Lyft matches drivers with passengers who request rides through our smartphone app, and passengers pay automatically through the app. Whether you’re trying to offset costs of your car, cover this month’s bills, or fund your dreams, Lyft will get you there. -Lyft
Ridesharing?
Real-time ridesharing is a service that arranges one-time shared rides on very short notice. As a Lyft driver you picked up passangers when the app pings you. By driving for Lyft, you can help your community reduce traffic and take cars off the road. Of course, you’re not driving for Lyft out of the goodness of your heart, you want to be paid for your efforts.
When do you get paid?
Lyft starts the weekly payment process on Tuesdays around 5 AM. It may take a few hours (or even days) before your deposit shows in your account. This can happen because:
- Different banks may take longer depending on their deposit processes
- Your bank info is outdated or incorrect. Update payment info when necessary.
If we’re unable to deposit your earnings, we’ll try again next week. If you need your cash sooner, try using Express Pay.
Lyft Fare calculations
Lyft passengers pay drivers ride fare through the app, though riders may also tip with cash.
Driver pay calculation begins when the passenger is in your car and you’ve tapped to pick up in the app. Driver pay includes time spent waiting, starting one minute after you’ve confirmed your arrival.
Lyft ride fare includes:
- Base Fare: The amount passengers pay to start the ride
- Cost per mile: The amount you earn per mile in the city where your ride starts
- Cost per minute: The amount you earn per minute in the region where your ride starts
Lyft determines all costs per mile or per minute depending on which city and region in which a ride was requested.
Lyft is testing a new feature where passengers see a confirmed, upfront price for each ride. Even if your passenger receives their price up front, you’ll still get paid for time and distance, plus Prime Time. If a ride takes longer than we quoted the passenger or they added a stop, we’ll make sure you receive the new, changed amount for any additional time and distance.
Tips
100% of tips from passengers go to drivers. Tipping into the Lyft app to make it easy for passengers to say thanks, but passengers may also tip with cash.
How to give a ride
Before you start, open the Lyft Driver app and tap ‘Go Online.’ This lets you receive ride requests.
Once you’re online, follow these steps:
- When you get a ride request, you’ll see a notification. Tap anywhere to accept.
- Tap the arrow next to the pickup location
- Select ‘Tap to arrive’ when you’re at the pickup location. Tap ‘Confirm arrival’ to send the rider a text (if we haven’t already).
- Tap ‘Pick up (passenger’s name)’ when the rider gets in to start the ride
- Tap ‘Navigate’ to begin navigation, then drive the rider to their destination
- Tap ‘Tap to drop off’ when you arrive at the dropoff location, then tap ‘Confirm drop off’ to end the ride
- Tap the star icon to rate the passenger manually, or let the timer finish to auto-rate the passenger 5 stars. That’s it!
Heads up: Passengers can tip either in the app or with cash, but don’t accept money for ride fare. Passengers should use the app to pay for rides.
Lyft Driver Requirements
- Be at least 21 years old.
- Pass our free, online DMV and background checks.
- Use an iPhone or Android smartphone.
Lyft Vehicle Requirements
- Meet your city’s vehicle age requirement
- Have at least four doors, not including jump doors.
- Offer five to eight seats, including the driver’s.
Lyft Document Requirements
- Have a US driver’s license for at least one year.
- Provide proof of insurance and (in most cities) a car inspection.
- Submit a photo of yourself.
Ready to get started? Sign Up With Lyft and hit the road today.