Are ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft costing you so much you’d want to give it up? But then, you simply can’t since it’s difficult to find ridesharing platforms as top-of-the-line and convenient as those two?
Well, apparently, now, you can. A small-time ridesharing app is making viral waves in Los Angeles, claiming to offer fees significantly lower than those that Uber and Lyft have. Mind you, the base rate of rides is only $2.50. Plus, there are no additional small charges for some transfers. Crazy!
As for the name, it still needs some work because it isn’t as catchy and recognizable as Uber and Lyft, but they’re on their way to that. It’s known as Metro Micro. Yes, the Ridesharing Forum team gets you. It isn’t a bad name at all.
Introduced over four years ago as part of a makeover of the bus network of Metro but only hitting the popular roads now, Metro Micro is an on-demand shared ride service – alright, ridesharing, yes – for short trips within designated service zones across Los Angeles County.
“The Best-Kept Secret in L.A. Transit? L.A. might have launched the cheapest rideshare in the city—but barely anyone is talking about it. (emojis) Metro Micro, a city-funded alternative to Uber, lets you book on-demand rides for just $2.50, and it just got a new update to make pickups even faster,” stated on the Instagram account of @thelamission.
Over time, the program has triumphantly expanded, with services currently available in the following eight zones:
- Watts/Compton
- LAX/Inglewood
- North Hollywood/Burbank
- El Monte
- Highland Park/Eagle Rock/Glendale
- Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre
- Northwest San Fernando Valley
- UCLA/Westwood/VA Medical Center
Don’t be frustrated if Metro Micro does not accept cash payments, but there are two ways to pay. First, you can pre-pay using a credit card in the app. Second, you can pay on board with TAP. Otherwise, the app will remind passengers or travelers using TAP that every rider must have their own card.
There’s still a long way to go, though, before this app is known like Uber and Lyft in Los Angeles, the United States, and beyond. For one, few riders have rated its services, and the reviews are quite filled with low stars.
“The craziest part? Almost no one has reviewed it. The app update rolled out, yet it sits at only 16 reviews and a 1.9-star rating. That means most people in L.A. have no idea this even exists—let alone that they could be using it instead of paying for Uber or Lyft,” @thelamission continued. “Could this be L.A.’s best-kept transit secret or is there a reason nobody is using it?”
Would you be willing to ditch Uber and Lyft for Metro Micro? Well, others are on the verge of doing so. Over on the Instagram post’s comments section, people are saying how it is even cheaper than a bus and asking how to apply for a ride. All is well, Metro Micro, all is well.