What do you think of Lyft Houston? (Howe: insurance, credit card)

[texas7]

Up with Lyft - Houston Chronicle

[DSL_PWR]

Never work. Too many bad apples out there.

[texas7]

I googled it to find out how it works for the driver. Then you have to wonder how safety would work for the driver on the passengers they pick up.

How it works
Lyft is your friend with a car. Drivers are matched with passengers who request rides through the Lyft iPhone or Android app. Drivers are screened with DMV and background checks, and Lyft's platform has a first-of-its-kind $1M per occurrence excess liability insurance policy. Once a ride is complete, passengers are prompted to donate seamlessly through the app.

Requirements for driving

You must be at least 23 years old and have your own four-door car (2000 or newer) in good working condition. You must own an iPhone or Android in order to use the Lyft mobile app. We’re looking for friendly, community-oriented drivers who love meeting new people. In order to be approved, you must pass a phone screen, an in-person meeting and background & DMV record checks.

Protections for you and your passengers

$1,000,000 excess liability insurance: The Lyft platform provides drivers with excess liability insurance up to $1,000,000 per occurrence. This first-of-its-kind solution offers peace of mind to both drivers and passengers. Passenger ratings: Drivers rate passengers after every ride, and you’ll be able to see their rating before accepting a pick up. Every passenger also signs up for Lyft using Facebook and provides valid credit card information for identity purposes.
The approval process

We try to contact everyone within one business day of applying, and the orientation process takes 1-2 weeks. You’ll be out on the road and driving in no time!

Receiving money

Community drivers get 80% of the total donations received from passengers. Money is deposited into your account each week.

Choosing hours

You choose when you want to drive within Lyft’s operating hours — it’s entirely up to you.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by texas7

I googled it to find out how it works for the driver. Then you have to wonder how safety would work for the driver on the passengers they pick up.

How it works
Lyft is your friend with a car. Drivers are matched with passengers who request rides through the Lyft iPhone or Android app. Drivers are screened with DMV and background checks, and Lyft's platform has a first-of-its-kind $1M per occurrence excess liability insurance policy. Once a ride is complete, passengers are prompted to donate seamlessly through the app.

Requirements for driving

You must be at least 23 years old and have your own four-door car (2000 or newer) in good working condition. You must own an iPhone or Android in order to use the Lyft mobile app. We’re looking for friendly, community-oriented drivers who love meeting new people. In order to be approved, you must pass a phone screen, an in-person meeting and background & DMV record checks.

Protections for you and your passengers

$1,000,000 excess liability insurance: The Lyft platform provides drivers with excess liability insurance up to $1,000,000 per occurrence. This first-of-its-kind solution offers peace of mind to both drivers and passengers. Passenger ratings: Drivers rate passengers after every ride, and you’ll be able to see their rating before accepting a pick up. Every passenger also signs up for Lyft using Facebook and provides valid credit card information for identity purposes.
The approval process

We try to contact everyone within one business day of applying, and the orientation process takes 1-2 weeks. You’ll be out on the road and driving in no time!

Receiving money

Community drivers get 80% of the total donations received from passengers. Money is deposited into your account each week.

Choosing hours

You choose when you want to drive within Lyft’s operating hours — it’s entirely up to you.

If they do all that, why do they need those silly mustaches? If they don't put those mustaches on their cars how will the city ever know who they are ?

[Oildog]

So they will pick up riders in the 3rd and 5th wards?

[EasilyAmused]

Ted Bundy could have passed the intial screening too...

[eastontracks]

i think this is a great idea. i just hope its as great as it seems. i never heard of this until i saw a post someone made on facebook. i even signed up to possibly be a driver. i think its geared towards a certain demographic, sort of how airbnb and megabus is. this will weed out certain people as you need a valid credit card and a smart phone.

im definitely interested and look forward to using it. of course, my opinion may change if i use it and the drivers are a little shady, rides are more costly than a taxi, or if i have to go to ghetto areas lol.

[xsatyr]

I actually applied and been in talks with them for the past couple weeks. They are still in preliminary stages; they don't have a timetable for when they will start from what I was told.

[Kiovo]

This would make sense if your were coming or going in the same direction. Or to use the HOV.

[dalparadise]

This is a San Francisco staple--much like Uber. It's seems a bit more casual than Uber, though.

Drivers here are all great. I believe they now have a minimum charge, based on the mileage, whereas before it was completely donation-discretion of the rider. However, if you were a constant cheapo, you'd get blacklisted on the system and no one would ever pick you up.

All in all its a good service. People in SF use these services as much or more than cabs. Rates are comparable to a cab or slightly less (cabs are expensive in SF, though), but the drivers are friendlier and it's convenient to pay with just your phone--no cash or credit card changes hands.

Uber is more polished. LYFT is the hipster version. There's another one that's also trying to compete here, but I can't remember their name. Not sure how this will work in Houston. It seems like it will be harder to have as many drivers working such a compact area, as is the case in SF. If I ever need a LYFT car, the app here can spot one within a few blocks. In Houston, I'd bet on longer wait times, with fewer drivers spread over a larger area.