Loving Lyft


I returned from a Vegas trip this week, and I want to share my transportation discoveries. I don’t drive, so I have always been at the mercy of whatever the cab-driving world threw at me. I was eager to give Uber and Lyft a try after having many unpleasant cab experiences.

I went on this trip with the intention of testing both companies, but that didn’t end up happening. I had planned to pay for my trips with Paypal as I prefer not to give out my Credit Card numbers and both companies state that this is possible. Being Canadian I made sure to deposit money in my Paypal account and convert it to American dollars so that I would be prepared for the experiment. I was unhappy that Uber would not let me create an account without a credit card number. I reluctantly gave them my CC number to join. Lyft, on the other hand, accepted that I was planning to pay with Paypal and did not require a CC number to create a profile. They verified my account by taking a dollar out of my PayPal account and then putting it back in. I was all set to request a ride.

I decided to try Lyft first since they seemed more accommodating than Uber. I was startled and thrilled to read on the Lyft App that new members are entitled to 10 free rides if the fare is $20 and under. If the fare is over $20, you just pay the overage. I don’t know how long this offer will last, but it is an amazing value so jump on it while you can. I had an additional challenge in that I don’t have either a smartphone or a data plan. So my test required me to carry my IPAD in my purse and to have WiFi available. Happily all of the Caesars Entertainment properties I was visiting now have free WiFi in their lobbies which also extends to outside their doors.

I made sure to ask where the designated Uber and Lyft pick up areas were. In the case of Bally’s where I was staying it is at the Flamingo Road entrance that the shuttles use. I was able to sit on a bench outside of the doors, connect to the WIFI and open my Lyft account. When you hit the button that requests a ride, you are given a notification that a driver is being chosen for you. Then you are given both the driver’s name and picture and also a picture of their vehicle, so you know exactly what vehicle to look for.

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App Sample image courtesy of LYFT

The APP also counts down the estimated time of arrival which usually works wonderfully, although one time it said my driver was seven minutes away, and he was right in front of me. I was hoping to see a car with a big furry pink moustache on it, but they have done away with those and display a more discreet sign in their windows now.

I ended up using only five of my ten free trips, and sadly the other five will expire before my next visit. Without exception, all of the drivers were friendly and helpful. Their cars were all late models and spotless. On one ride, the driver got a bit turned around looking for a short cut and he was quick to turn the meter off and not overcharge me. I was very impressed by this.

When your ride is complete, there is no fumbling for money. Since I was a new customer, my rides were free but under normal circumstances they would be removing the money from my Paypal account. The APP gives you the opportunity to rate the driver and to comment on what you thought of the ride. It also affords you the ability tip your driver through the APP. I decided just to tip in cash. I rated every driver I had five stars. Apparently they also get to rate the passengers, which was a new concept to me.

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I planned to switch companies and try Uber to go from the Strip to downtown when I was changing hotels. Uber also has codes available to give you a free ride. (Not ten) Even after I had requested a ride there didn’t seem to be any way for me to change my payment option to Paypal, although their website says this is possible. I don’t know if there is a flaw in their APP or if I was doing something wrong (which is entirely possible) but I canceled it and chose to use Lyft again.

Judging from what I have paid in cab fare to go from the Strip to downtown on multiple other trips, I was certain that this trip would be over the $20 free ride mark. Incredibly the total was only $18.64 to go from Bally’s to the Plaza! I have never paid such a low amount before.

The free rides saved me a bundle on this trip, but even when they are over I will continue to use Lyft. They have certainly won me over.

[Images: Courtesy of Lyft]

11 thoughts on “Loving Lyft

  1. thank u for this!! my hubs and I rent cars every year but he like to drink so I would like for him to enjoy his night and not have to worry about driving. I don’t drive. this is really interesting because uber is big in ny. never used lyft before.

  2. so when u sign up for the 10 free rides, how long before they expire? I will be in vegas in May, maybe even March or April, so if I sign up now will they be expired by then? if I wait until spring, the offer may not even be around. thanks for the report BLONDE4EVER!

  3. I did not sign up for an account until I reached Vegas. I signed up on Oct 27th and my ten free rides were/are good until Nov 12th.

    As I said…not sure how long this promotion lasts but I hope it works out for all of you.

  4. Thank you Blonde for useful info. We will be in Vegas in mid Dec. and Lyft sounds like it could be useful especially if they are still running the ten free ride promo. Do you know by any chance if they have any handicap equipped vans?
    By the way that was well written article. You’re getting the hang of it fast.

    1. Les, unfortunately I’ve never seen a handicapped equipped Lyft or Uber vehicle in Vegas, or any city.

  5. Thanks for sharing this. I’ve been wanting to try Lyft and we’re going in about 2 weeks. I just signed up for my Lyft account but cannot see anything about the free rides anywhere, so either the promo is over or I’m just not looking in the right place. Did it just pop up for you??

  6. After signing up I clicked on the three dots in the upper left hand corner. One of the things that comes up is a pink gift box that contains the ten free rides.

    Maybe it was an October promo?

    1. Thanks for the heads up. I checked my Lyft app, and there is only referral gifts now, no free rides on their own.

      I guess I’ll stick to my rental car this trip…maybe try out Lyft for our trip downtown.

  7. You must of got 10 rides for the launch of Lyft in Vegas. I downloaded the app on Nov 17th and got $10 off one ride. It was a pleasant surprise. The driver even gave me free breakfast of a granola bar and water!

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