New Lyft feature lets riders select drivers they want to hire again as a favorite

Ride-sharing app Lyft on Thursday introduced a new feature that lets riders “favorite” drivers and choose to ride with them when they are available. 

The move comes a day after Lyft competitor Uber launched a service that lets female passengers choose drivers who are women. Uber plans to pilot the program next week in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit. Lyft offers a similar feature, called Women+ Connect. 

Here’s how Lyft’s latest service works. Riders who enjoyed their Lyft experience with a particular driver can mark them as a “favorite” in the app so that the company can try to match them with the same driver for future rides. 

“After any great ride, just tap to favorite that driver. Then, for your future scheduled rides, we’ll prioritize connecting you with your favorites whenever possible,” Lyft says in a statement about the new feature. 

Lyft said the new feature furthers the company’s goal of fostering human connection, as a means through which drivers and riders can form meaningful relationships. It also gives riders more control over their experience, if they know they’ll be paired with a driver who understands their preferences regarding temperature, conversation and other options. 

There are benefits to drivers, too, Lyft said. The function gives “favorite” drivers priority access to certain customers who request rides. “This is another step towards providing additional earnings opportunities and building lasting relationships with riders,” the company said in a statement.

Lyft said its rolling out the new feature in the coming weeks, and that it will be widely available in the U.S. and Canada by the end of August.