Lyft Says COO Lifted Confidential Docs Before Joining Rival Uber

Lyft moustache — A driver with the ridesharing service Lyft waits for a customer on a street in Santa Monica, California, Oct. 17, 2013. Lyft allows customers to book rides from a network of screened drivers, who pull up in cars with fluffy pink mustaches attached to the fenders. Payment is in the form of a donation, made via the Lyft smartphone app. Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

The war between the two biggest on-demand ride startups is now even more storied as Lyft is accusing former chief operating officer Travis VanderZanden of walking out the door with confidential company documents. In a lawsuit, Lyft claims VanderZanden snatched the files right before joining rival car service Uber.

VanderZanden initially came to Lyft through the acquisition of his on-demand car wash startup, Cherry. He left for Uber in August amidst reported tensions between Lyft founders John Zimmer and Logan Green. The company claims that a forensic analysis of his PC showed that he moved a "significant number of Lyft’s most sensitive documents" to his personal Dropbox account before leaving. Lyft says these documents included "historic and future financial information, strategic planning materials like marketing plans and product plans, customer lists and data, international growth documents, and private personnel information."

If the allegations are true, VanderZanden may be in breach of the confidentiality agreement he signed upon joining Lyft.

Lyft's full complaint is embedded below.

Lyft Sues Former COO

California Uber