Take a Lyft, earn a free cup of coffee? Well, something like that anyway. Starbucks and ride-sharing service Lyft teamed up on Wednesday to unveil a new arrangement that gives customers – and drivers – of the car service extra perks through the coffee chain’s loyalty program. [More]
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Starbucks Teams Up With Lyft To Give Drivers, Riders Extra Points Through Its Rewards Program
By 7.23.15
Starbucks, 17 Other Companies Partner To Provide “Opportunity Youth” With Jobs, Internships
By 7.13.15
Teaching young adults responsibility — and showing them that responsibility can have financial benefits — pays off in the long run by cultivating a solid work ethic. That’s the thinking behind a new multi-company initiative spearheaded by Starbucks. [More]
Lyft To Pay $300,000 To Resolve Claims It Illegally Operated In Some Areas Of New York
By 6.19.15
Nearly a year after the New York Attorney General’s office and state insurance regulators filed a lawsuit accusing ride-sharing app Lyft of violating state law in certain areas, the company has agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve the complaint. [More]
Uber’s Petition Website Hacked To Redirect To Lyft Homepage
By 6.15.15
It’s no secret that ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft have enjoyed a spirited rivalry in recent years. Over the weekend, a security researcher inserted himself into the crosshairs of the two ride-hailing services by exploiting a vulnerability in Uber’s petition website that allowed him to showcase and redirect visitors to Lyft’s homepage, while also changing the content of some petitions. Now he’s warning the company – and others like it – to take precautions when using petition and contest websites, as they might prove to be a welcome mat for malevolent hackers. [More]
Uber Discouraging Drivers From Using In-Car Advertising Services
By 5.11.15
While some taxi services are using every available square inch of their cars to advertise to passengers and the public, Uber cars have remained ad-free thus far. Some Uber drivers had hoped to make some extra cash through in-car marketing, but the ride-sharing service is saying no.
[More]
Uber Won’t Allow Drivers To Discriminate Against Gay Passengers Even If A State Law Allows It
By 4.16.15
Even as lawmakers in Oklahoma sign off on a ridesharing service bill that removes protections for gay and transgender passengers, Uber has made it clear that changes to state laws will not alter its anti-discrimination policy. [More]
Uber, Lyft Trying To Convince Courts That Drivers Are Not Employees
By 3.12.15
What’s the difference between a contractor working for you and an employee? Often, an employee will receive benefits like health insurance and workers compensation if something goes awry, among other things, while a contractor is hired to do one job and that is it. Uber and Lyft don’t want their drivers to fall into the employee category and be responsible for all that entails, but thus far they haven’t been able to sway the courts to see it their way. [More]
Did Lyft Backtrack On $1,000 Bonus Promise For New Drivers Or Is It Simply Overwhelmed By Applicants?
By 3.6.15
In an effort to raise a fleet of drivers for its ride-sharing service, Lyft offered $1,000 bonuses both to new drivers and those referring them last week. But it appears the company might have bitten off more than it can chew after receiving more applications than anticipated, leaving some hopeful drivers without bonuses. [More]
Poll: Ride-Sharing Services Are Cutting Down On Drunk-Driving Incidents
By 1.27.15
Times used to be, if your friend was drunk and threatening to drive, you’d have to deal with the inconvenience of actually calling up a cab while hiding their keys. But now due to ride-sharing services that can summon vehicles with a swipe on an app, drunk-driving incidents are down. This, according to a poll by one of those services, Uber, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. [More]
California DMV Retracts Notice Requiring Uber & Lyft To Obtain Commercial Licenses
By 1.27.15
Just a week after it was widely reported that the California Department of Motor Vehicles issued an advisory requesting all drivers of ride-sharing services to obtain commercial license plates, the agency has revoked the guidance. [More]
California DMV Says Uber & Lyft Cars Need Commercial License Plates
By 1.23.15
Ride-sharing services operating in California have several issues lately: Uber being sued by San Francisco and Los Angeles counties, and L.A. mulling its own ride-sharing-like app just to name a few. Well, things don’t look to be getting any more amicable between the state and car services, as the California Department of Motor Vehicles issued an advisory requiring all drivers for the services to have commercial license plates. [More]
Lyft Switches To Non-Fuzzy, Glowing Mustaches On Cars
By 1.20.15
Lyft already ditched its signature giant fuzzy pink mustaches for the front grills of working vehicles for its classier premium ride service, but regular drivers were still putting fuzzy pink mustaches on the front grills of their cars. Yet Lyft has been dialing back the size of the distinctive decoration, making them smaller. Now, they’re switching to a smaller, but still pink, “glowstache.” [More]
Boston Taxi Drivers Sue City For Allowing Uber, Lyft To Operate
By 1.19.15
City authorities in places like Portland, San Francisco, and L.A., have each taken legal actions against ridesharing services like Uber, and taxi drivers around the country have accused these companies from sidestepping regulations. But a recently filed lawsuit by Boston taxi drivers points the blame-finger at the city for allowing Uber, et al, to operate. [More]
How Many Fares Do I Need To Pick Up To Make A Living As An Uber Or Lyft Driver?
By 12.2.14
I don’t have a car (and I don’t feel like getting arrested) but if I did, what would it take for me to earn enough money as a driver for Uber (or Lyft or Sidecar) to pay the bills? To earn $50,000 a year, I’d have to pick up anywhere from 12 to 17 fares a day, depending on which service I drive for, according to one new report. [More]
Lyft Passenger Killed In Multi-Car Crash: Whose Insurance Covers What?
By 11.4.14
Normally, it wouldn’t be national news that there was a fatal multi-car crash on the highway during a heavy rainstorm near Sacramento, California. What makes this crash newsworthy is that the man who died was a paying passenger in a vehicle hired through the ride-sharing app Lyft. [More]
While City Arrests Uber Drivers, Philly Mayor Comes Out In Support Of Service
By 10.27.14
Here in Philadelphia, the dispute between cab regulators and the Uber ridesharing service has gotten ugly, with the city arresting and fining numerous drivers over the weekend. Given this response to Uber, you’d think Philly Mayor Michael Nutter would be calling for the service to exit the city. But instead he’s calling for a truce. [More]
Taxi App Hailo Hits The Road, Leaves U.S. Due To Expense Of Competing
By 10.15.14
Apparently taxi-hailing app Hailo was beyond even The Rent Is Too Damn High Guy’s help: After four years as a smartphone app for taxi divers, Hailo says it’s taking its act out of North America because it’s too expensive to compete with services like Uber and Lyft. [More]
How Do Uber and Lyft Work And Why Should I Even Care?
By 9.18.14
Chances are you’ve heard the term “ridesharing” floating around lately, as rivals Uber and Lyft work themselves into a froth trying to outdo each other. But depending on where you live and what your transportation needs are — maybe you own a car or taxis are readily available on-demand through local services — you could have no clue what these companies actually do. And you might not care, but if you don’t have a car and need to where a car can take you, you should know your options. [More]
