How Many Uber (Or Lyft) Rides Did We Take in 2018?
We are a mid 30’s couple based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One of us is self employed as a photographer, the other works part time for an association management company.
We live in what we call our “Tiny House”, which is now a 475 square foot studio in the Heritage Hill area of Grand Rapids.
We are also a 1 car family and have been for most of our 16 years of marriage. We’ve been a 1 car family since our college days at Michigan State University (we did have 2 cars for about 18 months, but realized we didn’t need one of them).
We discovered UBER in 2015 while traveling with a friend in Washington DC.
That being said, we’ve become power users of the platform.
We love knowing we can ask for a ride, have someone pick us up, drive us and drop us off at our destination in a seamless way.
When Did Ride Sharing Start?
We first reported about our Uber habits in 2016 after having moved to downtown Grand Rapids. I was convinced that people should sell their car and hire UBER for their transportation needs.
I don’t think I actually convinced anyone to do anything, but it did spark some debate about whether owning a car was the best move in today’s “sharing” economy.
Then in early 2018 I recapped our first full year using the service on a regular basis. We took more rides, spent a little more money, used UBER on multiple continents and still, I did not convince anyone to sell their car and use UBER for their transportation needs.
Lyft Enters Our Ride Share World
For us in 2018, Lyft entered the picture.
We had a few less than great experiences with UBER in Grand Rapids. A friend suggested we tried Lyft.
Our response was “Lyft is always more expensive…”
They replied with, “Are you sure? Or is that just what UBER drivers tell you when you’re in the car with them?”
So we downloaded the Lyft app and gave it a try.
We found that Lyft screens its drivers and cars better.
If UBER is like flying on United Airlines, Lyft is an upgrade to First Class for your flight.
How Many Rides Did You Take in 2018?
All in all in 2018 we took 133 rides and spent $1393.31.
That averages out to $10.48 per ride.
In addition to rides in our hometown of Grand Rapids, we took rides across the US while traveling and in addition, took rides in both Italy and Greece (though it turns out local taxis in Greece are still cheaper and more plentiful).
Why Report Back on All This?
Perhaps this year is the year I can convince some of you this might just be an idea worth exploring for you and your family.
Again, I know we live in Grand Rapids, a growing Midwestern city of a few hundred thousand people. We don’t live in Chicago or NYC or LA where commutes can be long and it might not make sense to pay $50 for a one way trip to work. But in Grand Rapids, what if the trip cost you $15 a day back and forth? In a working month that’s only $330 for all your commuting to work.
How much are you spending on gas again every month? How about your car payment? Car insurance? Tires in the summer? Snow tires in the winter? Maintenance (you have a good mechanic, right)?
Your Thoughts?
What are your thoughts on this topic? Would you ever consider selling a car and using ride share apps like UBER and Lyft for your transportation needs? Why or why not?
Leave a comment below and we might just send you a free ride! 😉