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New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

blog.lyft.com

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Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#111

Post by chc »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #108
jonknee wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cash has great privacy, works at cash only places, small merchants are happy to receive it because it means no fees, you get a discount when buying gas, the aforementioned tipping (good luck giving the valet a credit card!), it works when the power is out and a lot more I'm sure. Cash is pretty great. Even if you don't carry it you should definitely keep some at home.

Imagine that you're on a date. You've got a nice evening planned, only to run into a state-wide blackout. Now the trick is to get food at all . You see this restaurant with a lot of cars out front. Turns out they have gas grills, so they can cook some kinds of food. (Not french fries, though - that machine's electric). They're working by candlelight, adding up the tab on a hand calculator, pouring pop out of bottles,…

The last time I had to go shopping during a blackout, the few places I went to that were open were still taking credit cards. Maybe it's just a regional thing.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#112

Post by s73v3r »

neeleshs wrote: post #70
mmanfrin wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They don't make great money so the tip is worth it. This is the main issue for me. When tips are allowed, the floor for pay/remuneration drops. I would much prefer to know that people are paid sanely for the job they do than to know I am obligated to supplement their pay.

Absolutely agree with this point. I hear the same argument for restaurant waiters and I hate this tipping system that even has suggested tipping tiers. It only tells me that owners of these establishments are not paying their employees correctly. I know of places which don't even disburse the tips back to their employees (when tip is part of receipt)!

At least in CA, waiters still get full minimum wage.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#113

Post by jonknee »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #108
jonknee wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cash has great privacy, works at cash only places, small merchants are happy to receive it because it means no fees, you get a discount when buying gas, the aforementioned tipping (good luck giving the valet a credit card!), it works when the power is out and a lot more I'm sure. Cash is pretty great. Even if you don't carry it you should definitely keep some at home.

Imagine that you're on a date. You've got a nice evening planned, only to run into a state-wide blackout. Now the trick is to get food at all . You see this restaurant with a lot of cars out front. Turns out they have gas grills, so they can cook some kinds of food. (Not french fries, though - that machine's electric). They're working by candlelight, adding up the tab on a hand calculator, pouring pop out of bottles,…

One big earthquake in SF and the Valley will start to see the value of cash.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#114

Post by Mz »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #110
fweespeech wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even in the US, I don't know anyone who regularly carries cash anymore. Why would you want the hassle? Or risk it being lost/stolen?

I want it so that I don't have the hassle . You want to buy a bottle of coke from a vending machine? Most of them don't have card readers. You want to tip the valet/bellman/maid? Most of them don't have card readers; even if they do, it's still inconvenient to make them dig it out. Feeling compassionate toward the beggar on the corner? Think he's got a card reader? Want to pay the babysitter? Does she carry a card re…

Feeling compassionate toward the beggar on the corner? Think he's got a card reader?

I don't panhandle, but I am homeless. In fact, I have a PayPal account. IIRC, I could get a card reader from them if I wanted it (though, in practice, I might need a better phone than I currently have to make that work).

Although I am posting this merely because it strikes me as humorous, it isn't crazy to think beggars may soon have card readers, at least some of them.

I carry small amounts of cash (in part to print e-gift cards at the library) and do as much as possible via debit card/paypal/online payments/etc.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#115

Post by s73v3r »

takeda wrote: post #40
chipgap98 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does it enforce customers to tip? You tip via the app well after the ride is over. I usually don't tip, but occasionally I get a great driver and toss them a few bucks. They don't make great money so the tip is worth it. I'm not really sure why you are against tips for drivers.

Why not tip the driver out of your wallet? Tipping through an app allows the employer to pay them even less because "they receive tips", in the end you're tipping the company that hired them. This makes drivers expect to be tipped (even if they did usual or mediocre job) and essentially becomes a hidden fee.

Tipping through the app is much more convenient because I rarely carry cash.

And your point is kinda negated by the fact that Lyft usually pays more than Uber.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#116

Post by kuschku »

bsder wrote: post #97
SilasX wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 a…

As much as I hate the serfitude economy companies, the fact that the cab companies have not adopted the app approach boggles my mind . I would have zero problem calling a cab, even with the regulated cab prices, if they had a Lyft/Uber-like app. Hit the button, accepted in 60 seconds, tracked to your door. The fact that the cab companies simply won't do this grinds my gears. This is also why Lyft/Uber grind my gears.…

But the cab company did adopt this approach! Already in 2008!

I literally have like 5 different taxi apps here offering me paying via app, rating, calling a taxi per button press, etc.

And they existed before uber did.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#117

Post by kuschku »

SilasX wrote: post #50
kuschku wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 a…

So, if I have here:

Taxi service, provides rating, has app, can pay and rate via app, fully insured, hired and trained drivers, transparent rate (rate set by law and shown in app), guaranteed arrival, etc.

And it costs 5€ less than uber.

And it existed since 2008.

What I am wondering is why this only caught on in some european cities, but never worldwide?

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#118

Post by rdl »

bduerst wrote: post #43
rdl wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

No, I meant Uber-Prime, Inc., a competitor to Uber, Inc. Every driver for Uber-Prime, Inc. would be a direct W2 employee of Uber-Prime, Inc. and would offer a premium service to displace/defeat the evil communists at Uber, Inc.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#119

Post by voltagex_ »

craigds wrote: post #82
mmanfrin wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They don't make great money so the tip is worth it. This is the main issue for me. When tips are allowed, the floor for pay/remuneration drops. I would much prefer to know that people are paid sanely for the job they do than to know I am obligated to supplement their pay.

Recently some fancy restaurants in NZ have started asking if I want to tip (tipping has never been common practice in NZ). I always refuse and state this exact reason. As soon as customers are expected to tip, workers get exploited. I'm not tipping you for your own (long-term) good.

NZ has a similar minimum wage to Australia, right?

I think some of it is (stupidly) driven by new credit card / eftpos machines that have the tipping option built in.

Re: New Initiatives for Lyft Drivers

#120

Post by walshemj »

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.

Really you don't keep £50-100 for small purchases on you what happens if its late at night raining and your card gets eaten by the machine and you need a taxi home?

Also if its a crowded pub waiting while you dig you card out and slowly use the one machine your holding every one up.

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