To be fair, you are basically describing a taxi service or professional driving service, word for word. The friendly, talkative atmosphere is exactly what Lyft is marketing towards. In fact, a comment directly below yours talks about how great the atmosphere is for them and how it feels like a true ride sharing service between friends.
One couldn't even argue the ride sharing between friends when you actively don't want to communicate with your driver....
It may be an introvert thing, but I find this similar to how I vastly prefer the self-checkout machines at the supermarket. I don't really want to expend the finite emotional energy I have on being fake-social with people I don't even know while I'm making a business transaction.
Although apparently Lyft is now available where I live, it's never even had the inclination to try their service (as a passenger) because I find actually meeting new people and having open-ended conversations with them quite exhausting and stressful. At least with UberX I am assured we can just be polite to each other and not say much.
There's a Bible proverb somewhere that says, "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Sometimes it can seem like we only have a finite amount of emotional energy, but keep in mind the ways to refresh that store.
I have never taken an Uber ride, but maybe the reason why they are seen as #1 is that they are not trying to invent some new kind of relationship with riders. I did hear recently that Lyft was moving away from the fist-bump and mustache.
I think there's probably a middle ground between the ordering/app experience of one of these services, and the "I just want to sit in the back and ignore you" of a taxi. No taxi I've taken recently has enabled me to smoothly order and pay by app.
I'm not asocial, but sometimes I'd rather just get from A-to-B without fuss.
Oddly, I've found London taxis to be the best at this. They're usually able to keep up on a conversation about a variety of things - we once had a taxi driver explain to us all the nasty parts of the brewing process of Stella Artois - but they're quite happy to let you sit in the back and not talk if you want.
Taxi service on a good day. Lots of taxi drivers are more than happy to fill in any gaps of knowledge you may have on the political issues of the moment :-)
One couldn't even argue the ride sharing between friends when you actively don't want to communicate with your driver....