Lyft is driving into the countryside in an effort to raise ridership and steal market share from rival Uber.

Lyft says it is offering service to passengers in every corner of 32 U.S. states, including hard-to-reach rural areas. The move boosts the number of states with full coverage to 40.

The much larger Uber now controls about 70 percent of the U.S. ride-hailing market. Uber says it has near-statewide coverage in nine states and it doubts whether Lyft can give timely rides in remote areas.

For Lyft, the expansion is a bold move into unserved areas and a gamble that it can create new markets in rural areas.

Lyft says the expansion began Thursday, giving it the biggest U.S. coverage area and service to more people than any competitor.

(AP)