Lyft Blog

It's not really a message from the passenger. They updated their ride to include the additional stop (a feature), and are apparently allowed to do this realtime for the trip they are currently taking.

For the driver this would just appear like their current destination suddenly changing, which I guess you have no option to deny except for asking them to leave your car and canceling the trip entirely.

Being able to make major trip changes mid-ride is pretty crappy for the driver. I'm also surprised the multiple stop feature isn't just for simply letting someone in/out of your ride. But apparently Lyft actually encourages you to use it to stop at the store. [0]

> Whether you’re picking up a friend or a bottle of vino, just add your stop into the app and your route will instantly update — making it a seamless experience for you and your driver.

The person in the article was driving for Uber. The verbiage on Uber's site for this feature is more focused on passenger pickup/dropoff, but also doesn't make it clear whether you're allowed to spend time visiting a store. I found a rideguru post indicating you're limited to 3 minutes at a stop, but can't find this officially.

[0] https://blog.lyft.com/posts/add-a-stop

[1] https://ride.guru/lounge/p/whats-the-2-stop-rule-on-uber-is-it-the-same-with-lyft-are-we-not-allowed-to-stop-more-than-twice

Edit, found this on an Uber blog post. Do riders really know, Uber? Do they?

> Riders know that each stop should be less than 3…

This was from a few weeks ago, was on HN already, and it has now expired. It was in response to Uber bringing their Uber Pool (ride-sharing) down to $5 "anywhere" in SF. Lyft has since ended this offer, but made any ride in the same area < $5, simply undercutting Uber Pool.

"Seven days ago, we matched MUNI by lowering Lyft Line prices to $2.25 for a limited time. And your response was amazing. So, instead of letting the Drive Happy District disappear, we’re keeping low prices around longer!

Starting tonight, we’re setting a $5 price cap on all Lyft Line rides in the Drive Happy District, so you never pay more than $5. No coupon necessary, so go forth and spread the news to all of your friends! Just request a ride to and from anywhere in the District, and you’re golden."

http://blog.lyft.com/posts/lyftline5

My understanding from the Lyft blog post [1] is that you get 30 rides up to the cost of $450 (up to $15 per ride only) for $299.

> With an All-Access Plan, you get 30 rides (up to $15 each) when you pay one price of $299 every 30 days.

So if you take 30x $6 rides (~the minimum for a normal ride for short distances where I live) = $180, you lose money (-$119) on the subscription assuming my understanding is accurate.

It would be more appealing if there were rollover and the credit were not capped to a particular # of rides. It seems weird that major concerns like this didn't get addressed in advance in the post / press.

[1]: https://blog.lyft.com/posts/subscribe-and-save-with-the-all-access-plan

Two things I find interesting about the Lyft story:

1) In their prospectus they claim that 44% of all rides start/end in low-income areas. [a]

2) One of the key arguments they make in their fight against recent NYC regulations to raise the minimum pay for drivers is that raising prices directly leads to a fall in revenue (demand). [b]

So a large % of their users are price-sensitive, but raising prices cuts demand. A difficult path forward for reaching profitability indeed.

[a] https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1759509/000119312519091446/d721841d424b4.htm

[b] https://blog.lyft.com/posts/2019/3/16/tlc-rules-impact-on-lyft-and-our-driver-community-1

could you elaborate on that ?

I've never used Lyft but i think it works just like uber. this is what i found on their site

How Much Does a Lyft Ride Cost?
Depends on where you’re headed and when. There is a base charge and a cost per mile and per minute, with extra added on when your pickup point is in Prime Time, which happens during higher-than-normal demand to encourage drivers to get on the road. For price estimates of rides in your city, check out the Lyft city page. Oh, and never worry about carrying cash — payment happens seamlessly through the app.

https://blog.lyft.com/posts/how-does-lyft-work

I doubt using a rental car for this type of business is allowed under the terms of a rental contract or under Uber's rules.

Looks like GM is definitely in on this with Lyft: https://blog.lyft.com/posts/expressdrive

Also, apparently Hertz: https://thehub.lyft.com/express-drive-hertz-update/

Program: https://www.lyft.com/expressdrive

This is all I could find on cost for Lyft: https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/articles/218196557-Express-Drive-Rental-Car-Program-#pricing%20and%20costs

For Uber, they also partner with Hertz: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/misc/index.jsp?targetPage=UberFAQs.jsp