The San Francisco based ride-sharing company, Lyft is all set to make its way into New York City with its largest launch to date. Around 500 drivers will be available through mobile app in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn.

“The people of New York deserve more transportation options. Lyft provides greater access to a safe, affordable personal transit alternative that is built for New Yorkers, by New Yorkers”, Lyft mentioned in a recent blogpost.

As a two-week complimentary service, Lyft will be offering rides for free to all new passengers in New York City. These pink mustachioed cars with fares comparatively less than their counterparts are expected to hit the roads as early as on Friday, July 11. Hence, it comes as no surprise that this news should come days after Uber, its main competitor, declared a drop in its UberX service prices as both companies have been at loggerheads over their pricing strategies and have also incurred no revenues in certain areas.

This news has also been met with contempt by enraged cab drivers who held country-wide protests earlier this year claiming that these ridesharing companies are cashing in by encroaching upon their territories.

While Uber has already established itself in New York City, there are some major hurdles for Lyft to encounter, as it has not yet been covered by the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) and it may pose a barrier for its expansion into Manhattan. Lyft has already made its mark in 66 U.S cities and is striving to expand itself in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Colorado.