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Uber and Lyft are racing to dominate the world of transportation. Both these transportation service providers have provided people with comfortable transportation. These ride-hailing firms are competing with each other to gain the all-encompassing transportation platform in the future. The CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi last week, told the CNBC that the company aims to be “the A to B platform for transportation”. Dara Khosrowshahi wishes to serve his customers in the best possible way, if it is not through the car, then through other modes of transport such as bikes or bicycles.

On the other hand, the co-founder of Lyft, John Zimmer tells The Atlantic this week that the vision of the company is to go on to improvise the lives of the people by providing the customers with the best transportation facility and comfort.

Here are some of the best transportation options provided by both Uber and Lyft, starting from eco- friendly transportation options to the high-end and flexible transportation services:

• Bikes – In the month of April, Uber announced that it was going to buy an electric bike company named Jump Bikes. The Jump Bikes was founded in the year 2010 and were the very first company which was offering dockless bike share in the U.S. It mainly operates in Washington DC, Santa Crux, San Francisco, California, and Sacramento. However, according to the latest news report, Lyft is also making an entry into the market. It is nearing a $250 million deal for Motivate that provides docked bike sharing facility in eight markets of U.S., including San Francisco and New York.
• Boats – Uber has also launched boat hailing services in Egypt in the year 2017 on a temporary basis. Now the services are also available in Croatia. The riders could request for a vessel from the Uber app, just as they book cars of their choice. The predesignated dock could be selected for sailing in Uber boat.
• Helicopters – In southern France, Uber has launched its helicopter service in the year 2016. Initially, the prices were sharp. They charged near about $180 per person for almost seven minutes ride from Nice to Cannes. The helicopter service has also been expanded in other regions. However, they charge an additional fee for luggage. The company also announced UberCHOPPER in the year 2015 in Dubai, which offered a 15-minute city tour. The UberCHOPPER was also launched in the Netherlands for traveling to a music festival known as Mysteryland.
• Public transit – Lyft announced last week that the company will soon be guiding the city dwellers through the transit and walking directions. Users will enter a particular destination in the app and will get various travel options. This feature is quite similar to the Google Maps. It will offer the users a car ride when needed for the trip. Uber has also hinted at a similar kind of public transit integration. It has recently partnered with a public transit ticketing company that will allow the users to purchase transit tickets through the Uber app.
• Rickshaws – Uber customers can now book rickshaw (open air bike) rides in India and Pakistan. The rides start at a minimum fare of 74 U.S. cents.
• Motorcycles – In India, Uber is also offering motorcycle rides. The riders could hail driver just as they do for cars. A spare helmet would be provided to the rider by the driver. Launched in 2017, the Uber motorcycle rides has been the best for coming out of traffic congestion. The trips start at a base fare of 25 rupees or 37 U.S. cents. This service has also been launched in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Scooters – Both Uber and Lyft confirmed to CNBC that they are trying to enter into the scooter business. Both the companies have also applied for the permits for operating scooter service in San Francisco.

Both Uber and Lyft are currently offering different types of flexible, eco-friendly and high- end traveling options to their customers. This is not only enhancing the business of both the transportation service providers but also changing the entire transportation sector. Market reports on technology sector clearly show the introduction of various advanced technologies in all segments. Certainly, the future has a lot in store.

© Sheer Analytics and Insights Pvt. Ltd., 2018