Rideshare customers generally believe Lyft is a more trusted service then Uber, but is it?
Lyft has been perceived by the public as a safer rideshare alternative to apps like Uber, which have garnered controversey for sexual assault alligations, among other claims. However, their reputation is now in jeopardy.
In an Associated Press article, reporter Cathy Bussewitz called out Lyft, saying,“Dozens of women filed lawsuits against Lyft in recent months, claiming that they were sexually assaulted by the company’s drivers.”
Lyft stood out from its competitors by claiming they do background checks, but now Lyft and Uber seem to be leveling out. Many Lyft users now view the company in a negative light for shoving their complaints under the rug, according to Bussewitz.
According to The New York Times, more than 3,000 sexual assaults occurred on Uber rides in 2018. After this news, some Azusa Pacifc University students started only taking Lyft rides because they felt they could not trust Uber. However, because of Uber’s transparency with their statistics, and their actions to fix the sexual assault problem, they are becoming the safer of the two ridesharing companies.
Uber shares how they are practicing safety by doing thorough background checks and by providing emergency help. According to Uber’s website, “We recognize that every time you open your Uber app, you’re putting your trust in our technology — to not only connect you with a driver, but to also give you tools in case of emergency.”
Not all APU students have cars. Many students have to take Lyft or Uber to and from the airport, to work, or to just hangout with friends. This is especially true for females, who make up 66.2 percent of APU’s student population.
Aspen Medley is a junior English major who lives on campus at APU. Because Medley does not have a car, she takes Lyfts from time to time. Medley said she trusts Lyft because she thinks they give more extensive background checks, and because Uber has been in scandles linked to human trafficking, which scares her.
“As a woman I am more careful when traveling alone, which is why I choose to ride with Lyft although I think neither service can really be safe,” Medley said.
After learning that Lyft has been having the same issues as Uber, but they have just been brushing them under the rug, Medley said she would be more nervous to take Lyft in the future.
“I am very disappointed that Lyft promotes being safer, and has not lived up to that expectation,” Medley said. “These types of driving services are newer to society, and I want them to be as safe as I expect them to be.”
Medley is not the only APU student who feels this way.
Soyoung Ko, a junior international psychology major, lives off campus and takes Lyft frequently. She uses Lyft over Uber because she had a previous bad experience in an Uber where the driver tried to contact her after the ride. Ko contacted Uber and asked for them to not match her with him in the future. Uber gave her a refund, and she only got female drivers after the incident.
After the incident she heard about Lyft from a friend, who told her it was safer.
“I don’t use my real name in a Lyft or Uber. I use an international name so they don’t know I am not from here,” Ko said.
Although Ko uses Lyft now out of necessity, she feels bad that she can’t trust the people who are supposed to drive her to safety.
Elizabeth Cunag, a senior art major, takes a Lyft around three times a week. She trusts Lyft over Uber because of their supposed background checks. Cunag said she takes Lyft at night alone sometimes and has never had a bad experience to date, or feared for her life. However, after learning of the sexual assault accusations, she doesn’t feel the same towards Lyft.
“I feel deceived as a client and a customer, and knowing that makes me uncomfortable,” Cunag said. “But I will still use Lyft because I have to.”