You Lyft Me Up

Last week I traveled to the Bay Area of California to spend the week at my company's headquarters.  I hadn't been out west for probably two and a half years, so I was overdue for a visit.  In the past, I normally rented a car since I had the free time to meet other friends for dinner or travel out to the ocean.  This trip wasn't going to afford that luxury, so I opted to go a different route.  Uber or Lyft.

Because of my Type A/OCD tendencies, I did thorough research on each.  Who has the best ratings?  What issues have come up in the past?  Essentially, I wanted to choose the best option for my needs.  After all my research, I decided to go with Lyft.  

My first ride was from the airport to the hotel.  I ordered my Lyft through the handy dandy app and once my ride was claimed, I received a picture of the driver, the model of their car and license plate number.  In exchange, the driver received my name and picture.  Valerie was my driver and not long after she claimed my ride, she called me to confirm my location.  Good thing she did, because I entered it incorrectly.  All ride share apps like Uber and Lyft pick up from the Departures level.  Knowing you are on that level is one thing, but what Terminal and what door is vital for them to find you.  Valerie pulled up, hopped out of the car, and was super nice.  She loaded my bags and off we went.  I even sat in the front seat!  We had a great conversation on the way to the hotel and I told her she made my first ride the best!  

The remainder of the week I was a Lyft Pro.  All the drivers were nice - I did have one that didn't speak English.  I had to quickly say "No hablo espanol" so he knew I was not going to be a great communicator, although I did say "Gracias" when I exited the car.  This service was a game changer.  I never had to wait more than 4 minutes for a ride and it always took me door to door.  And, the cost was so much cheaper than a rental car.  I realize my company pays for these things while I travel, but I try to be a frugal employee.  

Even though I didn't use Uber, many of the drivers I had with Lyft also work for Uber.  The downside of Uber is you can't tip in the app.  Now, many resources tell you that you don't need to tip these drivers, but I like to, especially when they are quick to load up my luggage.  If you are traveling, and especially in large cities, I can't recommend Lyft and Uber enough.