as primary. Year over year I've watched my majority money switch to Lyft.
 
#27 ·
My acceptance/cancel rates are in the toilet and somehow I've never had more than a sternly worded email. I'm almost under the impression that I am THE Lyft driver in my area and Lyft can't afford to lose me.
That's me, the guy that regularly gets the 20 minute Lyft pickup requests. When I get 3-4 of those from the same pax over an hour period, I know there is an unhappy pax on the other end. Makes me happy.
 
#32 · (Edited)
In Chicago, passengers tell me they like Lyft more than Uber. Nicer cars...nicer drivers. They say Lyft cost more than Uber, but they like the overall Lyft experience better. They say it's like Target (Lyft) vs Walmart (Uber).

If I didn't wear hearing aids, I'd get a CDL. Truck drivers I pick up as passengers say that industry is BEGGING for drivers and paying them commensurately.
 
#33 ·
We go nose blind to our own scent. So just because you can’t smell yourself doesn’t mean the same isn’t true about you. I personally can smell when a person had garlic three days ago.
Especially if people don’t floss. I drive through Korea town with a hazmat suit.
 
#35 ·
In Chicago, passengers tell me they like Lyft more than Uber. Nicer cars...nicer drivers. They say Lyft cost more than Uber, but they like the overall Lyft experience better. They say it's like Target (Lyft) vs Walmart (Uber).
It's interesting how the markets are different.

From my perspective, I see a lot of cars with both stickers. I even drive for both platforms, so, doesn't really matter which platform they use, they're still getting the same driver (although I am slightly more biased to give Uber pings more attention).

I think Uber gets a bad rap because they are the bigger company with more to report on. It is certainly Walmart vs. Target, but keep in mind, Walmart has 10x as many stores and 10x as many customers, and there's really no fundamental difference between Walmart and Target, especially when you're shopping for the same Crest, Pepsi, General Mills products. Target has simply swindled you out of a few more dollars by fooling you into thinking that 'image is important.'

My opinion: Lyft has a less-strict and quicker background checking process, meaning it's easier for someone with an unclean record to drive for Lyft. Lyft also has a less-strict vehicle requirement, allowing people to drive older and less maintained vehicles. From my daily routine, I've learned that if I see an Uber-only sticker on a windshield, I know the driver is average. If I see both stickers, I know the driver is smart enough to multitask and is probably above-average. However, if I see a Lyft-only sticker, I get my dash cam ready, because I know I'm about to see some Grade-A YouTube material.

I am a Pax, myself, when I vacation or travel. So far, I've been in some pretty nice Ubers, like an almost new Cadillac ATS. I've been in some pretty crappy Lyfts, like a guy with a Chrysler minivan with no headliner, or a girl who reserved the front seat of her Civic for all her dirty clothes, and the trunk was filled with her kid's stuff. I had another Lyft driver who missed the airport, so she backed up on the shoulder of an interstate.

Personally, I've had a better experience with Uber, Nationwide....but at the same time, I'm sure those are just a few experiences and I can't judge an entire platform because of a few bad drivers, especially when knowing that because of the 'law of averages' MOST drivers EVERYWHERE are pretty fukking bad and there's no way that they are limited to just one platform or the other. The term "Average Driver" should be an insult and a windshield sticker doesn't suddenly make you a more competent person.
 
#37 ·
We go nose blind to our own scent. So just because you can't smell yourself doesn't mean the same isn't true about you. I personally can smell when a person had garlic three days ago.
Especially if people don't floss. I drive through Korea town with a hazmat suit.
That's what I'm saying, you get used to a certain smell if you're in it all day. Maybe I do smell, sometimes, but I already have a wife and kids who would call me out, if I did.

Thing is, when it's 6am and I have a passenger GOING TO WORK, hops in and my car immediately changes from a neutral (to me) small to FOUL BO, I don't have to guess where that smell is coming from. When I'm picking up from a trailer park and the passenger enters with the smell of unscented laundry detergent, dirty pets, weed, and cigarettes (the Trademark smell of trailer trash), again, there's no mistaking the breed of person I have just let sit on my cloth seats.

I also have the amazing ability to detect "Rude" "Cheap" and "Dumb" people. When I put it all together, I find that my Lyft passengers are more likely to be smelly, rude, cheap, and dumb than my Uber passengers.