# Proof:. Lyft dings ratings for passenger cancellations



## pvtandrewmalone (Oct 2, 2016)

I had not driven Lyft this week. Logged in and accidently accepted a ping 25 minutes away (you know how when you are in another app and it auto-accepts before you can take your hand off the screen. )

So I ignored it and waited for the pax cancel, which happened about 5 minutes later. I'm not asking for an ethical discussion about whether this strategy was right or wrong...only to say I did it rather than cancelling myself.

My Lyft rating was a 4.66 before this and I had not driven in a week. I recheck my rating after the cancel, and it's now showing 4.6, not 4.7 as it was showing 5 minutes earlier.

I've long suspected Lyft was dinging ratings for non-rated behavior....Now I have proof.

Be careful everyone...


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## Old Smokey (Sep 13, 2015)

pvtandrewmalone said:


> I had not driven Lyft this week. Logged in and accidently accepted a ping 25 minutes away (you know how when you are in another app and it auto-accepts before you can take your hand off the screen. )
> 
> So I ignored it and waited for the pax cancel, which happened about 5 minutes later. I'm not asking for an ethical discussion about whether this strategy was right or wrong...only to say I did it rather than cancelling myself.
> 
> ...


You probably dropped to 4.64 and that is why you are a 4.6 and not a 4.7. Five is the middle up or below is down.


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

pvtandrewmalone said:


> I had not driven Lyft this week. Logged in and accidently accepted a ping 25 minutes away (you know how when you are in another app and it auto-accepts before you can take your hand off the screen. )
> 
> So I ignored it and waited for the pax cancel, which happened about 5 minutes later. I'm not asking for an ethical discussion about whether this strategy was right or wrong...only to say I did it rather than cancelling myself.
> 
> ...


You seriously consider that "proof" ?


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## pvtandrewmalone (Oct 2, 2016)

I very strongly doubt someone miraculously rated below 5* within a minute of that pax cancellation, after a week of inactivity, and no bad rides that I can recall. Way too much of a coincidence. I'm very strongly convinced Lyft is manipulating the ratings to deactivate drivers that the courts would not allow them to otherwise, without getting sued for misclassifying employees as independent contractors.


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

Lyft is not changing people's ratings due to passenger cancels. End of story.


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

Bart McCoy said:


> Lyft is not changing people's ratings due to passenger cancels. End of story.


Where was the beginning of the story?


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

Lyft does, *in fact*, ding your acceptance rating for passenger cancellations (at random). It started in mid 2016. And since it hasn't been fixed in almost a year, I have to assume they're doing it intentionally.

My guess is they had an overwhelming amount of cancellations begin to occur and wanted to differentiate themselves from Uber by doing a blanket fix that goes something like this: "If a cancellation does occur, you're on the hook, so be very afraid. Do everything you can to wait longer than 5 min., call the passenger and get them to cancel (so we have solid evidence), etc., otherwise, we're going to make you write in constantly, stress out, etc."

*It's mental conditioning.*

They also made it so that a passenger can still contact you via the Lyft phone number, even after the call is cancelled. Had someone call me 8 times in a row after a cancellation and threaten me. My guess is, Lyft wants it that way in order to deter you from cancelling and "inconveniencing" passengers.

Anyways, I got tired of always having to write in and defend myself (against cancellations) every few days, so now I just send a quick email.

Note: I used to write in so I could protect my acceptance rating and earn the PBD (Power Driver Bonus). Well, I'm no longer trying to earn it anymore, but I am documenting their actions in case they try and fire me (for cancellations). And if they do, I can pull up every email that shows it wasn't me who cancelled the call, that their actions were retaliatory, and that they're financially liable for any back wages. This company thinks they're smart, but automation and greed will be their downfall.

*Want more dirty deets on Lyft? Click on my Trump Economics Avatar and scroll to the Information/About me section of my uberpeople.net page.*


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## pvtandrewmalone (Oct 2, 2016)

They dinged my _actual_ rating for a passenger cancellation...after an auto-accepted 30 minute ping...I just ignored the pax and waited for them to cancel....at the end of that day I dropped .04, and this occurred a whole week after I last drove, and haven't driven since. The .04 drop is the same as getting a 1* from a pax. Either the passenger who cancelled was allowed to rate, or the system just added the 1* itself. No other possible explanations.

Get my weekly feedback summary on Friday....and I have one "less than 5" rating from last week with no feedback and no flags, even though I didn't drive at all last week for Lyft. My only Lyft activity last week was that passenger cancellation.

This could have been avoided if Lyft stopped auto-accepting the pings when you are using another app and can't move your hand off the screen in a nanosecond...but that's another gripe for another day.


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## kevink (Apr 18, 2016)

Trump Economics said:


> They also made it so that a passenger can still contact you via the Lyft phone number, even after the call is cancelled. Had someone call me 8 times in a row after a cancellation and threaten me. My guess is, Lyft wants it that way in order to deter you from cancelling and "inconveniencing" passengers.


I had the same thing happen twice in the past month. Rider is a no-show, or not where they said they were. Called them and they didn't answer, so I cancelled as a no-show. Five minutes later I am on my way to pick up an Uber fare, and the Lyft passenger that I had cancelled on minutes before is still able to get a call through. I ignored the call and figured it to be a bug with the app, but now I'm not so sure....

I'm also waiting to get a snarky e-mail from them over my acceptance rate (or lack thereof). Let's see, over the past two weeks I've had:
1.) A request from a rider rated a 3.7! 3.7 - can you freakin believe that one?!?!? And they were 13 minutes away to boot.
2.) Line requests in general, some from 20+ minutes away. I don't accept any Line request. It's highly unlikely that they will tip considering they are cheap enough to request Line to begin with. 
3.) Regular requests from 35 minutes away.

I shut down Lyft before 10:00 last night. Tired of that crap.


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

kevink said:


> I had the same thing happen twice in the past month. Rider is a no-show, or not where they said they were. Called them and they didn't answer, so I cancelled as a no-show. Five minutes later I am on my way to pick up an Uber fare, and the Lyft passenger that I had cancelled on minutes before is still able to get a call through. I ignored the call and figured it to be a bug with the app, but now I'm not so sure....
> 
> I'm also waiting to get a snarky e-mail from them over my acceptance rate (or lack thereof). Let's see, over the past two weeks I've had:
> 1.) A request from a rider rated a 3.7! 3.7 - can you freakin believe that one?!?!? And they were 13 minutes away to boot.
> ...


Yea, I had a 1.0 passenger a quick minute ago. It's nice that Lyft discrimates by allowing passengers to have whatever rating suits them, but drivers get deactivated for anything in the low 4's. No double-standard here. And don't worry about your acceptance rating. Mine's in the high 20's -- I don't do Bus Line calls either. After a week or so, they stop sending you texts/emails and finally give up.


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