# Lyft rejected my application until..



## BrentX (Mar 31, 2016)

So when I got my car in January I immediately wanted to do rideshare for the extra income. I started off applying for lyft because I heard of uber's shady business practices. Long story short, I got the mentor session and was immediately denied as soon as I drove off. I emailed support and they told me they can't let me know why I was denied so I dropped it and just went with uber (ugh.) I hate uber now because it's just getting worse and worse for drivers so I decided to email lyft just yesterday letting them know my mentor sucked and we didn't even do a test drive. Mind you, my car was brand new at the time. So lyft responded saying they would be happy to take a second look at my app, since I stated that I drive for another service. Apparently the grade-a stuck up ***** I had for a mentor said I had lint on my seats and my car smelled like smoke. My seats are leather. My car smelled like new car. 

Anyway after next month I'll be moving and I'll be done with ridesharing but I thought this was funny


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## LEAFdriver (Dec 28, 2014)

BrentX said:


> So when I got my car in January I immediately wanted to do rideshare for the extra income. I started off applying for lyft because I heard of uber's shady business practices. Long story short, I got the mentor session and was immediately denied as soon as I drove off. I emailed support and they told me they can't let me know why I was denied so I dropped it and just went with uber (ugh.) I hate uber now because it's just getting worse and worse for drivers so I decided to email lyft just yesterday letting them know my mentor sucked and we didn't even do a test drive. Mind you, my car was brand new at the time. So lyft responded saying they would be happy to take a second look at my app, since I stated that I drive for another service. Apparently the grade-a stuck up ***** I had for a mentor said I had lint on my seats and my car smelled like smoke. My seats are leather. My car smelled like new car.
> 
> Anyway after next month I'll be moving and I'll be done with ridesharing but I thought this was funny


I wonder if these Lyft Mentors just don't want the competition? Same thing happened to me when I applied. If I had the power to determine if there are more new drivers in my area....I'd give them all thumbs down too. 

I am now a Lyft driver.....but have only done 9 rides on the Lyft platform since they are not active in my area and I have to drive 10 miles south to be able to pick up pax.


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## BrentX (Mar 31, 2016)

LEAFdriver said:


> I wonder if these Lyft Mentors just don't want the competition? Same thing happened to me when I applied. If I had the power to determine if there are more new drivers in my area....I'd give them all thumbs down too.
> 
> I am now a Lyft driver.....but have only done 9 rides on the Lyft platform since they are not active in my area and I have to drive 10 miles south to be able to pick up pax.


I think that's the case. Either that or they take their 'jobs' far too seriously. She even greeted me with the fist bump, and I remember thinking "wow, you're at least 45. Stop." Lol

Wow @ the 10 miles for a pickup though, that's ridiculous


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## LEAFdriver (Dec 28, 2014)

BrentX said:


> Wow @ the 10 miles for a pickup though, that's ridiculous


Yeah...I don't get it either. Seems like Lyft copies everything Uber does...and for some reason, they have DIFFERENT boundaries for the Chicago area than Uber does. I've emailed Lyft asking if they are going to expand their boundaries....and just got a non-answer....just like I'm used to from Uber. LOL


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## haveus33nm3 (May 5, 2016)

BrentX said:


> I think that's the case. Either that or they take their 'jobs' far too seriously. She even greeted me with the fist bump, and I remember thinking "wow, you're at least 45. Stop." Lol
> 
> Wow @ the 10 miles for a pickup though, that's ridiculous


Wait, did we have the same mentor lady? Heavy set with a black SUV? I thought the same damn thing...how old are we?!


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## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

I don't think a mentor would decline you on purpose because from what I've gathered they only get paid if you get approved . I believe it's $40 each one , the guys who I've talked to that are mentors say the majority of their income now comes from doing Mentor sessions


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## BrentX (Mar 31, 2016)

haveus33nm3 said:


> Wait, did we have the same mentor lady? Heavy set with a black SUV? I thought the same damn thing...how old are we?!


Lmao yes on the heavy set but she drove a Prius


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## Flarpy (Apr 17, 2016)

Jimmy Bernat said:


> I don't think a mentor would decline you on purpose because from what I've gathered they only get paid if you get approved . I believe it's $40 each one , the guys who I've talked to that are mentors say the majority of their income now comes from doing Mentor sessions


 They get paid whether or not the "mentee" is approved.


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## Volvonaut (May 1, 2016)

Jimmy Bernat said:


> from what I've gathered they only get paid if you get approved .


You're maybe confusing the fact they only get paid if you show up. Think for a second what kind of vetting process it would be if their income depended on saying yes.


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## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

Volvonaut said:


> You're maybe confusing the fact they only get paid if you show up. Think for a second what kind of vetting process it would be if their income depended on saying yes.


Ya know what I think you're right , my mistake . Makes sense


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

Mentors are paid $35 for each completed session, pass or fail. Failing everyone because of competition is very rare, there are several metrics mentors are tracked on and any suspicion of dishonesty is addressed immediately with removal from program.


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## Tazer (Sep 13, 2016)

As a Lyft Mentor I want to add to this thread. I have done a lot of Mentor Sessions. I have also had a lot of Mentor Sessions cancelled even after they have been confirmed and the driver never shows up. The process is quite simple and not really subjective unless you consider the sniff test to be subjective. If the paperwork is all in order - DL, Registration, Insurance, and Plate/Tags and the vehicle inspection passes then there is no question about basics. I always do a driver test. I give the prospective driver one of two locations within 5 minutes of my house. One location is quite easy for someone who never has driven for a service before - the local Publix grocery. The other location is within 5 minutes of my house but more difficult to find using a GPS because almost ALL of the GPS apps give you a bad turn in front of the location from which there is nowhere to enter the business location but I always WARN the driver of the anomaly and see if they can figure it out. I will fail a driver only if they violate speed limits more than 3 times after I have warned them or break any other laws for which if I was a police officer I would write them a ticket. Even if you fail the designated GPS destination drive I don't fail the driver, just educate them on WHY you don't depend on GPS navigation 100%. One driver today didn't know his brake lights were nonop but his third light was. I dinged the inspection but stated the driver was taking the car to his dealer ASAP and will have it fixed but otherwise was an excellent candidate.

Our area only pays $20 for a Mentor Session. Usually they take 25-30 minutes. There is no reason I can think of to NOGO a driver. Many of the calls I get in my location are for 15-30 minutes away because there are not enough drivers. There is plenty to go around.

As a retired Captain/EMT in the Fire Service, and a driving instructor for the fire department I feel it is my responsibility for the driver/pax that the vehicle/driver on the road is going to be safe. My phone number is always available for my Mentees to call me even after they get approved. The phone number remains a constant Trulio spoofed number but I am always available. I go over the child seat/booster chair requirements, the under-aged passenger rules, and practicalities, and answer many questions about driving for Lyft.

Not all Mentors are a bad lot!


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## Flarpy (Apr 17, 2016)

Tazer said:


> As a Lyft Mentor I want to add to this thread. I have done a lot of Mentor Sessions. I have also had a lot of Mentor Sessions cancelled even after they have been confirmed and the driver never shows up. The process is quite simple and not really subjective unless you consider the sniff test to be subjective. If the paperwork is all in order - DL, Registration, Insurance, and Plate/Tags and the vehicle inspection passes then there is no question about basics. I always do a driver test. I give the prospective driver one of two locations within 5 minutes of my house. One location is quite easy for someone who never has driven for a service before - the local Publix grocery. The other location is within 5 minutes of my house but more difficult to find using a GPS because almost ALL of the GPS apps give you a bad turn in front of the location from which there is nowhere to enter the business location but I always WARN the driver of the anomaly and see if they can figure it out. I will fail a driver only if they violate speed limits more than 3 times after I have warned them or break any other laws for which if I was a police officer I would write them a ticket. Even if you fail the designated GPS destination drive I don't fail the driver, just educate them on WHY you don't depend on GPS navigation 100%. One driver today didn't know his brake lights were nonop but his third light was. I dinged the inspection but stated the driver was taking the car to his dealer ASAP and will have it fixed but otherwise was an excellent candidate.
> 
> Our area only pays $20 for a Mentor Session. Usually they take 25-30 minutes. There is no reason I can think of to NOGO a driver. Many of the calls I get in my location are for 15-30 minutes away because there are not enough drivers. There is plenty to go around.
> 
> ...


Thank you for sharing your experiences. It's interesting to hear from a mentor to see what it's like from the other side.


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## xpcordell (Jul 10, 2016)

When I applied for Lyft, I was set up with a mentor session. I arrived at the location and the lady there had my vehicle inspected. I passed. Then a few others and I were taken inside and handed a small pamphlet and she read each page to us. It was pretty much instructions on how to handle the app. That was all. No test drive. Was there supposed to be one? Or does it change based on location?


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