Lyft Expands to Newport this Weekend

Lyft is expanding to Newport this weekend.

And the word on the street is free rides are part of the offering, too.

Though there has been no formal announcement yet, the company has expanded its coverage area in Rhode Island and is designating Newport as a hotspot, which means customers of the popular rideshare service will have short wait times and easy access to most of coastal Rhode Island from anywhere in the City-by-the-Sea.

Lyft launched in March in the Providence area and bills itself as a laid back and fun alternative to Uber, which launched services in Newport last weekend.

The company markets the idea of rides from "your friend with a car" and that might ring true when your Lyft ride rolls up with its trademark furry pink mustache on the grill. 

Lyft prices are based on a combination of time and distance. There's a minimum $5 charge, a $1 trust and safety fee and rides cost $2.07 per mile with a .23 cent per mile charge.

The smartphone Lyft app can help you calculate an estimated ride price.

Brandon Dugan, a Lyft driver, has been working out of Providence but he's a Newporter and he said he's thrilled to be able to offer the service in his home city.

"I'm super excited for it to be available in Newport this summer," he said.

Dugan said Lyft prices are typically lower than Uber.

"Most of my younger passengers in their 20's say they prefer to use Lyft over Uber since they feel safer," he said. "We greet passengers with fistbumps and encourage solo passengers to sit in the front seat."