Well, it was awesome while it lasted. After dropping prices for Lyft Lines in San Francisco to just $6 in some areas, the promotional period for the price caps has ended.
Opening up the Lyft app this afternoon, I noticed that the promotional pricing indicator left the Line UI. It used to tell me that my Lines were always capped at $6 — which never ceased to feel like a gift from the gods.
A spokesperson for Lyft indicated that the promotional period has ended, but the company has also instituted a new pricing plan within San Francisco. On Monday through Friday, from 7-10am to 4-8pm (recognizably high commute times), Lyft Line rides are up to 75 percent less than a classic Lyft. All other times, Lyft Line rides are up to 50 percent less.
Given the new structure, it doesn’t appear that the prices for a Line have shot up considerably in the process of removing the promotional period. The ride I wanted to take, from the Twin Peaks neighborhood to SoMa nearly 5 miles away, would cost me $8 rather than just $6.
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However, this does mean that Lines will likely be subjected to the sway of surge pricing, which means they could be considerably higher during heavy traffic. If, for example, the pricing structure for the average Lyft is double, it’s likely your Lyft Line will just be up to 75 percent less than that price, rather than at a fixed price.
That specific promotional pricing has been removed from San Francisco, but not other cities where Lyft operates. Notably, Lyft just began a promotional pricing structure for the launch of Lyft Line in Chicago.
All good things must come to an end, I guess.
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