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19 April, 2019

How To Start Ride Sharing Services Like Lyft?

Learn how to start ride-sharing services like Lyft. A step-by-step guide to launching your startup and scaling fast.

author

written by

Deep Faldu – CTO

Ride Sharing Services

Ride sharing is a concept of share your ride with another user who wants to go into the same direction at the same time. Ride-sharing services are also known as carpooling service.

The ride-sharing services aim to reduce the traffic on the road and solve mobility problems in the area where the deficiency of public transport.

Nowadays, ride-sharing services are available in all countries. Lyft offers ride-sharing services in 300 cities in America.

What is The Lyft App?

Lyft was launched in 2007 by Logan Green and John Zimmer. The service name is known as Zimride. In May 2013, the company officially changed its name from Zimride to Lyft.

Lyft has announced that it has completed more than one billion rides since it started business six years ago.

The business model of Lyft is something similar to the Uber, and that’s why Lyft often termed as an alternative to Uber.

Although Lyft is similar to Uber, it provides some silent features that can disturb Uber in any way.

It has made a significant push into rented electric scooter business. In 2018 Lyft announce that they provide more transportation options.

It has launched scooter services in Arlington, Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Nashville, San Diego, Santa Monica and Washington D.C. Lyft scooter cost for a rider is $1 to unlock and 15 cents per minute to ride.

Lyft Ride-Sharing App Work Flow:

Request for Ride:

The initial step of Lyft is about to request a ride. Anyone have a smartphone with the Lyft app installed can book a trip with the help of a few steps. It offers five types of journeys within the app: Lyft, Lyft XL, Lux, Lux Black, and Lux Black XL.

Matching:

As soon as a request is made, a notification is sent to a near driver in that area. A driver has an option to accept or cancel the offer.

Ride:

Map based System allows a rider to keep track of the car while it arrives. Another side, the driver can also track the rider location from where the request is made. The Lyft tagline is; “Your friend with a car.” So, a rider can always sit in the front seat along with the driver.

Payment & Rating:

When the ride is complete rider can pay using a debit card or PayPal account. A rider can give a rate to the driver. A rating system is the most important part of any business. So, they can improve their services.

Revenue Model Of Lyft Application:

According to TechCrunch, Lyft currently holds 34% of the U.S. ridesharing market. Lyft recorded $15.1 billion in revenue in June 2018.

lyft-revenue

How Much Does it Cost to Make Lyft Like Application?

No one can estimate the exact cost of developing a ride-sharing app like Lyft.

It’s all depends on a variety of things like, developer rates, features which you want to include in your app, country, and industry, which type of platform you target, and hundreds of others.

From all the factors to making the single platform app like Lyft would cost around $30,000 – $35,000. While an essential app for both iOS and Android would cost approximately $65,000 and can go higher.

Final Word:

Ride Sharing is more prevalent in the current market. If you want to develop a ride-sharing app like Lyft, White Label Fox provides fully customize app solution for your application.

Frequently Ask Questions

A ride-sharing service like Lyft connects passengers with drivers using a mobile app. Customers can book a ride from nearby drivers who use their personal vehicles to provide transportation for a fee, offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional taxis.

Starting a ride-sharing service allows you to tap into the growing demand for affordable, reliable, and convenient transportation options. It provides an opportunity to capitalize on the shift towards shared mobility and eco-friendly transportation solutions.

Key features include user and driver profiles, ride booking, real-time GPS tracking, fare calculation, in-app payments, driver ratings, ride history, and customer support. Integration with location-based services is critical for efficient routing.

For mobile app development, use cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native. On the backend, consider Node.js or Python. Essential services include real-time GPS tracking, route optimization algorithms, and payment integration with services like Stripe or PayPal.

Safety features should include identity verification for both passengers and drivers, ride tracking, SOS emergency buttons, background checks for drivers, and insurance coverage for both parties. Rating and review systems also ensure accountability.

The driver onboarding process should be simple, with easy registration, background verification, and document uploads. Implement features like ride management, earnings tracking, and in-app navigation to ensure a smooth experience for drivers.

Operational costs include app development, marketing, driver compensation, insurance, payment gateway fees, and customer support. Additional costs may involve fleet management (if you plan to own vehicles) and maintenance.

Attract riders through digital marketing, referral programs, targeted ads, and social media campaigns. Offering first-ride discounts, loyalty programs, and promotions can also incentivize new users to try your service.

To manage your service, use a robust backend system to handle ride requests, driver availability, and payments. Scale by expanding to new locations, adding more drivers to your fleet, optimizing routes, and improving app features like carpooling or multiple ride options.

Ensure compliance with local transportation and insurance regulations. Obtain necessary permits, licenses, and certifications for your service, and ensure that drivers are insured according to local laws. Additionally, draft clear terms of service and user agreements.
author

Deep Faldu – CTO
Author

As the Chief Technology Officer, Deep Faldu spearheads innovation at White Label Fox, ensuring seamless, scalable, and high-performance app solutions. His technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and commitment to excellence help businesses thrive in the competitive digital landscape. He continuously explores new technologies to enhance product efficiency and user experience.

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