10/02/2018
Many of our Utah Private Car chauffeurs also drive for Uber and Lyft. It's a great way to earn keep our vehicles busy between scheduled rides, thus letting us reduce the prices of our scheduled rides. What's more, we recognize that when you need a ride right away, you'll want to just open your app and order an Uber or a Lyft.
So let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of Utah Private Car vs. Uber/Lyft:
To net it out, if you just need a short ride or a ride on short notice, we recommend ordering Uber SELECT or Lyft LUX if you only have a few passengers, or Uber SUV or Lyft LUX SUV if you have more than five passengers or bags or skis, or want the additional safety of an SUV with AWD.
If, however, you can schedule your ride in advance, and want a reliable, safe, convenient, luxury ride, then you can't beat the quality, reliability, privacy, luxury, and service of a Utah Private Car ride.
Here are the details:
First, the most obvious advantage of Uber/lyft is that you don't have to plan ahead. It's usually there when you need it - let's put the emphasis on "usually."
And that means that one of the biggest advantages of Utah Private Car over Uber/Lyft is that you can eliminate the unknowns. Utah Private Car will pick you up where you want to be picked up, at the time you schedule, by a fully-vetted executive chauffeur, in a well-maintained, safe, clean vehicle class of your choosing, for the pre-arranged fare. Neither Uber nor Lyft can say that.
Consider:
* You know what you'll pay in advance. You can avoid the last-minute surges and prime-time pricing that Uber and Lyft regularly impose on their fares. Uber told me that during Sundance 2017, one lucky driver was paid almost $2,000 by one unlucky rider who desperately needed a ride from Park City to the airport early on a Sunday morning. All of the commercial rides had been booked by those who planned ahead, leaving no other options available to the unfortunate rider who apparently didn't like the idea of waiting out the surge (which lasted over an hour, I was told).
* You can rely on Utah Private Car to have fully-vetted executive chauffeurs who are owner/operators and have passed fingerprint background checks as well as our owner's "Friendly and Good-hearted" screening. Our chauffeurs are NEVER unpleasant or unsafe - and if they ever are, even on one ride, just let us know by calling (435)200-3186 and that driver will never be assigned another ride for us.
* You tell us when you schedule your ride in advance where and when you want your private car to be waiting for you. With Uber/Lyft, the app tells YOU how long you have to wait for the driver to arrive. Big difference.
* Once you've booked your ride with Utah Private Car, you'll be assigned a driver who will monitor your flight and be at the door, usually within 5 to 7 minutes of when you get your bags and call the driver. Uber, on the other hand, might tell you that someone will be there in 7 minutes and it will then take them 10 minutes to arrive. Uber is notoriously "optimistic," to put it as generously as possible.
* With Utah Private Car, you know what you're getting: the safe, reliable vehicles and the more experienced, highly-rated professional drivers you ordered. With Uber / Lyft, you might get the same drivers. Or you might not. You might get as nice a vehicle. Or you might not. It all depends on who's closest to you or has been waiting the longest with Uber or Lyft.
* Our vehicles are designed for Utah, where unpredictable weather patterns and big families mean that SUVs with All-Wheel Drive provide the best combination of safety, reliability, and flexibility to meet your needs. We let you choose between a Mid-size SUV (like an Acura RDX), a Full-size SUV (like a Chevy Suburban), a Luxury SUV (like an Acura MDX), and a Full-size Luxury SUV (like a Cadillac Escalade ESV). With Uber you order an Uber SUV and it's like rolling the dice - you could get any of our last 3 vehicle classes, and you don't even have the option of ordering a Mid-size SUV if you only have one through four passengers and just want the safety of AWD without ordering the space you don't need.
* Nothing in Uber's terms and conditions guarantee your privacy. Your Uber driver can say anything he wants to anyone about you and your ride. On the other hand, "Private" is our middle name. Utah Private Car chauffeurs will never even share your name without your permission.
