# Any Louisville Lyft Drivers in Here?



## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

I was thinking about signing up with Lyft. I was wondering if there was any new driver incentives in Louisville?


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## Grace A. (Jun 30, 2014)

For the most part the new driver incentives are going to the referer, not the the person who is referred.
Right now if you are a driver and refer a driver in Louisville you get $50 after they do 20 rides in 30 days. As a new driver you get no bonus.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Grace A. said:


> For the most part the new driver incentives are going to the referer, not the the person who is referred.
> Right now if you are a driver and refer a driver in Louisville you get $50 after they do 20 rides in 30 days. As a new driver you get no bonus.


Oh okay, and I thought Uber was greedy.  After getting screwed so hard by Uber I was wanting to get me some more of it from Lyft before I had to jump back in a truck or taxi.

Thanks!


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## Pat (Oct 25, 2014)

Yeah, just last week it was $100 each for the referrer and new driver. Now it's just $50 for the referrer and nada for the new driver. Oh well.

If you're curious here's my experience of both of them (who knows if my experience is generalizable):

I started driving for both companies about 2 months ago. Before the rate cuts I preferred Uber--it was busier, had better rates and longer rides. But about 2-3 weeks ago Lyft started to get busier, then Uber's rate cuts came. Since Lyft has been busier and they are now similarly priced, the bonuses that Lyft has puts it ahead of Uber for me. The bonuses are that Lyft allows tips through the app, decreases their commission 5% for every 10-15 hours per week you drive, and you can actually get their surge pricing (called prime time tips) every once in a while.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Pat said:


> Yeah, just last week it was $100 each for the referrer and new driver. Now it's just $50 for the referrer and nada for the new driver. Oh well.
> 
> If you're curious here's my experience of both of them (who knows if my experience is generalizable):
> 
> I started driving for both companies about 2 months ago. Before the rate cuts I preferred Uber--it was busier, had better rates and longer rides. But about 2-3 weeks ago Lyft started to get busier, then Uber's rate cuts came. Since Lyft has been busier and they are now similarly priced, the bonuses that Lyft has puts it ahead of Uber for me. The bonuses are that Lyft allows tips through the app, decreases their commission 5% for every 10-15 hours per week you drive, and you can actually get their surge pricing (called prime time tips) every once in a while.


Thanks Pat.

I have been driving for Uber (only) for about 2 months also, but the rate cut Friday was my cutoff point. I need money like everyone else, but I won't work for just scraps, and expecting it to get even worse. I was doing 70 hrs./week, and although it was some money, it wasn't much for that many hours.

I really like that Lyft has the tipping option in the app, even though it would be reported on the 1099. I got some pretty good tips from Uber, but probably only about 15 - 20% of the people tipped me. What may make a huge difference for me, if I could get even close to the same number of rides, would be the decreasing commission with hours worked. That could be a big deal working up to 70 hours/week.

I was really wanting to give Lyft a try, and I may as well sign up through someone's link.

How long did it take you to get on the road after you signed up?


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## Pat (Oct 25, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> I really like that Lyft has the tipping option in the app, even though it would be reported on the 1099. I got some pretty good tips from Uber, but probably only about 15 - 20% of the people tipped me. What may make a huge difference for me, if I could get even close to the same number of rides, would be the decreasing commission with hours worked. That could be a big deal working up to 70 hours/week.
> 
> I was really wanting to give Lyft a try, and I may as well sign up through someone's link.
> 
> How long did it take you to get on the road after you signed up?


It might have taken me a couple weeks to get started, but I took a little longer than necessary since I had to wait on getting a new phone. It mostly depends on how long the background check takes. Everything else is pretty quick. Maybe a week?

Lyft's commission goes to 0% when you've been in driver mode for 50+ hrs/wk. So it sounds like you'd hit that mark easily. Even though I'm part time (~20 hrs/wk), I like that they support the full time drivers that are the backbone of the service.

Best of luck!


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Pat said:


> It might have taken me a couple weeks to get started, but I took a little longer than necessary since I had to wait on getting a new phone. It mostly depends on how long the background check takes. Everything else is pretty quick. Maybe a week?
> 
> Lyft's commission goes to 0% when you've been in driver mode for 50+ hrs/wk. So it sounds like you'd hit that mark easily. Even though I'm part time (~20 hrs/wk), I like that they support the full time drivers that are the backbone of the service.
> 
> Best of luck!


Wow, paying 0% commission I might be able to go back to almost what I was making w/ Uber, since I saw Lyft's recent 25% fare reduction. I just know Uber isn't the company I want to be associated with, for now at least, and I don't see it getting better. I know most of you guys are doing both, but I just can't bring myself to drive for Uber to (maybe) make pennies. It's just a slap in the face, especially after I put so many hours in for them. Lyft's reducing commission at least shows they they're acknowledging the fact that someone is working hard for the company. Even if their rates are entirely too low.

If you have an affiliate link or code, I'd be glad to use it to signup with, so you get the referrer fee. I guess no other Louisville Lyft drivers are in here.

Thanks Again


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

I'm thinking about doing the same, I'm in Louisville as well. If you have a affiliate link I'll use at as well.


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

What's the rules for doing both uber and lyft? I still have my uber phone and could run lyft on my iPhone


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## Grace A. (Jun 30, 2014)

You can't advertise for the one while driving for the other. Other than that there are no rules. They prefer that you don't run both apps at the same time. If you acceptance/cancel rates get too low they could deactivate you so be careful, but overall everyone does it.


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

Cool, think I'm gonna try to do my mentor ride tomorrow


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> Cool, think I'm gonna try to do my mentor ride tomorrow


How you gonna try to do your mentor ride tomorrow? How's it work? You do the ride first, than they do the background check and everything? Did you already give them you information?


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

I signed up many moons ago but never went through with it.


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## Grace A. (Jun 30, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> How you gonna try to do your mentor ride tomorrow? How's it work? You do the ride first, than they do the background check and everything? Did you already give them you information?


Yes. You fill out the application and then you can request a mentor. When you do the request it will trigger a DMV check and if you fail then you cannot be mentored. If you pass you get a mentor. The background check happens after the mentor session. You can apply and be mentored very quickly.


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

Tried to get a mentor for an hour today.....no dice.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Grace A. said:


> Yes. You fill out the application and then you can request a mentor. When you do the request it will trigger a DMV check and if you fail then you cannot be mentored. If you pass you get a mentor. The background check happens after the mentor session. You can apply and be mentored very quickly.


Thank you Grace.


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## Pat (Oct 25, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Wow, paying 0% commission I might be able to go back to almost what I was making w/ Uber, since I saw Lyft's recent 25% fare reduction. I just know Uber isn't the company I want to be associated with, for now at least, and I don't see it getting better. I know most of you guys are doing both, but I just can't bring myself to drive for Uber to (maybe) make pennies. It's just a slap in the face, especially after I put so many hours in for them. Lyft's reducing commission at least shows they they're acknowledging the fact that someone is working hard for the company. Even if their rates are entirely too low.
> 
> If you have an affiliate link or code, I'd be glad to use it to signup with, so you get the referrer fee. I guess no other Louisville Lyft drivers are in here.
> 
> Thanks Again


Since I'm new here I had to get enough comments and likes to be able to send you a direct message with my lyft code. I didn't want to post it on here if I end up complaining about them later. If you've signed up already that's cool, I appreciate you trying to help a fellow driver out where you can. Good luck.


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## dholme (Nov 30, 2014)

I'm a brand new Uber(-only) driver in Louisville. I applied to Lyft first and was turned down at the very end of the process. Something about the large number of qualified candidates. I got on with Uber without even leaving the house. I have only done two trips and still feel a bit strange about picking up perfect strangers. I drive an '08 Ford Focus. It would be nice to have an Uber logo to put on the car to make myself more obvious. I contacted Uber and they said they are not distributing logo decals right now.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

Pat said:


> Yeah, just last week it was $100 each for the referrer and new driver. Now it's just $50 for the referrer and nada for the new driver. Oh well.
> 
> If you're curious here's my experience of both of them (who knows if my experience is generalizable):
> 
> I started driving for both companies about 2 months ago. Before the rate cuts I preferred Uber--it was busier, had better rates and longer rides. But about 2-3 weeks ago Lyft started to get busier, then Uber's rate cuts came. Since Lyft has been busier and they are now similarly priced, the bonuses that Lyft has puts it ahead of Uber for me. The bonuses are that Lyft allows tips through the app, decreases their commission 5% for every 10-15 hours per week you drive, and you can actually get their surge pricing (called prime time tips) every once in a while.


THREAD # 4 / PAT THE KELT?: I didn't recog-
ize the Celtics player in your avatar. Merry
Cbristmas BTW!


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