Gone are the days when the carless were relegated to public transportation, cabs and hitchhiking. Even those without cars have cell phones — and that means arranging rides via app. Uber, billed as "everyone's private driver," pulled into Dallas in 2012. Now, Lyft is joining the ride-sharing party.
Calling itself "your friend with a car," Lyft takes a more casual approach to the driver-passenger relationship. Each Lyft car comes equipped with a pink furry mustache on the dash, and drivers greet clients with a fist bump.
Lyft drivers must own a car (2000 or newer) as well as an iPhone or Android. They must also be at least 23 years old and pass a screening of DMV records and traditional background checks. The service may sound like amateur hour, but it's more than 1 million rides offer a professional pedigree to the one-year company.
When Lyft launches in Dallas on September 27, it will become the 14th U.S. city with the service, which began in San Francisco. The Bay Area has been more welcoming of the app-based driver model than Dallas, where Uber is facing stringent regulation on its business model.
Public support for Uber ultimately led to the city tabling the discussion. But the issue is far from settled.
Seeming undeterred by Uber's troubles, Lyft is throwing a launch party at Weld on September 27. Simply flash the app on your phone to get in the door.
Lyft is active in 13 cities, including San Diego.
