Uber’s biggest rival, Lyft, has made a name for itself on the ride-hailing market in the United States and it’s now ready to expand globally, starting with Canada. The San Francisco-based on-demand transportation service operates in 300 cities in the United States and so far, despite its rapid growth, it has not expanded to other markets, but that’s about to change very soon. Lyft has officially announced that it plans to launch its service in Toronto, Canada, by the end of this year. Lyft says it’s been looking to make its ride-sharing business global for a good while and it’s now excited to have Canada as its first destination for the expansion. The company mentions that it will be able to help with those holiday errands, so although it doesn’t offer a specific date for when its services will become available in Canada, it looks like it will be just in time for the holidays.
Starting in December, Canadians in the greater Toronto area will be able to take advantage of five Lift options to hail vehicles. Lyft will be launching Lyft Premiere, Lyft Plus, Lyft Lux, and Lyft Lux SUV rides, in addition to normal Lyft services with vehicles that can fit up to four riders. Lyft has yet to announce just what rates and payments it has in mind for drivers in Canada, but it has already set up a page where interested people can apply for the chance to become Lyft drivers. Uber has already been operating in Toronto for five years now, so Lyft will have some fierce competition upon its arrival in the city. Nevertheless, Lyft seems confident that it can succeed in the country and, if things go smoothly with the Toronto launch, it could soon expand to more cities nationwide.
For those who have never tried Lyft, using its services is fairly easy and straightforward. First off, users will need to download the Lyft app, sign up to create an account, and add a payment method. From there on, users will be able to request rides and get to their destination hassle-free, hailing Lyft drivers. Once they arrive at their desired destination, users can pay instantly using the autopay feature in the app. If they enjoyed their ride, users can also choose to tip the driver.