But Lyft has an advantage the others don’t, says Lyft’s director of transportation policy Emily Castor – brand recognition. “We now have a very mature marketplace. Millions of people in the Bay Area have used our service. Millions of rides have happened through the platform and brand recognition as well as an install base of users who are familiar with our app,” Castor told TechCrunch. “We believe that will position us to be more successful.” Carpooling isn’t for everyone – some people really like the idea of getting a personal driver to themselves. But Green’s and Zimmer’s goals have been pretty clear from the start of their journey – provide efficient rides, cheaply.