By Nancy Dahlberg / [email protected]
While Uber’s plans to offer its car service in Miami have hit nothing but roadblocks, San Francisco-based Lyft says it is launching its ride-sharing service Thursday evening.
With Lyft’s peer-to-peer app-based service, drivers use their own vehicles and drive a couple of hours a week when they have some free time. Users of the service get vetted drivers — all must pass DMV and background checks — whose personal policies have been supplemented by $1 million in liability insurance coverage, said Paige Thelen, Lyft’s spokesperson.
The service plans to launch at 7 p.m. Thursday and offer service in much of Miami-Dade County. Thelen would not say how many drivers in Miami it already has signed up, but she said it plans to add drivers as demand expands.
Users book via an app, then get a photo of the car and driver. Cars are also identified with a fluffy pink mustache in front.
The service operates on “donations” that are calculated by the app, with suggested rates about 20 percent to 30 percent cheaper than cab fares — $1.68 for a pickup fee, $1.92 per mile, and 28 cents per minute for wait time, Thelen said.
Riders can adjust the donation up or down, based on the level of service. Drivers keep 80 percent of the donation, while Lyft gets 20 percent, although during its inaugural promotion Lyft is not taking a commission, Thelen said.
Passengers in the Miami market will enjoy free rides for two weeks. When new users sign up and create a profile on their accounts, Lyft will credit their accounts with free rides for two weeks, up to $25 per ride, Thelen said.