The ride-hailing service Lyft is experimenting with a new pricing model for its drivers, which the company hopes will help it increase its revenue and get more customers.
Lyft is testing new pricing models for its Uber drivers, but it will still charge a base rate of $5 for each ride that goes through its platform.
For its UberX, Lyft is also offering an hourly rate of less than $2 for a trip, and the company has already seen a surge in rides for those drivers.
The new pricing is intended to make it easier for drivers to make ends meet, said John Burke, Lyft’s chief executive.
In an email, Uber spokeswoman Lisa Graves said Lyft’s “pricing is for the safety and wellbeing of our riders and drivers, and is not meant to encourage drivers to earn more money from rides.
Lyft is committed to providing rides for people who need them and to providing them in an affordable manner.”
The changes are designed to attract more drivers to Lyft, which is also expanding its fleet of autonomous vehicles.
Uber is in a tight race with Lyft for riders and business drivers.
According to a recent survey, Lyft has 2.4 million drivers and an average of more than 1,000 per trip.
Uber is on track to have a similar figure, with more than 8 million riders and about 1,600 per trip, according to the survey.
But Uber is also facing competition from Lyft.
Lyft said this month it plans to launch its own self-driving vehicle.
