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Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

nytimes.com

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Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#171

Post by digitalzombie »

freyr wrote: post #72
smileysteve wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The key points are - CEO never blackmailed journalists - No major revelations of sexual harassment - ~~No major revelations of political support~~ Related to core business - Surge Limit has prevented complaints about emergency pricing vs Uber. - Lyft takes a lower commission capped at 20%/25% - Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). Uber's tip policy encourages cash, which is an often cited comp…

> Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). One of the reasons I don't like Lyft. How about this system: pay the drivers a fair wage up front, so they don't need to subsist on the generosity of strangers. If they get great ratings, you can give them a bonus.

Or you can not tip them. You can just leave the car and never tip them at all. They won't know it until you confirm and decide on tip or not. I was a lyft driver for summer.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#172

Post by Grue3 »

curiousDog wrote: post #32
prostoalex wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Early stage private valuations tend to be focused on future potential, usually expressed in total addressable market figures. Lyft was selling slow expansion (they're still a US-only operator, and even within the US operate in relatively few markets) and most likely positive cashflow. Uber was selling rapid global expansion, where each new city could be scaled up via Uber playbooks. Then it started selling itself as…

Oh wow, this is the first I'm hearing of it. Yandex, the search engine operates a Yandex.taxi? That's pretty interesting, all major Global search engines, Google, Yandex, Baidu have interests in developing self-driving cars as well.

Yandex.taxi existed for a long time. Initially it worked with various taxi companies, but now all the cars have uniform livery, so it's basically a regular taxi with an app. Ironically, it still doesn't operate in my home town (Perm), while Uber already does.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#173

Post by JoshuaRedmond »

kagamine wrote: post #150
foxfired wrote: post #127

Here is how I see it. I rely on those rides to go to work every single day and here what it (would) costs me. Uber: $250 a month.(Majority) Lyft: $500 a month (Whenever Uber is too expensive) Bus : $100 a month (1h:15 for 6 miles and 3 buses... No) Politics and all internal conflicts aside, there is a need for these services whether we like it or not. When I need to make a decision in the morning I take whatever is t…

I have never used the any of the 3 services you describe except the bus, can you or someone else explain how the driver makes less when taking on more passengers? Surely that works in an opposite way to the bus. The more paying passengers using the bus service simultaneously, the greater the margin per vehicle. But for some reason Uber turns this on its head? Note: I am a country bumpkin who grew up in the sticks and…

I believe they meant that the driver gets paid less for each new passenger, but the old passengers are still at the slightly higher rate. A full car still gets the driver more money per mile, but each subsequent passenger is worth less to the driver. Presumably this is to make it so it's worth picking up the first rider, which might be the only rider you get for that journey.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#174

Post by digitalzombie »

techsupporter wrote: post #3

Forgive me if this is me being dense, but from an outsider's perspective I don't understand what makes Lyft any better than Uber. Neither company properly categorizes their drivers (as employees), both have a rather sizeable cut from fares, both depended on being basically illegal cabs--except for Uber Black, which uses licensed black car services--to get started, and neither has a financially viable business model.…

Uh.... Uber vetting is weak compare to Lyft.

They're both may not be super stringent but I've seen Uber vetting process and Lyft. Lyft was felt much better compare to Uber.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#175

Post by jschwartzi »

FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #108
mdorazio wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint: one of the reasons I prefer Uber is that it doesn't allow or encourage in-app tipping. Tipping sucks, is economically dysfunctional, and socially awkward. If the drivers aren't making enough from base fares then the fares need to go up - it's not my job to be a charity.

I've never understood why tipping, specifically when it is completely optional, threatens people or turns them off. If you don't tip a Lyft driver, they aren't going to give you a dirty look or treat you any differently, especially since you get to rate them on their service. You can complain that people should be paid a fair wage, but they aren't. I wish for many things, such as the end of warfare, but I accept the…

Don't drivers also rate their passengers?

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#176

Post by semi-extrinsic »

trustfundbaby wrote: post #164
deusex_ wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Europe, your bus fare would be half of the price and probably you would need one or two connections. The public transport is much more developed and to me seems like a much better mass transportation alternative. More ecological, cheaper, less cars overall.

It also helps that Europe and its cities are ... smaller.

I don't know if you're thinking about area or population, but by either metric London is bigger than any city in the US, and has a much better public transport system.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#177

Post by snowwrestler »

kemayo wrote: post #161
snowwrestler wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm absolutely in favor of Uber/Lift charging whatever is necessary to pay their drivers properly. Ok, great, but they don't, so the practical effect of your stand against tipping is less money for these drivers. And why? Because you find it socially awkward? That's why it's better to have it in the app. You just get out of the car and it drives away. Then you select the tip in the app. Way better than Uber's syste…

> I agree that's the signal, but that doesn't mean it's true. Eh, public transit it is, then. Not that this is a sacrifice for me. I also hate how chatty most Uber/Lyft drivers are, so I rarely use them anyway.

Cool, I use public transit heavily (subway and buses) and I'm a fan.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#178

Post by IanCal »

trustfundbaby wrote: post #164
deusex_ wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Europe, your bus fare would be half of the price and probably you would need one or two connections. The public transport is much more developed and to me seems like a much better mass transportation alternative. More ecological, cheaper, less cars overall.

It also helps that Europe and its cities are ... smaller.

I always dislike these comparisons. The truth is simply that it depends. You can't justify an unknown city having a certain quality of bus routes compared to a diverse range of tens of countries by saying "it's smaller".

It'd be slower and more expensive in some parts of the UK, easier in others and in some countries I assume you'd be expected to just cycle the 6 miles.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#179

Post by freyr »

inflagranti wrote: post #158
freyr wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). One of the reasons I don't like Lyft. How about this system: pay the drivers a fair wage up front, so they don't need to subsist on the generosity of strangers. If they get great ratings, you can give them a bonus.

That's exactly why I like it. This either tip or living wage thinking is so American! How about both!? I want the easy option to tip someone for exceptional service, but I also want them to get payed well enough to not feel obliged to.

What do you consider exceptional Lyft service?

Exceptional, by definition, is rare. Having an easy option for a rare event is usually bad UI.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#180

Post by eropple »

mc32 wrote: post #153
yladiz wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The number one reason you don't use Lyft is because of tipping? What do you use instead, Uber, taxi, or do you drive? If it's the first, how do you justify using Uber when its practices are significantly worse than an optional tipping for the users? If it's the second, how do you justify using a taxi when tips (in the US) are almost mandatory?

Uber. It's just mentally easier to deal with. After spending time in other countries, I have come to dislike tipping. Having to decide --do they deserve it, do they not? I don't want to deal with it. Tipping used to be an optional thing in transactions but it has become pervasive. Tipping jars. Just charge me more and pay the barista a wage a highschooler or recent graduate can live on.

I agree with you that tipping sucks, but using Uber doesn't the functional reliance on it go away, it just means you don't see it (and the people working for you can't benefit from it). That's not an awesome look.
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