Lyft to allow drivers to pay, reserve parking in advance

SAN FRANCISCO: Uber's rival ride-hailing company Lyft has announced that it will now allow drivers to pay and reserve parking in advance.

According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the firm said it partnered with Chicago-based parking company "SpotHero" to give Lyft customers the option of searching, reserving, and paying for parking spots in advance using the Lyft app.

Customers are allowed to reserve parking spaces at any time of the day, according to the Lyft website. The company-side pricing will be determined by a person's entry and exit time, the report added.

The company said that it will offer the service in "select locations," including San Francisco.

To see the availability of parking in their area, users need to tap on the "steering wheel icon" on the Lyft app, the report said.

However, to book a parking spot, customers will need to add their license plate number and other details of the car, it added.

By tapping on the parking icon, it will show the locations of various spots on a map, including the closest one. From there users just need to hit the "Reserve Now" button, and then users can see the final price before they tap "Reserve and Pay".

And finally, it shows the details, including the car's license plate, facility info and more.