Lyft Planning to Launch in Philadelphia
Lyft, the ride-hailing service that is the chief competitor to Uber, is planning to launch in Philadelphia.
Billy Penn reported on a Craigslist ad asking for drivers as well as Lyft signage at City Coho, a co-working space at 2401 Walnut Street.
After several controversies surrounding Uber, The New York Times Nick Bilton wrote the company is a “moral alternative.” Lyft costs about the same as UberX, the lower-cost alternative to Uber Black.
Lyft has a “prime time” surcharge that is similar to Uber’s surge pricing, though it appears to be cheaper than surge pricing.
Lyft is probably known for its giant pink mustaches on the front of cars and its driver fist bumps. But the company is phasing out the mustaches. “No one wants to show up to a club or meeting, or to pick up a date, in a car with a pink mustache, big or small,” Bilton wrote.
Much like UberX, Lyft does not have a license to operate in the city of Philadelphia. It received a temporary license from the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission, which regulates taxis in the state outside of Philadelphia. In Philly, the Philadelphia Parking Authority controls taxis. The PPA impounded UberX vehicles in a sting operation when the service launched here in September, a move Uber called a “deplorable charade.”
Lyft already operates in Pittsburgh. The company told Billy Penn it is currently in the “market research phase” for a Philadelphia rollout.