Imagine that a friend or your neighbor told you that they’re starting their own car service business. You know that they keep their car clean, they have a spotless driving record, and they’re always on time.
What would you do the next time you need to get a ride to the airport or to a business meeting, or a concert downtown? Take a bus? Call a cab?
Maybe.
And should you find yourself at the bus stop waiting….and waiting….or looking out the window for the cab you called, just waiting….and waiting….you kno what gnawing thought you’ll hear whispering in the back of your head?
I should have called Johnny!
Well, believe it or not, just that option is available right here in Newark!
All you have to do is download the Lyft app from your mobile phone. Enter your account info, credit card info, and a picture of yourself, and you’re ready to go! In fact, whenever you schedule a pick-up, you’ll see a picture of your driver and their car!
I recently took a Lyft from Lyons Ave & Wainwright (practically on the border of Irvington) to Jimenez Tobacco on Liberty Street just off Lafayette. The driver was friendly enough (and yes, his name was Johnny) and his car was immaculate. We listened to a comedy station on his Sirius radio and shared a few laughs. The ride cost me $16 (compared to the $18-20 normally charged by a taxi) and I got a $5 credit, so I only paid $11!
And after all was said and done, I didn’t have to pull out any cash at all. My payment was processed through the app and I got a statement sent to me via email.
I will point out though, that Lyft does increase prices during high demand times – they call it “Primetime”. Not sure how I feel about that, but hey, nobody’s perfect.
Have you taken Lyft yet? What has your experience been? How would you rate it compared to other options like Uber or taxi service?
Comment below or hit us on Twitter at @the_newarktimes and hashtag #NewarkLyft
