Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft have undoubtedly made journeys far more convenient, cheaper and time-efficient. However, there’s nothing worse than opening the app when you’re in a rush and seeing the closest car is 20 minutes away.
The US-based firm Lyft could be hoping to change this by testing scheduled rides in San Francisco.
The soon-to-launch trial will allow riders to book a car up to 24-hours in advance, just like a traditional taxi service.
“Whether you have an early-morning flight and need to get to the airport or have a make-or-break business meeting cross-town, scheduled rides will get you out the door and off to your destination at your specified pickup time,” the company says on its official blog.
To schedule a ride, users will be able to tap the clock icon and select a desired time.
Users will also be able to cancel the rides up to 30 minutes before they’re scheduled to be picked up, if plans change.
The feature is set to roll out in more areas this summer.
The addition of scheduled rides is unlikely to please traditional taxi firms, who’s last bastion of convenience looks set to be wiped out.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.