WHAT IS RIDESHARING?

Ridesharing is an online carpooling service that arranges sharable rides on a very short notice.  Ridesharing is promoted as a way to lower fuel usage and transport cost by utilizing empty seats in passenger cars. This type of carpooling generally makes use of these online services:

• GPS navigation 
• Smartphones 
• Social networks 

Car owners sign into an app that broadcasts to riders they are available to drive and pick up / drop off at locations of the rider's choosing. The app records the time spent driving, the miles that were driven, and charges the rider a fee for those services. Drivers get paid weekly through automatiic deposits to their bank account, or through debit cards offered by the rideshare company.

RIDESHARING IN CINCINNATI & DAYTON

Uber and Lyft are both rideshare services in the Miami Valley (Cincinnati and Dayton). Both are very similar. The driver partner app for each is available for Android and iPhones. 

COMPARISON

Uber offers driver partners a larger territory around Cincinnati and Dayton. They also offer an added revenue stream through home delivery services like UberEats. They are a little less convenient to get started than Lyft, requiring a visit to an authorized mechanic to inspect your vehicle, and may require you to visit their main office in downtown Cincinnati to complete your registration.

Lyft is easier to get started. They assign a mentor to help you. However, they have a smaller territory, and may require you to drive a little farther to pick up passengers. 

STRATEGY

Many drivers partner with both services. When one service is over saturated with drivers in a particular location, the other service can offer additional chances to receive a request.

When you sign-up for Uber and Lyft (below), you will be given a promocode of your own that you can give out to others, earning you referral revenue. 

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