# Getting Killed on Lyft acceptance rate



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

i drive on the Jersey Shore, for the most part it is where I live. I have noticed a huge difference between Uber and Lyft, and I am becoming extremely frustrated with Lyft. The most Uber has sent me to pick up a PAX is 14 minutes. Although I dont like that, sometimes you have to just bite the bullet.

Lyft on the other hand, is continuously pinging me to drive 20, 25, and as much as 30 minutes away. I just won't do it. I am at the point of kick me off the system, but I refuse to travel that far for what potentially is a 7 fare, and to take me so far from an area that I am working. 

Personally, I don't think Lyft gives a shit, and just says, there are new drivers arriving everyday. This may be a part time gig for me, but I do it as professionally as I can. I maintain a rating of 4.95 stars, and my rider comments are always extremely positive. I keep my car clean and in good condition, I offer several amenities and generally provide a positive experience.

But I cant justify the mileage and expense to go so far out of the way, where as in most situations, after I decline the far trip, I typically will pick up a trip that is within 3-6 minutes away. I drive for both Lyft and Uber.

I am at the point of going offline now, just to see where the other cars are. If I see that I am one of the only cars in an area that I am thinking I will get pinged to go, I just shut it off and stay with Uber.

Now the other issue I have with it is. Here on the jersey shore, they pay a driver 1.70 a mile. Outside of the Jersey shore, they drop the rate to .86 cents. The imaginary line to cross is the Garden State Parkway. Because of that, nobody wants to drive on the other side of the highway and as they are expanding, I am getting pinged to cross that imaginary line more and more, and farther out. In addition, sometimes there are other cars in better position than me. 

OK, rant over... But extremely frustrated and dont know what to do about it.


----------



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

I am trying to screen shot all these requests when they come in, and i keep sending complaints to lyft support, but amazingly enough, nobody wants to answer them... Geeeee, I wonder why..


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

I want you to try this... I have been doing this lately and it has been working with no problem. Whenever you get a request that is too far away. Have a generic text ready or already in your saved quick messages like I do. I have one that I send out when I am at the location to pickup a PAX. "Hi this is Dan from Lyft, I just wanted to let you know that I'm here"

If I ever get a long ping. I use, "Hello this is Dan from Lyft, are you willing to cancel the trip for me. It's too far out of my range for pickup. Thank You and sorry for the inconvenience" I do this all the time for anything 15min or more. Just make sure to turn yourself off driver mode for a couple of minutes. Because you might get that same person again.

This weekend I got a request when I was in East Boston but was already heading back to Boston through the tunnel. I was not going back to Eastie... She cancel no problem, I think most people will cancel.

I hope this


----------



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

Hi Dan,

Maybe I need to see if there is a new version of the App, but my only contact option is to call the PAX. Do you have the ability to text the PAX on your platform?


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> Maybe I need to see if there is a new version of the App, but my only contact option is to call the PAX. Do you have the ability to text the PAX on your platform?


I found out that when I got a text from the PAX it's always to the same number. So that number sends a text to the PAX that you are currently on. Check your phone and see if it's the same number that you received a text from two different PAX's on. I also used that same number to call my PAX and it alerts me "PAX Lyft" when I get a incoming call. Since I have that number saved to my contacts. I made the little logo of Lyft for my contact. pic.


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

Sharkb8 said:


> You have to do this (call or text the requester), to balance profitable rides & maintain a high acceptance rate. Lyft won't resolve this problem or the other serious issue Lyft & Uber has of minors using the app. It's out of control!


I don't really care about my acceptance rate too much but when I'm doing the weekend guarantee I need to keep it up. I was at 97% this past weekend. It's also my work ethics. If I get 2 different long request that I say no too. I will most likely say yes to the third, if its reasonable 15-18 minutes away. I know all of you would say HECK NO!!!!. But that's me... only for Lyft. HECK NO FOR UBER


----------



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

Dan The Lyft Man said:


> I found out that when I got a text from the PAX it's always to the same number. So that number sends a text to the PAX that you are currently on. Check your phone and see if it's the same number that you received a text from two different PAX's on. I also used that same number to call my PAX and it alerts me "PAX Lyft" when I get a incoming call. Since I have that number saved to my contacts. I made the little logo of Lyft for my contact. pic.
> View attachment 63595


So I went through my recent call list. Found the number that it seems to call. Made a contact and then went further trough my recent dialed. You seem to be right. Seems to be the same phone number.

I am seriously going to have to try this, thank you for the Tip. I do seem to get better and longer rides with lyft, so i dont want to lose them. Although I get better volume out of Uber.


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> I am seriously going to have to try this, thank you for the Tip. I do seem to get better and longer rides with lyft, so i dont want to lose them. Although I get better volume out of Uber.


No problem, happy to help.

In Boston, some weeks I am mad busy with Lyft I never have a chance to turn the Uber app on at the same time. Others I just use Uber. but always give Lyft a chance.

What I do is turn on Lyft if nothing happens within 10minutes I turn on Uber. If I get a request at the same time, Lyft all the way, everyday . 1st of choice .


----------



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

Dan The Lyft Man said:


> No problem, happy to help.
> 
> In Boston, some weeks I am mad busy with Lyft I never have a chance to turn the Uber app on at the same time. Others I just use Uber. but always give Lyft a chance.
> 
> What I do is turn on Lyft if nothing happens within 10minutes I turn on Uber. If I get a request at the same time, Lyft all the way, everyday . 1st of choice .


So I created a test message. I thought this sounded good. Sent it as a test message to my friend


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> So I created a test message. I thought this sounded good. Sent it as a test message to my friend


That works... just make you logoff for about 2-5 minutes and drive to a different spot.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Does Lyft de-activate for not accepting pings? I am aware that it counts non-accepted pings and cancellations in one heap as an "Accept Rate", but does it drop you if you do not accept pings? While Lyft is not a party to the Uber lawsuits in California and Massachusetts, and, even though the judge has rejected the settlement, for now, at least, I would expect that Lyft would let its terms and the actions of its competitor guide its own actions, as, I would suspect that Lyft has no desire for a similar lawsuit, or any lawsuit, for that matter.


----------



## MiddleClassedOut (Jun 11, 2015)

You're an independent contractor. Ask for a $10 pick-up fee because of the distance. They cancel every time.


----------



## SUberbanDriver (Jul 16, 2016)

I've been experiencing a similar thing south of Atlanta where I live. In the early morning hours, there just aren't enough (or sometimes any) drivers and after I drop off my regular pax - a woman I take to dialysis three days a week - at about 5:45, I've been receiving pings with trip times of anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes. I drive a Suburban (Select & XL on Uber) and I've been trying to get enough rides under my belt so that I can move up to Plus and off of Line but these long pick ups just aren't economically feasible and my acceptance rate is sucking big time. 

Last week I accepted a ride without paying attention to the details and the passenger was 31 minutes away. I called her (I don't think I can text from my version of the app either) and asked her for the time frame and destination, explaining that I was at least 30+ minutes away. Her answer: she needed a ride to a gas station to meet her ride to work. I explained to her that if I drove all that distance to get her and then drove back to where I started, I would lose money. I apologized (sincerely because I doubted there were any cars out where she lived and I felt bad for her) and cancelled the ride. I submitted a report to Lyft because I wanted to go on record about the long distance pings situation. It happened again yesterday morning but this time the pax was 21 minutes away and she had a 3.6 rating so I ignored it and didn't feel bad at all. 

I was going to try to transition myself from Uber to Lyft but I'm thinking I'm not going to be able to do if I keep getting and ignoring all of these long distance ride requests. Maybe I'll just ask them to move me to Plus and see what happens.


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

SUberbanDriver said:


> I was going to try to transition myself from Uber to Lyft but I'm thinking I'm not going to be able to do if I keep getting and ignoring all of these long distance ride requests. Maybe I'll just ask them to move me to Plus and see what happens.


Just follow what I told Mattio41 , its one number that we communicate too. It's a Lyft number for all phone calls and text messages that you receive from the PAX you are currently on. How I caught on too this was I had a couple of PAX's ask me if I was from CA. Because I had the same area code as them. Since Lyft is based in CA it was all one number that transfer your call to the driver and PAX. Lyft just doesn't have a text button like Uber does.


----------



## kevink (Apr 18, 2016)

I've done the text message thing and it works well. I got tired of the constant requests that require driving 20 minutes or more to the pick up, and the sniping texts and e-mails I would get about letting the clock run down on such requests. They're clearly not going to fix this issue, so I took matters into my own hands and created a generic text that basically tells them they are too far away and they need to cancel. So far, it's been 100% effective. Once they cancel, I go offline for about 5 minutes or so.


----------



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

Sharkb8 said:


> Good for a 1st draft. Now, trim about 70% of the fat off of it. Keep it short n sweet.


Any suggestions?


----------



## unPat (Jul 20, 2016)

I thought lyft was better than uber but it's not. All the lyft passengers are the degenerates with switched to lyft because of the low ratings. All the passengers I pick up are nothing but trouble. 2/3 has to make a stop go through a drive through and eat in a 3 mile ride . Bad attitude , play music in the back, open windows mid trip , sing loudly, and very uncivilized . 

I might just be in my area but really thibk uber is way better.


----------



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

Dan The Lyft Man said:


> If I ever get a long ping. I use, "Hello this is Dan from Lyft, are you willing to cancel the trip for me. It's too far out of my range for pickup. Thank You and sorry for the inconvenience" I do this all the time for anything 15min or more. Just make sure to turn yourself off driver mode for a couple of minutes. Because you might get that same person again.


So I tried this last night.. first Ping of the night was 20 minutes away... Pulled over, sent the text. Followed up with a phone call in a moment.

DING DING DING.... I received notice that the ride was cancelled... I am so going to use this...


----------



## Dan The Lyft Man (Dec 25, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> DING DING DING.... I received notice that the ride was cancelled... I am so going to use this...


Awesome!!!! Told you it would work. Most people about 99% of them won't want to wait for 20 min for a ride. Hopefully you'll never get a ping from that 1%.


----------



## Sharkb8 (Jun 30, 2016)

Dan The Lyft Man said:


> Awesome!!!! Told you it would work. Most people about 99% of them won't want to wait for 20 min for a ride. Hopefully you'll never get a ping from that 1%.


Ok, now that we've helped him/her, should we all delete this conversation? I think so.....I'll go first!
I'll delete this deletion message tomorrow. Nice chatting with ya!


----------



## UberAnt39 (Jun 1, 2016)

unPat said:


> I thought lyft was better than uber but it's not. All the lyft passengers are the degenerates with switched to lyft because of the low ratings. All the passengers I pick up are nothing but trouble. 2/3 has to make a stop go through a drive through and eat in a 3 mile ride . Bad attitude , play music in the back, open windows mid trip , sing loudly, and very uncivilized .
> 
> I might just be in my area but really thibk uber is way better.


It's different in different areas. The behavior you're describing is usually Uber paxs in SF, mostly well behaved people use Lyft. Except Line of course, which just like Pool attracts the cheapskates who'll ding you for anything another pax does, and is best ignored.


----------



## Flarpy (Apr 17, 2016)

Remember to tell the pax that he/she won't be charged a cancellation fee because the app warns them that they will be.


----------



## Whiteorchids (Oct 7, 2015)

Dan The Lyft Man said:


> That works... just make you logoff for about 2-5 minutes and drive to a different spot.


But isnt it better to have low acceptance rating then taking the chance of pax giving a low rating and how do you know they actually cancelled the ride?


----------



## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

Sometimes I will accept these silly long distance requests from LYFT and not even bother going in that direction, just ignore it. PAX of course always cancel. Wouldn't have any problem not accepting them (as with UBER) but I haven't seen a definitive answer as to whether we can be deactivated because of it.


----------

