June 29, 2017
Philadelphia just had its five-year anniversary with ride-sharing app Uber, and in the half-decade since its emergence in the city, Uber has gone on to basically take over the world, functioning in nearly 700 cities across the globe and meeting a hefty sum of controversy along the way.
For naysayers of Uber, Lyft joined the ride-sharing game in Philly in February 2015, gaining popularity and riders thanks to branding that made it sound less pretentious than Uber – its slogan was once, “Your friend with a car.”
Considering the negative press Uber has received since inception, including controversies with drivers' rights, stories of assault in Ubers and in-office battles, Lyft attracted a lot of users who didn’t want to get mixed in with the more controversial app. The recent resignation of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick doesn't help, either.
On Thursday, Lyft announced the addition of two new black car options, and the luxury rides will strike a similar chord to those familiar with Uber's premium UberBLACK and Car Seat BLACK rides. At Lyft, the two new premium black car rides are Lyft Lux and Lyft Lux SUV, each a way for app users to specifically request getting picked up in a particularly nice car. Though fares vary, Lyft Lux and Lyft Lux SUV are expected to cost 3x-5x more than a regular Lyft ride.
The pricier options seem to have a particular client in mind.
“Lux is the perfect ride for the business traveler who wants to arrive to a meeting in a black car, take his or her client to dinner or any special occasion where you want to spend a little more to make it memorable,” Lyft said in a statement. “For drivers, this is a great way to get the most of your high-end vehicle and earn even higher fares.”
The new rides are available in Philadelphia and New Jersey, as well as 14 other U.S. cities. New York, Chicago and Los Angeles were the first cities to get the new services.
