SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- Though much ballyhooed last week and today, Sioux Falls is not the only city in the state with the Lyft rideshare service--or soon will have it.
Lyft.com lists a number of South Dakot cities with the service, including Brookings, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and "Arberdeen," which is, presumably, Aberdeen.
KELO.com News conducted an experiment on Lyft.com following the City of Sioux Falls' announcment today that the service was operational and after Mayor Mike Huether's and City Councilor Christine Erickson's maiden ride in a Lyft over the noon hour.
KELO.com News unsuccessfully booked a ride from a residential address in Brookings to Nick's Hamburger Shop in downtown Brookings. KELO.com News was also unsuccessful in booking a ride from the Capitol in Pierre to the state Kneip Building up the hill from the Capitol. The website offered either a four passenger car or six passenger van--and a price of $6.15 to go to Nick's in Brookings or $4.85 to go to the Kneip Building in Pierre.
However, both searches were unable to find drivers in either Pierre or Brookings for the ersatz trips.
For a trip from the KELO.com News Center at 500 S. Phillips to the Sioux Falls Regional Airport at 2:35 p.m. today, Lyft said the services was "100% busy" and that there would be a 100 percent surcharge for the trip. Upon trying to nonetheless book the trip, the website said there was "low connectivity." Then the site said "Failed to Fetch" after several further attempts to book a ride.
Thus, no Lyft to the airport from downtown, at least today, anyway.
So, perhaps a word to the wise--have a taxi Plan B--at least for the time being--if you need to go someplace in Sioux Falls or one of the state's other major cities.