# New Lyft Driver



## nj2bos (Mar 18, 2018)

Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.

1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?

2. If in the middle of a trip a passenger cancels the trip (or if I have to cancel it), do I get paid for the progress on the trip up until that point? Or do I earn nothing for the trip because it went through as "canceled"?

3. In my Lyft Driver app, I see "25-150% Prime Time" almost every time I open it up. Does this mean prime time for the exact area I'm in, or only the darker red areas on the map? The area I'm in is NOT red, but I see the prime time message. Do I have to drive to a red "surge" area to get it?

4. If I'm approved to drive in my state (Massachusetts), am I free to drive anywhere in the state for Lyft? When I signed up I chose Boston as my market, but is that the only area I can serve?

Thank you kindly!


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## Ruined Your Life (Mar 10, 2018)

Just quit...


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## nj2bos (Mar 18, 2018)

Does anyone here give actual advice? Getting old seeing 50% of the users say, "just don't do it", "don't rent", "Lyft sucks", "not worth it", etc. Stop b!tching and moaning and either help or get out.

Next.


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## Ruined Your Life (Mar 10, 2018)

By the time you figure all of this out you would have wished you would have never started...

I wish someone scared me out of starting before I ever began....my life would be much better if I never heard of Uber or Lyft

Your questions have been answered and reanswer 97 bazillion times so dont be lazy and use the search function ant



nj2bos said:


> Does anyone here give actual advice? Getting old seeing 50% of the users say, "just don't do it", "don't rent", etc. Stop *****ing and moaning and either help or gtfo.
> 
> Next.


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## nj2bos (Mar 18, 2018)

Ruined Your Life said:


> By the time you figure all of this out you would have wished you would have never started...
> 
> I wish someone scared me out of starting before I ever began....my life would be much better if I never heard of Uber or Lyft
> 
> Your questions have been answered and reanswer 97 bazillion times so dont be lazy and use the search function ant


That's your unfortunate experience. There are many people on here and who use Uber/Lyft who have had great experiences as a driver. Each situation is unique. If you don't like the service, don't use it. Stop going on forums and telling people not to use the service because your particular experience has been trash. On that point, if you dislike Uber and Lyft, why are you even here on these boards daily? Move on with life kid.

Anyway, if anyone here has actual helpful information it would be appreciated.


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## Ruined Your Life (Mar 10, 2018)

Typical new ant...

Every single driver goes through all the stages until they want to see every pax die a painful death...

I started out all bright eyed and bushy tailed like you and turned into a hateful SOB

You will follow this course as well....

Wait til you get deactivated at the beginning of the weekend because some asshole made a false claim.....or pax wipe boogers or stick gum under your seats.....10,000 door slams.....god damn aux cords.......GOD DAMN FAST FOOD STOPS.... YOU WILL WANT TO GOD DAMN SLASH THEIR GOD DAMN THROATS ON THE SPOT



nj2bos said:


> That's your unfortunate experience. There are many people on here and who use Uber/Lyft who have had great experiences as a driver. Each situation is unique. If you don't like the service, don't use it. Stop going on forums and telling people not to use the service because your particular experience has been trash. On that point, if you dislike Uber and Lyft, why are you even here on these boards daily? Move on with life kid.
> 
> Anyway, if anyone here has actual helpful information it would be appreciated.


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

nj2bos said:


> Does anyone here give actual advice? Getting old seeing 50% of the users say, "just don't do it", "don't rent", "Lyft sucks", "not worth it", etc. Stop b!tching and moaning and either help or gtfo.
> 
> Next.


You shouldn't rent because as its similar to being an indentured servant... rates are really low across the nation making it hard to turn a profit.. hence people saying don't do it..lyft is notorious for sending rises with 30 minute pick ups that go 3 miles, giving the driver less than $5.

.. I'm sure you already knew all this though


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## EpicSwoleness (Jun 21, 2017)

nj2bos said:


> Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.
> 
> 1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?
> 
> ...


1. Mark trip completed, and send Lyft an explanation when you get a chance
2. Yes, you get paid up to that point
3. You have to be in the "prime time" area to get the prime time payout, but don't "chase" it because by the time you get there, the premium pricing will be gone because the area will be saturated with drivers
4. State laws may vary, but I personally can drive anywhere in NC (for example, I get occasional trips to Durham and Raleigh from Greensboro)


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## Pulledclear (Oct 31, 2017)

1. Plead with him to get back in the car. If he refuses stay with him until a family member arrives to safely get him home.

2. A. Just continue taking the passenger to the destination. Upon arrival thank him profusely for using the service and ask if there is anything else you can do for him.

B. Lyft will pay you the full fair no questions asked.

3. All surges are real! Drive as fast as humanly possible to those areas to receive the premium fare.

4. You can drive anywhere anytime. The municipalties love it!

Good luck. You sound like you will make an excellent driver!


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

Pulledclear said:


> 1. Plead with him to get back in the car. If he refuses stay with him until a family member arrives to safely get him home.
> 
> 2. A. Just continue taking the passenger to the destination. Upon arrival thank him profusely for using the service and ask if there is anything else you can do for him.
> 
> ...


Troll level...try hard


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## AuxCordBoston (Dec 3, 2016)

nj2bos said:


> Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.
> 
> 1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?
> 
> ...


1. You can cancel on Lyft anytime. On Uber you can only end the ride.

2. If pax cancels during trip you stop the car, ask pax to leave, and email support requesting payment.

3. The prime time is based off where the rider is when requesting the ride. Not where you are.

4. If you are approved for MA you can drive anywhere in MA.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

OP,

Some of us do this job because we HAVE to.

And coming here to vent is the healthiest alternative available.

Take a few minutes, use the search function, and you will find that your questions have answers that have been previously answered many times over. 

For future reference:

* You will get 1 starred "for no good reason" some time in the near future.

* Uber and Lyft both take more than 25%.

* Surges disappear when you drive into them.

* Lyft gives you ride requests 15-20 minutes away, frequently.

* On average, customers do not tip, no matter how nice you are or how much you deserve it.


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## Pulledclear (Oct 31, 2017)

Juggalo9er said:


> Troll level...try hard


Heh?


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## soundude (Mar 26, 2018)

Mista T said:


> OP,
> 
> * On average, customers do not tip, no matter how nice you are or how much you deserve it.


To be clear, Taxi drivers get tipped 90% of the time, usually more than $5. Lyft Drivers get tipped 5-10% of the time, usually less than $5.

If you wait tables and I take you to work and I don't get a tip? You better hope you don't get me as a customer.


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## Julescase (Mar 29, 2017)

soundude said:


> To be clear, Taxi drivers get tipped 90% of the time, usually more than $5. Lyft Drivers get tipped 5-10% of the time, usually less than $5.
> 
> If you wait tables and I take you to work and I don't get a tip? You better hope you don't get me as a customer.


I'm going to make a note of the destination of the most recent 5-6 rides I've given servers or bartenders going to work (and of course not gotten tipped on). Then, I'm going to get together with a few other drivers on this site and we're going to go out for a drink at every single restaurant I've noted and I'll make sure we sit in my paxs' sections at each venue.

I look forward to receiving the bills and in the "Tip" line writing "*****" as in "5 star service!" and leaving absolutely NO TIPS for any non-tipping pax. My heart is racing with excitement just thinking about how much I'm going to love this. Too cheap to tip me, ****? Well, right back at ya, beeeeyotch!


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## gabesdaddee (Dec 4, 2017)

Ruined Your Life said:


> Just quit...


+1


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## DrivingForYou (Aug 6, 2017)

nj2bos said:


> Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.
> 
> 1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?
> 
> ...


1) end the trip, I. E. drop them off, and proceed to your next ride. Did this actually happen?

2) you get paid up to that point. Make sure you stop safely a day eject that passenger immediately

3) that's the range in your area, darker squares mean higher PT. Unfortunately they don't indicate the true amount in the red areas like Uber does.

4) varies by state and area. For instance I'm in California and can drive anywhere in California. If you dive in Nevada, you can drive most places but some like Vegas require additional licenses. In mass, probably anywhere but some cities may have restrictions.


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## Brunch (Nov 4, 2016)

Julescase said:


> I'm going to make a note of the destination of the most recent 5-6 rides I've given servers or bartenders going to work (and of course not gotten tipped on). Then, I'm going to get together with a few other drivers on this site and we're going to go out for a drink at every single restaurant I've noted and I'll make sure we sit in my paxs' sections at each venue.
> 
> I look forward to receiving the bills and in the "Tip" line writing "*****" as in "5 star service!" and leaving absolutely NO TIPS for any non-tipping pax. My heart is racing with excitement just thinking about how much I'm going to love this. Too cheap to tip me, ****? Well, right back at ya, beeeeyotch!


Seems kind of creepy to me... Instead, just give the passenger 3 or less stars and you'll never see them again.


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## luvgurl22 (Jul 5, 2016)

nj2bos said:


> Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.
> 
> 1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?
> 
> ...


End the trip (leave a comment in the comment box in case any "issues" or "accusations" arise later on).Yes.You get payed for the duration of the ride.Pink areas on heat map indicate prime time zones (NEVER chase the surge/prime time).You must inform Lyft & wait for approval to drive in areas that are different from your initial signup zone.


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

luvgurl22 said:


> End the trip (leave a comment in the comment box in case any "issues" or "accusations" arise later on).Yes.You get payed for the duration of the ride.Pink areas on heat map indicate prime time zones (NEVER chase the surge/prime time).You must inform Lyft & wait for approval to drive in areas that are different from your initial signup zone.[/QUOTE
> 
> Lyft let's you leave your area and state for the most part


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## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

Julescase said:


> I'm going to make a note of the destination of the most recent 5-6 rides I've given servers or bartenders going to work (and of course not gotten tipped on). Then, I'm going to get together with a few other drivers on this site and we're going to go out for a drink at every single restaurant I've noted and I'll make sure we sit in my paxs' sections at each venue.
> 
> I look forward to receiving the bills and in the "Tip" line writing "*****" as in "5 star service!" and leaving absolutely NO TIPS for any non-tipping pax. My heart is racing with excitement just thinking about how much I'm going to love this. Too cheap to tip me, ****? Well, right back at ya, beeeeyotch!


We had a guy in D.C. that did this very thing. His name is kupalka .slSearch his posts for the story. It's hilarious


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## JJS (Jan 5, 2016)

1. NO
2. NO
3. Great, The darker the pink the better the Prime. The trick is not taking pings with no prime. Lyft will charge the rider but if you are stupid enough to take the initial offer they win. you lose. Patience grasshopper. Impulse control is the utmost of importance. 
4. Depends. In each market the minucipalities all have different rules drive where you are authorized. If you want more areas you will get used to sitting in Government offices filling out paperwork and paying lots of fees and taxes. More filiing of taxes for quartrly. 

Alot of the posters here are tyring to convey advice 96% of the drivers quit in less than 1 year. I have been doing it for 3 years and it is not for the faint of heart. You are not driving you are gambling at a casino. You are also negotiating contracts every time a ping comes in. be picky. I am and feel little to no pressure from Lyft to take their sh!tty pings. Good Luck Kid!


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

luvgurl22 said:


> You must inform Lyft & wait for approval to drive in areas that are different from your initial signup zone.


False.

Unless it's an area with enforced taxi/limo licensing (NYC), with the exception of major airports that muscle in with their own rules, regulations, and qualifications (LAX quiz and placard, SeaTac minimum MPG to pick up, etc.), Lyft lets you go anywhere it is available.

Do note there's maximum fares on Lyft, so if somebody tries to get you to drive more than 200 miles, check with a passenger app to see if it'll actually pay or just max out


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

nj2bos said:


> Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.
> 
> 1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?
> 
> ...


_______________________

Don't listen to anything that Pulledclear recommends.

1 -- this paxs has survived for years without your help. Cancel the ride and leave him behind. You are not a babysitter. Make certain that when you rate the paxs, you put a detailed explanation of all problems, actions , etc. and I make a personal note of paxs name, day , time and location.

2 --- Yes, you will be paid for the time the paxs was in the car

3 ---- Prime Time is the pinked area only. Outside the pick area is regular rate. Don't chase. You will only waste gas but note the day and time and watch for repeats and next day be in that area, if possible.

4 ----- You may drive anywhere in the state that you are approved for. Each state has its' own standards to drive. You must get the background check , vehicle registration and drivers license for each state that you drive in. That is for pickups. You can pickup in your state and drop off in another state BUT you cannot pickup in the drop off state unless you are approved for that state. Example: you can pickup in Boston and drop off in New York City but you cannot pickup anywhere in N.Y. state .

Story for #1 -- New driver - first night -- female - picks up two men. She thought they were drunk. They passed out in her car, she could not get them out at the destination. She had to call the police , who called the paramedics. They had O.D. and almost died. Needless to say -- she stopped driving at nights.

Welcome New Driver - don't let em' get to ya !!!!! We are outnumbered but smarter than they are.


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

EpicSwoleness said:


> 1. Mark trip completed, and send Lyft an explanation when you get a chance
> 2. Yes, you get paid up to that point
> 3. You have to be in the "prime time" area to get the prime time payout, but don't "chase" it because by the time you get there, the premium pricing will be gone because the area will be saturated with drivers
> 4. State laws may vary, but I personally can drive anywhere in NC (for example, I get occasional trips to Durham and Raleigh from Greensboro)


Pretty much spot on but its unusual for this to happen, and my experience would suspect it may be a rider who got in realized he got in the wrong car and you had the wrong rider.

The cancelation might be from the rider you were supposed to pick up


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## Seattle_Wayne (Feb 1, 2018)

nj2bos said:


> Got a couple simple questions as a new driver that hopefully some of you can answer.. couldn't find direct answers on Lyft's site unfortunately.
> 
> 1. If in the middle of a ride, what do I do if a passenger suddenly gets up and leaves the car (i.e. some drunk guy gets out at a red light and walks away)? Do I cancel the trip?


Continue to the destination, and complete the ride. Pax or not. Get paid.


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

Seattle_Wayne said:


> Continue to the destination, and complete the ride. Pax or not. Get paid.


LOL !!! You forgot to add, and hope you do not get caught .


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