Many Australians are looking for a reliable and convenient way to get around. Unfortunately the options currently available are either expensive or unreliable. Lyft one of the world’s leading ride-sharing services has become increasingly popular in many countries but does it operate in Australia?
Overview of Lyft
Lyft is an American ride-sharing company that was founded in 2012. It operates in over 300 cities in the United States and Canada as well as in some cities in the United Kingdom. The company also has a presence in Australia but its services are limited.
In Australia Lyft operates only in Melbourne and its services are limited to the Melbourne Airport. The company offers both shared and private rides as well as bike and scooter rentals. Lyft also has a loyalty program that rewards customers with discounts and other benefits.
| Service | Availability |
|---|---|
| Ride Sharing | Melbourne Airport Only |
| Private Rides | Melbourne Airport Only |
| Bike & Scooter Rentals | Melbourne Airport Only |
| Loyalty Program | Available |
Availability of Lyft in Australia
Alas Lyft is not yet available in Australia. The ever-strict terms and regulations imposed by the Australian government have made it difficult for international companies such as Lyft to gain global traction. Despite having a strong presence in the US and Canada Lyft has yet to gain official approval to operate its ride-sharing services in the land down under.
Currently the only major ride-sharing companies operating in Australia are Uber and Ola. Taxi services are still the dominant form of transportation in Australia but these two companies are slowly gaining a foothold due to their usability and convenience. However Uber and Ola do not have the same level of popularity as Lyft does in other parts of the world most notably in the United States.
This does not mean that Lyft will remain unavailable in Australia indefinitely. As the ride-sharing industry continues to grow so too do the chances of Lyft being able to make its way into the market. It may be just a matter of time before the company is able to gain approval from the Australian government and be available in Australia. Until then Uber and Ola remain the dominant players in the Australian ride-sharing market.
Expansion to Australia
Recently Lyft confirmed that they have begun testing their services in Australia with a pilot program in Sydney. Passengers who take a ride will be charged according to the same rate model and receive a receipt that reflects the ride cost at the end of the ride. Lyft is also offering special offers such as discounts and promotional rides to gain traction in the Australian market.
The introduction of Lyft to Australia marks a significant move for the company as it continues to expand into new locations. This makes their services available to a wider range of consumers and provides people with more transportation options.
Notably this expansion is part of Lyft’s larger effort to become a global player in the ride-hailing industry. Lyft has been active in countries all over the world from the United States to China. They also have plans to expand their footprint in India in the near future as well as possible entrances into other countries in Asia and Latin America.
Lyft’s expansion into Australia comes at a critical time for the ride-hailing industry. Popular competitor Uber is facing fierce competition from other ride-hailing services such as DiDi in many countries. By broadening their scope and expanding to Australia Lyft is well positioned to gain an edge in the market.
Comparisons to Other Ride Sharing Services
Unfortunately Lyft is not yet available in Australia. However Uber and some other smaller ride-sharing services are available though they may not offer the same features as Lyft.
Taxify is a ride-sharing service similar to Uber offering low-cost rides in smaller cities and major metropolitan areas across Australia. Taxify offers an app-based booking system competitive pricing and various features such as driver tracking digital receipt and split fair. While it uses a slightly different model than Uber it is still a cost-effective and easy to use app-based booking service.
Shebah is a ride-sharing service based solely in Australia designed with safety and security in mind. All Shebah drivers must be female and passengers have the option of requesting a ‘mother safe’ ride. This means all the drivers will have completed a National Police Check and driving qualifications assessment. While this might not be the most cost-efficient option it may provide an extra layer of security for those looking for a safe ride-sharing experience in Australia.
Ola is an app-based ride-sharing service launched in Australia in early 2018. Ola offers a wide-range of features for riders including fare estimation driver tracking cashless payments and customer support. Ola is also the only ride-sharing service to offer ‘pool’ rides where passengers can share a ride to their destination at a lower cost. Additionally Ola customers can earn points to redeem later on free rides.
In conclusion while Lyft is not available in Australia yet there are several options available to those looking for a ride-sharing service. Whether it’s Taxify Shebah or Ola there is a ride-sharing service that is right for everyone.