Lincoln Debuts Uber-Like Service, But With Your Own Car The chauffeur program will launch in select cities.
By Lydia Belanger •
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Ever wanted to ride in your own car, but as a passenger? Lincoln will soon have your back -- if you own a Lincoln.
Ahead of the New York Auto Show, the luxury automaker announced that it's piloting a new service called Lincoln Chauffeur. Currently available only in Miami, it allows owners of Lincoln vehicles to hail drivers to chauffeur them around.
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Owners may not want to drive themselves for a number of reasons: They may want to avoid looking for parking or paying steep fees to leave their car at the airport during a trip. They may want their car returned to their home after their driver drops them off so someone else in their household can use it. They may even need a designated driver service and request that a Lincoln driver retrieve them and their car after an evening of drinking, according to Autoblog.
It's a solution for Lincoln owners who don't want to allow their high-end vehicle to sit in their garages when it's not convenient for them to drive -- and who don't want to settle for an unfashionable, inexclusive cab, Uber or Lyft.
A startup called Dryver already does this, by the way. Its slogan is, "We drive your car, so you don't have to."
The services Lincoln Chauffeur will provide won't be limited to driving, however. The drivers will also be on call to run errands for users, such as pumping gas, picking up kids and buying groceries. They may even become personal assistants over time, as satisfied users will be able to request the same driver repeatedly.
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San Diego Lincoln owners will get to try the service next, and other cities will follow later this year. New Lincoln buyers will get eight free hours of Lincoln Chauffeur, currently valued at $30 an hour.
For those nervous about trusting a stranger with their keys, Lincoln has said that it will thoroughly vet all of its drivers. And unlike other companies that provide rides on-demand, Lincoln's drivers will be employees, not independent contractors, providing an additional layer of liability for the company.
