In today’s edition of “Anything you can do I can do better,” Lyft is slashing its prices in 33 cities, an announcement that comes hot on the heels of a very similar plan from chief competitor Uber. In the endless back and forth between the two transportation startups, it looks like this latest rivalry is at the very least benefitting passengers, particularly those who live in Washington, D.C.; Denver; Los Angeles; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose/Silicon Valley; Detroit; and Baltimore. And while Lyft isn’t dropping its rates in as many cities as Uber (whose lower fares extend to over 100 cities in the U.S. and Canada), for many, a Lyft Line is still the cheaper option when compared to an Uber Pool.
Branding the new move as a New Year’s Resolution of sorts, Lyft notes in a blog post, “The beginning of a new year is a great time to make plans for what’s to come.” And because the company wants you to get out of the house and start adventuring (to a destination that requires a car, of course), Lyft promises to help you “do more for less.” You should see lower prices reflected in the app beginning January 15.
Despite these price cuts, Lyft insists that it will maintain its position as the most generous of employers in the industry, telling Re/code that “the company pays drivers more than any comparable service, and that driver average hourly earnings increased 13 percent in 2015.” So far, it doesn’t look like any Lyft drivers are hurling stones at the company following the lower prices announcement, although the same couldn’t be said for Uber. The Verge reports that Uber employees on the road were none too pleased with the cuts, claiming the company continued to take larger cuts out of driver earnings.
So if you’re living in one of the following cities, you can say thanks to Lyft for a cheaper ride home today:
- Detroit, Michigan
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Bakersfield, California
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Washington, D.C.
- Denver, Colorado
- Fresno, California
- Spokane, Washington
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Los Angeles, California
- Orlando, Florida
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Modesto, California
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
- Orange County, California
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Santa Barbara, California
- San Bernardino, California
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- San Jose/Silicon Valley, California
- Sacramento, California
- Sonoma/Napa Counties, California
- Toledo, Ohio
- Tampa, Florida
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina