Ridehail price gaps raise questions for LA travelers
A Consumer Reports review found wide price differences for Uber and Lyft trips, even on the same route at nearly the same time. A local test from Pasadena to LAX showed Lyft coming in about 11 dollars below Uber.
The study used 174 volunteers across 18 states to check more than 40 routes and found that the median gap between the highest and lowest prices for the same trip was 50 percent. One Austin route ranged from 25 dollars to 65 dollars, while a Pasadena to LAX comparison showed Uber at 89.96 dollars and Lyft at 78.98 dollars after discounts.
Uber and Lyft denied using personal data to set basic fares, pointing instead to demand, traffic, driver supply, GPS differences and promotions. For Los Angeles riders, the practical takeaway is simple: check both apps before confirming, since research cited in the article found average price differences of about 14 percent.