Transportation companies redefine taxi sevice
Transportation systems Uber and Lyft have been taking over populous cities with low fare and convience for users.
April 23, 2015
For decades, one of the top forms of transportation for mankind has been the taxi. New companies such as Uber and Lyft are looking to change the way people travel all together.
Uber and Lyft have applications where with a tap of a finger, a qualified driver will be able to pick you up.
The passenger is able to see a background of who is picking them up before their ride arrives so they know who to look for.
Uber and Lyft are popular among younger audiences but ages do range.
Senior Ricardo Lopez uses Uber for the convenience and the cost.
“I use Uber almost every time I need a ride because of how cheap it is,” Lopez said. “If I wanted to go to The Americana from school, it would be a third of the cost from a taxi.”
In order to use Uber and Lyft, you have to enter in your credit or debit card information when registering with the apps be- cause none of the drivers accept cash.
Rates for Uber in Los Angeles range from $0.18 per minute and $0.90 per mile. Lyft charges $0.21 per minute and $1.10 per mile.
The driver documents when your ride begins through the app. When you arrive at your destination, he or she will end the trip and a receipt is sent to you on the application.
Lyft driver Joshua Tessler had to meet certain requirements in order to work for the company.
“You have to be 21 or older and then have a car from 2000 to current,” Tessler said. “You also have to have a good driving record and just a clean record in general. I can do as much driving as I would like since there’s no set schedule.”
Tessler was not sure of new ideas being talked about within the company, but notes that they recently developed the missing piece in his opinion.
He always felt that people should be able to split a fare if multiple people are in the vehicle.
A new feature with both Uber and Lyft allows riders to split the fare with friends. Fare splitting is useful if your friend typically “forgets” to pay you back or if it’s a night out with your entourage.
Uber and Lyft are worth over a combined $40 billion and if the success continues at this rapid rate, taxi companies may need to cut their losses sooner rather than later.
