15 Easy Ways to Improve Your Ride-Hailing Experience

5. Consider a membership if you ride a lot. Both Lyft and Uber offer memberships, called Lyft Pink and Uber One, which start at $9.99 a month. Both plans have members-only pricing on rides.

Lyft adds free priority pickups, 5 percent off standard and larger vehicle rides, a year of Grubhub+ with no delivery fees and up to 45 minutes of bike or scooter rental a month. Uber offers free food deliveries via Uber Eats, up to 10 percent discounts on some Uber Eats delivery and pickup orders, and a 5 percent discount on other rides. 

6. Be ready to roll. Along with seeing the vehicle’s whereabouts, you’ll be notified when the driver is at your location.

If something comes up and you need an extra minute or two, you can always call or message the driver through the app. Messages are read aloud to drivers through the car’s dashboard display for safety’s sake.

7. Check your pickup location on the app. Sometimes your phone’s GPS location data is off a little, and you may need to move the pushpin on the map to confirm your exact location.

This is sometimes an issue at airport pick-up spots. When in doubt, contact the driver, because neither of you wants the driver to have trouble finding your precise location.

When your ride arrives

8. Verify your vehicle. Double-check your ride with the details in the app, such as the license plate, vehicle make and model, and driver’s photo.

9. Need help? Ask. If you have luggage or equipment, such as a walker, and need assistance to stow it, politely ask the driver, who can help place items in the trunk.

10. Look for traffic hazards. Before you open the car door to get in and when you get out, check to make sure no vehicles or cyclists are coming quickly.

And don’t slam the car door when you get in or out. Remember, Uber and Lyft drivers use their own vehicle.

While on your ride

11. Let others see your progress. You can share your trip information from the app with a caregiver, a friend you’re meeting or a loved one. This enables them to see your location on a map, along with your estimated time of arrival and details about your driver and the vehicle in which you’re riding. 

12. Save snacking for later. Think about how you would want others to act if you were in the driver’s seat. Don’t drink, eat or smoke. Avoid profanity or talking loudly on a phone call.

13. Stay safe. In the app, you can always report a safety issue such as a lack of working seat belts or an incident or accident.

Both Lyft and Uber also let you discretely contact 911 from within the app. With Lyft, a member from ADT will then contact law enforcement to share your location details. You won’t be contacted via phone unless requested.

Through Uber, you can connect directly with 911 by tapping the Emergency button, which shows your real-time location — both on a map and as an address. In select cities, your location and trip details will be automatically sent to a 911 dispatcher.

14. Rate with awareness. Not loving your Uber experience? Your Lyft driver not the most pleasant?

As you pull out your phone to tap two stars instead of five, remember one thing: They’re rating you, too. This two-way feedback is a key difference between a ride-hailing service and taxicabs.

15. Tip for good service. The driver gets to keep all of it.