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Lyft has added new personalization and safety features that allow for a better ride experience for both drivers and passengers.
The ride-share app just announced that riders will now have the option to favorite drivers if they had a particularly great ride and want to use that same driver again.
Lyft will prioritize connecting the user with one of their favorite drivers whenever possible.
When a driver is added to someone’s favorites, they’ll be notified. From there, they will have priority access to that rider’s future scheduled ride requests.
After a ride finishes, this new feature will allow passengers to mark the driver as a favorite if they’re pleased with their experience.
“This isn’t just about convenience – it’s about giving you more control over your ride experience,” the company said in a statement.
“You can build relationships with drivers who get your vibe, whether that’s keeping the car cool for your commute or knowing when you need quiet time before a big meeting.”
Lyft explained that this feature comes as an effort to provide drivers with additional earning opportunities and to build relationships with passengers they meet daily.
“When drivers know they’re appreciated, it creates a positive cycle. They’re motivated to continue providing exceptional service, and you get consistently great rides with people you trust.”
Additionally, Lyft riders will have the option to block drivers, so they don’t have to worry about repeat offenders if a passenger has an unpleasant experience — for whatever reason.
The direct driver blocking is the first of its kind and is part of Lyft’s ongoing commitment to make it the safest ride-sharing app to get around.
As part of the rollout, Lyft is launching a Safety Hub portal in the app — a place where riders can set up safety features such as audio recording, PIN Verification, location sharing and more. Blocked and favorited drivers will also show up in the Safety Hub.
The new features will roll out in an update in the coming weeks with a wider-scale launch in the US and Canada by the end of August.
The move comes just a day after Uber announced the introduction of “Women’s Preferences” in the US, which will allow women riders and drivers to only be connected with other women for their trips.
Female passengers will see an option called ‘Women Drivers’ when requesting a trip. For drivers, they simply have to toggle on the “Women Rider Preference” in their app settings. The pilot program will begin in the next few weeks in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit.
“Across the US, women riders and drivers have told us they want the option to be matched with other women on trips. We’ve heard them—and now we’re introducing new ways to give them even more control over how they ride and drive,” Uber said in a press release.
