Uber and Lyft

Ride Share Updates: Know your Row, Uber and Lyft Pooling Options


Pooling options and stall assignments come to Uber and Lyft

Changes have been made across various Las Vegas ride share (Uber and Lyft) pick-up areas. So far these changes are in effect at McCarran airport. If you know of more, share in the comments. The ride share stalls make it easy to find your Uber/Lyft car by using designated letter/number combos. You’ll wait at the regular area and when your driver arrives, they’ll text you the number of the stall to find them. This worked like a charm on my most recent trip last month. Previously, the area at McCarran’s Terminal One was a sea of Lyft and Uber drivers along with confused passengers trying to determine which car was theirs. Not the case anymore. When my driver arrived he texted me: “B4” I went to stall B, Row 4 and there he was. It’s that simple.

Our tipster paperposter sent us these pics of the same implementation at Mccarran.

Uber and Lyft

These changes come along with recent ride pooling options by Uber and Lyft called UberPool and Lyft Line, respectively.

From Uber’s website:

“You’re not the only one going your way. Share your uberX car and driver with other riders, and you’ll share the cost. So everyone gets a guaranteed fare that’s the cheapest Uber option. Select uberPOOL at the bottom of your screen. Once you set your pickup location and destination, you’ll see a guaranteed fare in the app. We match you with riders heading in the same direction. There’s a maximum of 2 riders per pickup. Hop out when you reach your destination and we’ll automatically charge the guaranteed fare to the credit card you have on file.”

Similarly, from Lyft’s website:

“Say hello to Lyft Line, an affordable new way to ride. Share the ride with others going the same way, and pay up to 60% less. Lyft Line is the one line that goes everywhere, all for the cool price of your morning latte. Open the Lyft app and select ‘Line.’ Tap the ‘Request Line’ button. We’ll prompt you to enter your destination and then start building your Line. Within minutes, we’ll match you with a ride. The price of your trip is fixed up-front. Even if we don’t find another passenger, your Line will remain the discounted rate. We’ll text you when your Line arrives. All you need to do is walk out the door and hop in.”

If you find yourself to still be a fan of Las Vegas taxis despite the affordability and convenience of ride shares, there’s good news. An article was published by the Las Vegas Review Journal that stated Las Vegas taxi fares could drop by $3 with a surcharge cut in early 2017. The focus of that is “could,” it’s speculation. That cut would need to be  made up elsewhere, possibly with a hike. Here’s what I found to be the most interesting part of that article.

“Ending the $3 credit card processing fee — or at least reducing it to 90 cents — was first recommended in an audit released in January by the Executive Branch Audit Committee, which determined that Southern Nevada taxi riders were overcharged $47 million annually in various fees.”

Yowsa!

[Photos: Paperposter]

12 thoughts on “Ride Share Updates: Know your Row, Uber and Lyft Pooling Options

  1. I REALLY like this. It took me a minute to find my car @ the airport in July. Don’t like Uber pool though. It takes you all around the mulberry bush most times. I rather just pay the full fare.

  2. I am happy to hear about these “stalls” too. I was searching for a certain kind of car which was a royal pain because I know nothing about cars. They all look the same to me. This will make it much easier.

  3. Works for me. The stalls are a good idea. Also sharing a ride isn’t a bad idea either. I haven’t taken a taxi in Vegas in over a year, wasn’t aware they were charging a $3.00 processing fee just to use a credit card. That is ridiculous. Just curious I wonder how much in revenue and ridership has Las Vegas taxis lost since ridesharing has come to Vegas??

  4. they always had a 3 dollars fee its for the outside processor to use the credit card it was a rip off

  5. when i was there last, the Lyft driving was telling me stories of picking up the wrong customer because they had a common name. he said one time he was suppose to pick up Heather but Hannah wasnt really paying attention and jumped in… i thought it was hilarious.

    but now i’m wondering about international visitors like me that can only use Lyft/Uber though wifi. how is that going to work coz we wont be able to receive text.

    1. That’s what always worries me – I nearly got a disposable prepaid SIM card last time I was in the city, but to be honest, wifi is becoming so prevalent that it was not worth it.

      The only time I regretted it was when I checked into Main Street Station and found that my add-on wifi only worked in the room itself. Even then, it’s a short walk to Fremont where the free city wifi is.

  6. i bet the cabbies just cringe reading this kind of stuff. I hate to see anyone lose their job, but I don’t feel too sorry for that lot. they have long hauled and ripped us off for decades. back in October I was using Lyft for most of my trip, but I had to jump in a cab once, sort of an emergency situation. the driver was so rude and hateful, it reminded me to appreciate Uber and Lyft.

    1. Not all the drivers are rude and many of the Uber drivers are excab drivers, so the rude can go unresolved; while a rude cabbie can be reported. AND Uber?Lyft drivers that have been on-the-job for a longer time are now finding out how to long ride and charge u more. At least in a cab you are guaranteed to know a camera is filming it all, and there is a Taxi Police force to answer your call, If an Uber driver long hauls u then u will have no film evidence and he may claim you told him to take the long route of some other thing like traffic,etc required an alternate route.

  7. As a dedicated taxi driver in Las Vegas I am relieved to see that Uber/Lyft haven’t totally destroyed us. Of all the cites in the world Las Vegas will give Uber the most fight. We are like the Roman Legion Armies as we are still capable of providing a non stop stream of cabs. The easy availability of taxi will keep the regulars with us. AND as another year goes by of Uber I have witnessed a mass act of thievery by many Uber/Lyft drivers. They are readily turning repeat customers and locals into cash deals, which is illegal. Won’t be long when the City/State sees some real income in using undercover agents to catch with. On the flip side I would imagine Uber will eventually sponsor a cell tower out at the Red Rock Visitors Center so their cheap rides out can also go back. I have seen a rise of cab customers that go only to Red Rock Casino for $20 on the meter, and then still get their Uber back to the strip for less than us cabs. Since I too like to climb the mountains having a cell tower there could also save lives. But alas- undercover cops pretending to be Walmart shoppers in search of a ride is expecting too much and those excabbies driving Uber know they have an easy sell to someone that’s been waiting a hour for a cab at Walmart.

  8. This worked really well for us in November, the driver calls or texts you. It also helps to add your picture to the app, it made it a lot easier for drivers to find me. In response to comments above about Uber and Lyft drivers ripping people off, if you feel you have been long hauled your trip can be reviewed after the fact and they will issue refunds. The route is all in the GPS and that is the record of your ride. The drivers are supposed to follow the GPS routes, which DO take traffic into consideration. You rate the drivers so rude drivers can be given fewer stars. Taxis are a ripoff in Vegas and Uber and Lyft are excellent alternatives and very consumer friendly.

  9. I’m pretty sure I was long hauled by Uber but when you go into help and press long hauled as long as it was in the estimated price nothing happens. The help is totally automated now.

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