Brian Ferdinand on P2P Ridesharing

Whether you’re visiting a city for work or are looking for a more convenient way to get to your destination, P2P ridesharing is something you should consider—if you haven’t tried it before. By the way, this is Brian Ferdinand and I welcome you to my blog.

Let Lyft take you where you want to go

Lyft isn’t a new player in the market. It was launched in 2012 as the city-oriented version of its P2P ridesharing parent, Zimride. Zimride was established back in 2007 as a ridesharing service between commuters who are traveling between cities. Recognizing the need for the same kind of service but this time exclusively for traveling within the city, the founders of Zimride established Lyft as an on-demand ridesharing service through a mobile app.

Convenience

I can understand the apprehension some of you may have with regard to riding in an unmetered car with people you do not know. When I first learned about Lyft, and all other commuting services of a similar nature, I was actually excited to try it out. In my opinion, technology serves us well in this regard.

In terms of being an unmetered “taxi,” you can easily find out how much you will be charged prior to getting into the car through the Lyft Fare Calculator. It gives you an estimate of the cost, which you can then *split with other commuters going the same route.

Depending on the type of Lyft service you get, you can ride with up to five people at a time. I think it’s a great way to meet new people and even network.

*Split fare with other commuters is available for Lyft Line. Fixed cost is given upfront but is generally lower than regular Lyft rates.

You can also hire a Lyft service for your own private use whether just for yourself or with three other friends or family members.

Brian Ferdinand is a financial consultant and entrepreneur based in New York. He likes to keep up-to-date with the latest technology that makes everyday life a little bit easier.