A researcher rode more than 5,000 miles with Uber and Lyft and discovered the biggest differences between the two ride-hailing giants.

Sure he did this for research. Looks like a way to write off his personal Uber bills as business expense...

This article is so poor. After 5000 miles, these are the findings?  And it admits I fo came from online forums. 

"Among most drivers I meet in person, and the countless number I've observed in online forums," writes Rosenblat, "there is a near-universal consensus that Lyft treats its drivers better than Uber."

And seriously, this is all anecdotal. No data  

Then there are the passengers themselves. 

"It's not uncommon for drivers to describe Uber passengers as higher class," writes Rosenblat, "but also as stuck up, and to say they prefer Lyft because the passengers are more friendly or engaging."

I’d be so pissed as an editor if my writer brought me this. There no way I’m signing that expense reimbursement request. 

I have read her book and in fact she was on our podcast with RSG it's a must-read by everybody about how algorithms are running the human race

If you went back 2-3 years, I would definitely have said Lyft was the nicer company.  They seemed to lend a caring ear to their drivers.  At one time, you always met with a mentor (whom Lyft paid) and also have a driving test and car inspection when you signed up.  That's how it was when I signed up even though I'd already been with Uber for a year.  But now that has changed (at least in our market)

But today, honestly, they're both fighting for survival and profits and other than the reality that Lyft is generally less costly to the passenger (at least I've found that to be true in my market area), otherwise they're pretty much identical IMO.  

I do believe you make a few more bucks driving for Uber, and you definitely have a much greater surge opportunity with Uber in my experience, although lately that seems to be much less.  perhaps too many drivers, perhaps a change in the algorythm.  

Not sure why Lyft is considered the "nicer" company. In my opinion, they both treat drivers pretty poorly. Lyft scammed me out of my sign up bonus too...