Lyft Line hopes to point people in the same direction

Going my way?

Two strangers headed to the same destination will be able to jump into the same car — at a discounted cost — when Lyft Line debuts in Las Vegas on Nov. 10.

The new option on Lyft’s ride-sharing smartphone app will match users who are headed in the same direction. Picking up another passenger might mean a longer trip, but the cost to ride is always going to be lower than a traditional ride with Lyft, company officials said.

“By bringing Lyft Line to Vegas, we hope to provide locals and residents with an even more affordable rideshare option, while also helping reduce congestion by encouraging people to share the ride,” said Yacob Girma, Lyft’s general manager in Las Vegas.

Lyft Line debuted two years in San Francisco, with the goal of connecting people with their neighbors while also reducing traffic congestion by filling empty car seats on the road.

Even though Lyft Line will be cheaper than the traditional Lyft option, the discount percentage depends on your location, the current supply of available drivers and the likelihood of getting matched with another passenger, according to the company’s website. When ordering the ride, the phone app will display the price upfront, regardless if you’re paired with another rider.

Las Vegas is the 15th city to get Lyft Line, and riders will get an unspecified discount during the first two weeks, company officials said.

Uber offers a similar service in several cities, but it isn’t available yet in Las Vegas yet. There are no immediate plans to bring UberPool to Las Vegas, “but hopefully it will be one day soon,” an Uber spokeswoman said.

And for the lovelorn roadies wondering if this is a good way to meet a potential mate?

“While we don’t promote Lyft Line as a way to date, there have definitely been several cases of people meeting and staying in touch through Lyft Line,” company spokeswoman Mary Caroline Pruitt said.

SLOW TRUCKS AHEAD

We all get a little annoyed when a fellow driver ambles along the freeway, especially during the morning commute to work. Stan from Las Vegas was pretty peeved about some slow-moving trucks and buses driving below the speed limit during a recent trip on Interstate 15 between Cheyenne and Sahara avenues.

“Cars speeding at 65 mph and faster hit their brakes to avoid crashing into the trucks or buses, and then swerved sharply into another lane,” Stan wrote in an email to the Road Warrior. “That caused other drivers to also hit their brakes. I think trucks and buses should be banned from the freeways during rush hours.”

Buses and semi-tractor trailers are allowed on Nevada freeways at all times, and that won’t be changing anytime soon, said Trooper Jason Buratczuk of the Nevada Highway Patrol.

However, some bus and trucking companies require their operators to drive no faster than 65 mph — or sometimes even 58 mph, Buratczuk said. Those drivers should stay to the right and allow other vehicles to pass. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.

“This is exactly why all motorists need to slow down, pay attention and never be distracted while driving,” Buratczuk said. “And, of course, always wear your seatbelt.”

PARKWAY PROBLEM

Barbara from Las Vegas is a frequent driver of the access road on eastbound Summerlin Parkway at Anasazi Drive, and believes it’s pretty dangerous.

“I don’t know if it is the way the road is graded, or if the merging lane is too short, but it is nearly impossible to see the oncoming traffic,” Barbara observed in an email to the Road Warrior. “Traffic barrels down over 65 mph, and not having a good visual makes merging dangerous.”

Unfortunately, Barbara, there aren’t any plans to modify this onramp, Las Vegas city spokeswoman Margaret Kurtz said. However, city officials are redesigning the parkway’s ramps between Town Center Drive and Rampart Boulevard by adding some auxiliary lanes.

“We can take a look and review the crash data and geometrics of the existing ramp to see if lengthening it is necessary or feasible,” Kurtz said.

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