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Lyft Line's pre-tax commuter perks are available in 18 cities
Lyft Line was built from the start to make daily ridesharing more affordable, but it really comes into its own if you can use a commuter benefits card. It lets you use pre-tax dollars to pay for a ride, cutting up to 35 percent of the price. It's a good thing, then, that you no longer have to worry about where those cards are available -- Lyft has expanded the use of commuter benefits to all 18 US cities where Line operates. Provided your employer offers the cards in the first place, you now have a low-cost way to commute to work without taking a bus or train.
Lyft tests a new fixed-route 'Shuttle' service for commuters
Now that shared rides represent a sizable portion of Uber and Lyft's business, both companies have been looking for new ways to expand their offerings while making the whole system more efficient and affordable at the same time. According to TechCrunch, Lyft is currently testing a new version of its shared Line rides called "Lyft Shuttle" aimed directly at commuters and riders who regularly take busy routes.
Lyft's monthly passes lower the cost of your carpooling
Carpooling services such as Lyft Line and UberPool already make ridesharing more affordable, but it's about to get cheaper -- if you're willing to pay in advance. Lyft is testing monthly Line passes that give you a significant discount, and save you from worrying about delays or Prime Time (aka surge pricing). The first pass is for less frequent riders: pay $20 and every Line ride after that costs $2. If you need more, a $29 pass will let you ride as much as you want with no extra costs.
Lyft Line expanding to six more cities
Today, Lyft announced that its Line shared ride feature will launch in six new cities. The service will roll out in Denver, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle and Newark starting April 11.
Lyft's new offering lets you take passengers only during your commute
App-based carpooling options like Lyft Line and UberPool are useful if you'd rather not drive to work yourself... but what if you do drive, and want to make a little money on the side? That's where Lyft's newest offering, Driver Destination, could come into play. The tier lets you only accept Lyft Line requests from people who are headed the same way, with few if any detours; your trip home shouldn't turn into an epic journey just because you picked up someone who lives off the beaten path. If you're willing to make it a staple of your commute, Lyft reckons that you could make as much as $400 more per month. That's not spectacular, but it's enough to pay for large bills or a lavish night out.
Lyft snaps up company that makes carpooling with strangers more efficient
Lyft, it seems, is going to be getting a bit bigger and, perhaps, a touch better. The not-a-cab outfit has recently acquired a stranger-based carpooling company by the name of Hitch. The service itself will shut down, but TechCrunch says that the startup's founders will be putting "some of what" they had built for their own company into Lyft Line's brand of ride-sharing. So long as the tech (a proprietary rider-matching engine, from the sounds of it) means that Line can be a viable alternative to Uber's surge pricing, it should work out pretty well for everyone involved. Just remember: the Golden Rule applies to strangers regardless of venue -- no matter how, ahem, unique they might be. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Lyft wants you to know it has a carpool service too
Two can play the pooled ridesharing game, it seems -- just a day after the launch of UberPool, Lyft has responded with its own offering, Lyft Line. The basic concept is virtually identical to what we saw hours ago. If you're headed in the same direction as another customer, Line lets you hop in the same car and split your fare. You may have to wait a few minutes longer, but the savings could be as much as 60 percent less than a solo ride; that's cheap enough for daily use, if you believe Lyft. The option will only be available in San Francisco through the iOS app at first, but Android support and more cities are coming.
