Lyft will give you an exact price now, not just an estimate
Lyft is saying goodbye to estimates.
Lyft will tell consumers the exact price of their rides with a new feature launching Tuesday.
The upfront price information will be similar to the locked-in prices users see before they agree to an UberPool or Lyft Line ride. Lyft has provided price estimates for a while, but its new feature will be the first time the app is able to almost guarantee a price for regular Lyft rides.
Uber began introducing upfront fares for regular Uber rides in July.
The new fare works similar to traditional taxis in that it will set a definite price on the distance — but time can still be a factor. Lyft noted that if "your ride takes more or less time than expected — the ride total you were quoted will not longer apply."
"Before you buy a pair of jeans, you probably check the price tag. You don’t want to be surprised when you check out. The same is true when you take a Lyft ride. Now you can ride a little easier knowing how much you’ll be charged — no surprises," Lyft wrote in a blog post.
The new feature is only available in a handful cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Nashville, Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix. More cities will be added in the "coming months," a Lyft spokesman said.
If customers don't enter a destination, Lyft won't offer an upfront price and will instead calculate price at the end of the ride as usual.
If riders change their destination after agreeing to an upfront price, that will change the quoted price.
Emma Hinchliffe is a business reporter at Mashable. Before joining Mashable, she covered business and metro news at the Houston Chronicle.
