Uber May Be Sabotaging Lyft
Image: Silicon Beat
It’s been less than a month since ride share service, Lyft, debuted in New York City, following a good bit of drama involving both the city and the state. But otherwise, things have been running (kind of) smoothly—or so we thought. According to a new report, Lyft drivers may be getting sabotaged by none other than local rival Uber.
The allegations come via The Verge, which reported today that Uber has been using so-called “brand ambassadors” equipped with burner phones to use the Lyft app and then when their driver arrives, the ambassadors take to actively recruiting the drivers, stealing them away from not only Lyft but other ride share services in the city. Apparently the tactic, called Operation SLOG, has led to canceled rides numbering in the thousands.
According to The Verge, the seedy practice began this summer in New York City with the failed and then successful launch of Lyft. Brand ambassadors, who are usually commissioned to recruit potential riders not only began recruiting drivers and canceling rides, but also undertook plenty of spying for their employer, tracking down information on Lyft’s launch plans. Since late July, the practice has been spreading to other major cities with large Uber user populations.
There’s tons of evidence to support the claims and Uber is looking uglier and uglier by the minute. Meanwhile, Lyft is keeping very hush-hush about the recent revelations and letting the evidence speak for itself. For more details and a look at some particularly damning documents check out Verge’s story and think of simpler times when no one wanted to drive us home to Brooklyn.
Follow Nikita Richardson on Twitter @nikitarbk
