Working for Lyft is a great way to make some cash on the side while doing something that you’re already doing everyday – driving!
Lyft is an on-demand taxi service that links drivers and riders through the use of an easy-to-use app on your smart phone. Since it is all handled via an app, you never have to worry about your riders having cash.
Founded in 2012 in San Francisco, the business has taken off and is widely popular in many cities across the United States, just like it’s competitor Uber.
In order to be eligible to drive for Lyft, you need to meet several criteria. If you are 21 years old, own your own vehicle and have a social security number, you are on the right track!
Are You Eligible to Drive For Lyft?
Here’s an easy quiz to take to see if you qualify!
- Are you 21? YES or NO
- Do you own an iPhone or Android phone? YES or NO
- Would you pass a standard DMV test? YES or NO
- Would a county and national background check come back clean? YES or NO
- Do you have a Social Security Number? YES or NO
- Does your car have four external door handles? YES or NO
- Does your car have five seatbelts? YES or NO
- Does your car have in-state license plates? YES or NO
- Does your car meet the Lyft requirements in your state? YES or NO
- Find your state requirements here
- Do you like making money? YES or NO
If you answered YES to all 10 of the questions above, then you qualify to drive for Lyft!
Driving For Lyft Offers Many Benefits
Since it is an on-demand service, you get to set your own schedule as a driver.
There’s no boss breathing down your neck or demanding unreasonable deadlines.
Setting your own hours also means that you can work as much or as little as you like, with some drivers make as much as $800 per weekend just driving Friday-Sunday.
Additionally, this is a great gig if you need cash on-hand fast.
Lyft allows you to cash out on a weekly basis or at your convenience, meaning that your hard-earned cash is always at your disposal.
If you’re a people-person, this is a great gig for you.
You get to meet people from all ages and stages of life who are often eager to share their stories.
You never know who you might be picking up or where their life journey might be taking them, so this job certainly never gets boring.
If you’re anything like me, you probably have some concerns about safety.
Lyft provides additional insurance plans at no charge to the driver, ensuring that they are covered in any accident up to one million dollars per occurrence.
More information can be found on their site here.
The Downsides
However, there are certainly downsides to choosing this independent work option.
Putting miles on your car: Lyft requires that you use your own vehicle to drive passengers.
There are various criteria that your vehicle must meet in order to be eligible.
For example, your car must have at least four external door handles and five or more seat belts.
Additionally, you must have insurance (in which, you are covered) and have in-state license plates. If it makes it through the 19 point Lyft inspection, you’re good to go.
While Lyft is appealing on many fronts, it’s important to remember that you are putting miles on your car.
As the mileage on your car increases, the value of the car decreases.
Additionally, the wear and tear on your car is not covered by Lyft, so if you’re willing to put your vehicle through the strain, then Lyft might be a great fit for you.
Safety: Traffic accidents aren’t the only thing to be afraid of on the road.
While most Lyft passengers are friendly and harmless – there’s always the chance for a dangerous situation to arise.
There are horror stories of passengers who have turned on their driver after a raucous night of drinking as passengers have been known to vomit or otherwise soil a vehicle, too.
It’s tough to know whether it’s worth the risk.
While Lyft has some precautions in place to correct issues like this (they often bill the passenger for cleaning fees), but it’s still not ideal.
You can reduce your risk of these incidents by driving during daytime hours and staying away from “party” areas of town.
Unreliable Work Hours: Some cities don’t have a high enough demand to keep drivers busy all of the time.
While you’re ready and able to work on the road, there may not be riders requesting your services.
For this reason, you cannot expect a set amount of earnings per day.
The availability of rides varies.
Additionally, riders will rate you after a ride. If your average rating is low, it is less likely that you will be chosen to provide rides.
How to Signup For Lyft
First, go to Lyft’s website: https://www.lyft.com/drive-with-lyft.
Here, you’ll need to fill out some information including your name, location where you will be driving and contact information.
As your application progresses, you’ll need to provide your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), photos of your car, submit to background checks and answer other various questions.
Tips to Earn More Money and Higher Ratings
- Keep goodies in your car. Offer your riders water, mints or snacks to make their ride more pleasant.
- Provide an auxiliary cord so that your passenger can DJ their own ride.
- Provide an iPhone AND Android charger. You may be the hero that brings their phone back to life after a long night out!
- If you pick up a passenger at the airport, help them with their luggage. After a long day of travel, passengers are bound to be tired and sore from their flights. Help make their trip easier by lending them a hand with heavy bags (but lift carefully!).
- Keep your car clean. Nothing will sink your driver rating lower than a messy car. Take few moments to throw out empty cups, trash or items that might interfere with your passenger’s ride. An air freshener never hurts, either.
- Know your audience. Some passengers love to chit-chat and are anxious to share their story (and hear yours!). However, some need some quiet time to catch up on emails or just get their thoughts together before a big meeting. Try to read their social cues and respond accordingly.
- Drive safely.
Are You Ready to Drive For Lyft?
Between Uber and Lyft, it’s going to be a matter of what you prefer.
In the end, be your own boss, meet new people, and enjoy what you do.
Might not make cab drivers happy, but someone’s gotta do it and why not it be you?
I hope you’ve learned more than just how to become a Lyft driver and hopefully you do land the next Lyft gig if that’s what you’re plans are.
Good luck!
P.S. Don’t Forget to Checkout My #1 Recommended Work at Home Opportunity!
