New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers • Hacker News Board

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#41

Post by forrestthewoods » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC

usaphp wrote: post #3

chipgap98 wrote: post #2

I know Uber has the dominate market share, but I really enjoy life. I notice that I get better, friendlier service from the drivers and I like having the option to tip. They have rolled out a lot of impressive features and programs recently. I hope, at the very least, their actions will pressure Uber into some similar moves

Having an option to tip enforces customers to tip, I would prefer using a service that does not force me to tip by providing that option. I am against tips in general for drivers.

I tipped a driver well because he went out of his way to come back to my home to return my cell phone I forgot in his. That took time and money out of his pocket. I could have tipped cash, but having it in app made it nice and easy.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#42

Post by Widdershin » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:10 PM UTC

simias wrote: post #38

rodgerd wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What would prevent you from just giving him some cash out of your physical wallet? Perhaps this is just a difference depending on where you are in the world, but I'm not used to people in first world countries carrying cash.

Uh, in which first world country exactly? I'm not aware of any place in western europe where carrying cash is uncommon.

It's uncommon to carry cash in New Zealand. Everything is done with eftpos and credit cards.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#43

Post by bduerst » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:10 PM UTC

rdl wrote: post #34

toomuchtodo wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, we're past that discussion aren't we? Uber and other rideshares are going to have to start classifying drivers as employers eventually (at least until self-driving cars get here). Legal determinations are already headed in this direction.

It'd be interesting if someone got in front of that and ran Uber-Prime with Uber-Prime, Inc. employees as drivers, driving vehicles leased by Uber-Prime, Inc. Maybe go upmarket of Uber by offering a 100% guaranteed rape-free experience for your minor children, borderline medical transport, incapacitated people, rich/scared people, etc.

Wouldn't work because Uber pays per person, not to a company. You'd have to get drivers to voluntarily give a cut of their take home to pay for insurance, the car, etc. without having a way to track what they actually make.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#44

Post by mmaunder » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:10 PM UTC

Some nice moves from Lyft. Feels like they've really upped their game with this and it will be an incredible case study if they're able to surpass Uber who has a head-start, which almost never happens.

Reminds me of the days when alltheweb had just become the popular SE beating AltaVista, Excite and others, and Google stormed in and cleaned up.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#45

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:10 PM UTC

larrys wrote: post #14

alukima wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm really glad that option is there. I had an emergency involving a seizing dog and a round trip to the vets office. The driver was incredible and would have gotten a whole $9 if I couldn't tip.

What would prevent you from just giving him some cash out of your physical wallet? In general you are getting a ride from someone. Other than the fact that with legacy taxis you tip, (just like at a restaurant) where it doesn't really relate to quality of service, I don't see how much extra someone can do that would make a ride tipworthy.

[deleted]

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#46

Post by jonknee » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:10 PM UTC

rodgerd wrote: post #28

larrys wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would prevent you from just giving him some cash out of your physical wallet? In general you are getting a ride from someone. Other than the fact that with legacy taxis you tip, (just like at a restaurant) where it doesn't really relate to quality of service, I don't see how much extra someone can do that would make a ride tipworthy.

> What would prevent you from just giving him some cash out of your physical wallet? Perhaps this is just a difference depending on where you are in the world, but I'm not used to people in first world countries carrying cash.

Well here's an easy life hack then: enable tipping in any delivery app by keeping a single bill in your pocket.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#47

Post by amyjess » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:11 PM UTC

usaphp wrote: post #3

chipgap98 wrote: post #2

I know Uber has the dominate market share, but I really enjoy life. I notice that I get better, friendlier service from the drivers and I like having the option to tip. They have rolled out a lot of impressive features and programs recently. I hope, at the very least, their actions will pressure Uber into some similar moves

Having an option to tip enforces customers to tip, I would prefer using a service that does not force me to tip by providing that option. I am against tips in general for drivers.

I've heard stories of Uber drivers demanding cash tips out of customers and giving low ratings to any customers who decline (IIRC, Uber's TOS forbids this, but that's almost impossible to enforce).

That doesn't happen with Lyft: because tipping is built into the app, nobody asks for cash.

I don't carry cash, so I'd be screwed if I rode Uber and a driver threatened me with a 1-star rating if I didn't fork over cash.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#48

Post by jonknee » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:11 PM UTC

chc wrote: post #36

larrys wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would prevent you from just giving him some cash out of your physical wallet? In general you are getting a ride from someone. Other than the fact that with legacy taxis you tip, (just like at a restaurant) where it doesn't really relate to quality of service, I don't see how much extra someone can do that would make a ride tipworthy.

A lot of people don't carry cash in their physical wallets nowadays, since it's not generally very useful.

If you're having a hard time using it I'm happy to use it for you!

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#49

Post by jacorreia » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:12 PM UTC

chipgap98 wrote: post #2

I know Uber has the dominate market share, but I really enjoy life. I notice that I get better, friendlier service from the drivers and I like having the option to tip. They have rolled out a lot of impressive features and programs recently. I hope, at the very least, their actions will pressure Uber into some similar moves

The only party that benefits from tips is the employer (let's not go into the employee distinction right now though). It just shifts the responsibility to the customer to determine whether or not the employee should be paid for their work.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#50

Post by SilasX » Thu, Oct 08, 2015, 8:12 PM UTC

kuschku wrote: post #16

tswartz wrote: post #10

I like how Lyft is trying to make it easier for more people to drive for them. But, after Lyft's cut, tax and gas the hourly rate was very low. I drove for a couple months and they promised $25 - $35 during peak time, but I netted out to about $10/hr. Now to add on a Hertz rental fee, that is going to get very slim. Obviously this is still a better job for some people then there alternative. Lyft will market to new d…

The issue is, this is how profitable it is effectively – any driver following the law will have to pay this much. And this is why uber can only currently provide their high margins because they provide no insurance between rides (only during rides), because they don’t follow laws, etc. It’s unfair competition, and sadly, people expect Lyft to offer the same.

IMHO, this is a misconception. Most of the benefit of Lyft/Uber comes from app convenience, being cashless, mutual rating to weed out the jerks, carpooling efficiency, transparency (easy to get estimates and know if you overpaid), good customer support, and reliability in getting a ride, all of which are legal and which cab companies could have done.

They have a lot of room to raise prices before it outweighs those advantages. Remember, people were using UberBlack (as "UberCab" way back then), which simply took existing, fully-insured car service drivers, which had no regulatory advantage, long before UberX/Lyft.