Social media is having a field day with Lyft's newest innovation, which some contend is only slightly newer than the wheel.
TravelPulse previously reported on the ride-sharing company's newest product set to roll out in the San Francisco and Chicago markets. I made the observation at the time that the shuttle service was amazingly akin to public transportation and suggested some might like to, you know, take public transportation.
Social media recently caught wind of Lyft's Shuttle service trial and went to town on it.
The uproar seems to have stemmed from a LifeHacker article by Heather Yamada-Hosley, which explains that she prefers Lyft or Lyft Line (similar to UberPool) to mass transit methods: "I take Lyft or Lyft Line a couple times a week, usually because I'm traveling with other people and it's the same or cheaper (and much, much cleaner, faster, and more pleasant) than taking public transportation."
Those are perfectly valid reasons for preferring something like Lyft.
Yamada-Hosley writes on the cost and efficiency of a regular Lyft ride: "Lyft Shuttle addresses both those issues by having you walk to a nearby pick up spot, get in a shared car that follows a pre-designated route, and drops you (and everyone else) off at the same stop. So, basically, you share a ride with other people (most of the time) so your ride price is lower, but you know exactly how long the ride will take because you're on a pre-designated route."
When you break things down to their bare bones, it becomes rather easy (and humorous) to make the connection: Lyft Shuttle is very much like that bus you see whiz by as you are waiting for your respective Lyft.
Others see it that way too.
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The Verge quoted a Lyft spokesperson in March who explained the evolution from Lyft Line to Lyft Shuttle: "Lyft Line is the future of rideshare, and we often test new features that we believe will have positive impact on our passengers' transportation options. We look forward to feedback on Shuttle from the Lyft community; we see a number of commuting use cases that this mode will make easier."
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Presumably, those commuting use cases include things like getting to work, going to the big game, getting groceries, meeting friends or heading across town for just about any scenario.
Museum of the City explains the Staten Island Ferry began its service back in 1817. Around the same time the horse-drawn omnibus, which could transport up to 42 people, also became popular.
Remarkably, 100 years later a business that utilizes contraptions fitting in the palm of your hand is doing something similar.
This just means a good idea remains a good idea no matter the time, place or manner of conveyance.
It also means that you should really try out mass transit. They have been doing this thing for decades.
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