Comparison of Driving for Uber, Lyft and Sidecar
Below post is a comparison of the three services from the perspective of a driver. Each have their pros and cons and each system is different enough to co-exist, especially Sidecar if there is enough demand.
This blog post is broken out into two sections. The first section is a comparison of a few key topics between the three rideshare services. The second section highlights differences in each of the three services.
Here are some general comparisons across all three services (UberX, Lyft, Sidecar).
- App and requesting a ride: You use their native app to request a ride. Payment is done by a credit card for all three services.
- Fares: All three services calculate fares based on distance and time. In my experience, fares are very similar where both Lyft and Uber operate. Sidecar claims the fares are related to fares of other rideshare services in the area.
- Fare Notification
- Sidecar: The driver is told of the fare before the driver accepts the ride request
- Uber: The driver is shown the fare after the ride ends.
- Lyft: The driver is shown the fare on this daily summary the day after.
- You can estimate your fare pretty accurately by using Google Maps to tell you distance and time and using the fare numbers to calculate it. Round this number down.
- Cars
- Uber: 4 doors, 2006 and newer (in some markets, 2004 or newer). If you have a vehicle that can handle 6 passengers (7 including the driver), you can sign up for UberXL and make ~1.75x what a normal UberX driver makes. Only make more if you get an UberXL request.
- Lyft: 4 doors, 2000 and newer. No feature to distinguish a regular sedan or larger vehicle that can seat 6.
- Sidecar: 2 or 4 doors built in or after the year 2000. Passenger can choose which car they get. If it is a nicer car, you may still get requests and charge more.
- Driver Availability and ETA: Uber has many more drivers than Lyft in most cities except San Francisco so expected time of arrival (ETA) of a driver to any passenger is usually lower with Uber than it is with Lyft. It can be difficult to get a Lyft during daytime hours due to lack of drivers driving in non-busy times.
- Driver Age: Minimum age for all three services is 21.
- Insurance: Uber and Lyft has insurance policy to protect the driver and passenger whenever the Driver is in “driver mode.” Sidecar only covers for when you accept a passenger request. See more information on this link: Uber and Lyft Insurance Policy
Here are some specific breakouts of the three different rideshare services that distinguishes them from the other from a driver’s perspective.
Lyft (Friend with a car)
There isn’t as much opportunity to make money driving, but there are many other ways to make money. If you are a good enough driver, you will be invited to be a mentor which can boost your weekly income. The driver community is amazing and drivers tend to help one another and watch out for each other. It is also great to see the transition from new driver to seasoned driver to mentor.
The passengers also tend to be nicer, friendlier and more talkative than Uber passengers. Many Lyft passengers say the same about the drivers. Also, passengers have the ability to tip but they can’t on Uber (except on UberTaxi).
- Drivers and cars are evaluated by mentors
- New Mentor Summaries have driven mentors to keep a watchful eye on their mentees and form a help system for some new drivers.
- Leverages Facebook to build a driver “community”
- Pink mustache
- $1M insurance policy on drivers, covers drivers when they have app on
- Prime Time Tips (PTT) during busy times.
- Drivers do not know destination and cost of ride before the trip.
- Drivers do not see the amount of PTT of the request.
- Good driver referral and signup bonuses.
- Currently in 60 US cities (As of April 2014)
- Drivers in some markets may need to reserve hours ahead of time to prevent from getting locked out of the system.
- Use almost any smartphone with the most recent OS to drive for Lyft
- Payments are via registered credit card and called “donations”
- Riders who don’t pay enough get culled.
- Some markets, like Boston and LA have minimum fares to ensure driver payment
- Allows for passengers to tip.
UberX (Your Personal Driver)
You have the biggest potential to earn money on UberX but beware of stiff competition as there are many other drivers out there in almost any market. At times there can be high surge pricing which may be very lucrative. However, most of the time, there are just too many drivers. Also beware of the $10 weekly Uber Phone fee, which had many drivers quit Uber and join Lyft. Uber local support generally replies faster than Lyft support in SF, but the Uber representative helpfulness leaves something to be desired. At times, it can be difficult to get your hourly guarantee.
- The UberX driver application is easy, submit documents, pick up phone at local Uber office and drive. No Uber personnel checked out my car.
- Publishes standard rates for four different levels of driver (UberX, Uber XL, UberBlack, UberSUV, UberTaxi).
- Minimum $5 + variable based on miles and speed and city. Rates for limos are 50-70% higher than taxis.
- Surge pricing during busy times.
- Drivers do not know destination and cost of ride before the trip.
- Drivers can see the amount of surge pricing of the request.
- There can be weekend promotions guaranteeing weekly minimum salaries (up to $40/hr for existing drivers)
- Most generous signup bonus if you are a Lyft Driver.
- Referral bonus is the most generous, but Lyft has recently matched the Uber’s Referral program.
- In 59 US cities, 117 cities worldwide, 36 countries (as of May 2014)
- $1M insurance policy on drivers, covers drivers when they have app on
- UberTaxi adds a 20% tip automatically. Cannot tip on any other service
- Recruits drivers, accepts applications anywhere, but doesn’t launch immediately.
- Uber drivers can only use iPhones to drive on their network.
Sidecar
Sidecar is best for when you don’t want to drive too much and want to earn a bit of money. If you are driving around town anyway, you can earn a bit of money driving people around. In most markets, Sidecar isn’t used often so you’re requests will be far and few in between. However, if this is your only app, don’t expect to be really busy unless you are in a more Sidecar popular market like SF or LA. It is also good to run this app beside Lyft and Uber and set your minimum fare high so you can earn a bit extra compared to just doing Lyft and/or Uber.
There are some Uber black drivers signing up for Sidecar as they can do both at the same time.
- Short phone interview and approved.
- Riders who don’t pay enough get culled.
- There is a way for passengers not to pay for the ride. However, after two weeks, drivers get reimbursed for the ride for the full amount directly from Sidecar.
- Drivers know where the passenger is going and the amount they will get for the ride.
- Can use a 2 door car for Sidecar (Lyft and Uber require 4 doors).
- Can only get requested if ride is above a certain minimum fare and fare multiplier you set.
- Sidecar Insurance only covers drivers for when they are in the middle of a ride request.
- Currently in 8 US cities (as of May 2014)
- Use almost any smartphone with the most recent OS to drive for Sidecar
- Yelper: “drivers are leaving Lyft for Sidecar or Uber so that they don’t have to set their schedules in advance.”
(For Sidecar Drivers, check out an independent Facebook Group for Sidecar Drivers!)
(Part of the above list was taken from http://www.quora.com/Ride-Sharing-Company-Comparisons/Which-is-better-and-why-Lyft-or-SideCar written by Jim Morris, Professor of Computer Science at CMU in Pittsburgh)
Have more questions about Uber or Lyft? Head on over to our Rideshare Driver Training Course! Driver Promotions- New Uber Drivers will get up to a $800 bonus after signing up: Sign up for Uber.
- New Lyft Drivers will get up to $800 if you sign up here using this link.
