Lyft
4.0
5.2
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
LAST UPDATED: April 11th, 2022
Lyft is a transportation network that facilitates peer-to-peer ride-hailing. Using mobile apps, riders can locate drivers in their area and even request a specific driver. When the company first began in 2012, they stood out by putting bright pink, furry mustaches on the grill of their cars. Today, the large fury mustaches have been replaced with official window emblems.
Rideshare companies like Lyft beat public transit when it comes to personal comfort and convenience. It also beats the traditional taxi industry when it comes to average trip price.
The Lyft coverage area now includes 600 US cities, with at least 2 cities covered in all 50 states. Service is available for use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Keep reading for pros and cons, plus Lyft reviews from real customers.
The Good
- Increased Availability
- Driver Requirements
- Economical Pricing
- User-Friendly Platform & Experience
- Vehicle Options
Increased Availability
All major cities across the United States are covered by Lyft. So, whether you live in one of these areas or you're visiting, you should always be able to find a ride, even late nights.
Lyft has at least some coverage in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Keep in mind that drivers are available in over 600 cities, but mainly urban areas are covered.
Driver Requirements
Lyft strives to provide quality drivers for its rideshare services.
To work with this company, drivers must have a clean driving record and be 21 years old and pass online background and DMV checks. They must have had a US driver's license for one year and provide proof of insurance.
Background checks go back a minimum of seven years. The following will disqualify applicants:
- Violent crime
- Sexual offense
- Disqualifying felony
- Disqualifying drug-related offense
- Disqualifying theft or property damage
Lyft added a feature to their app that shows general information on drivers, the number of rides they've given, and a rating. The feature is designed to make users feel more comfortable with drivers. Recently, both Lyft and Uber drivers have been legally seeking to be treated as employees rather than independent contractors.
If you want to start driving for Lyft to make extra money, but you don’t own a car, the company offers a program called Express Drive, with access to short or long term rental cars from Hertz, Flexdrive, and Avis. Renting a car from one of these programs can help you start your new job ASAP.
Economical Pricing
There is no question, ride-sharing saves you money. The Lyft price is less expansive than a traditional taxi service. Lyft has a policy of charging a minimum rate of $1.13 for the use of its services.
Your ride rate isn’t the same every hour of the day. There is a base charge, plus an additional cost per mile. If you get picked up during Prime Time, there is an additional surge pricing percentage charged on top of your city’s base ride amount. Prime Time is similar to rush hour. It is added when there is a surge in demand for rides. It is also dependent on your passenger pickup location. On the plus side, Prime Time is a way to entice more drivers to be on the road to pick up passengers during peak hours, when demand is high.
While Lyft does offer a few different subscription plans, most of them are invitation-only, users can now proactively sign up for the All Access plan.
What is the Lyft All Access subscription plan?
- A $299 subscription pass for 30 rides per month, as long as rides cost less than $15
- If a ride costs more than $15, the rider pays the difference
- Starting with the 31st ride of the month, members get a 5% discount
In most cities, there is a $10 fee to pay for canceling a ride. Riders aren't required to leave tips, but it is appreciated and can be paid in the mobile app. In most cities, there is a $10 fee to pay for canceling a ride. Riders aren't required to leave tips, but it is appreciated.
User-Friendly Platform & Experience
Lyft is extremely easy to use. Users can download the app on their mobile device and set up a quick profile. When you want a ride, you open the app and it pulls up your exact location. Next, you enter your destination, and it pulls up drivers in your area that you can choose from. Using the app lets you track your driver's ETA and shows you a picture of their car. When your ride is over, you simply tap to pay. The app saves your credit card information for easy payments.
Another reason why we like the Lyft app for passengers is that you can leave a review for your driver. So if you had a wonderful experience with a driver, you can leave them a good review so others will want to work with him or her. Likewise, if you have a driver who was rude or made you feel uncomfortable, you can let others know.
Lyft is available for use 24/7, in an instant. Because you can immediately schedule a ride, the company does not allow you to reserve drivers in advance.
Vehicle Options
Lyft offers a lot of different vehicle options for you to customize your ride experience. Check out this list:
- Lyft: Standard Lyft ride with a 4 passenger max
- Shared: Get a discount to share your ride and split the cost with people going in the same direction. Shared rides are similar to a carpool. Previously Lyft Line.
- Lux: Luxury Lyft ride with a 4 passenger max
- Lux Black: Premium black car service with leather seats for up to 4 riders
- Lyft XL: SUV for up to 6 riders
- Lux Black XL: Premium black SUV with leather seats for up to 6 passengers
- Car Seat: Vehicle fitted with a child’s car seat
- Wheelchair Accessible: Set your app to enable accessibility needs
In addition to all of these options, Lyft is working to integrate self-driving cars into its service fleet. As the company is adding self-driving rides in phases, they are currently only available for riders in Las Vegas.
Don’t worry. Users don’t have to use this type of ride. If a customer would prefer to try the experience, they can opt-in through the Lyft app or website. Additionally, self-driving cars will have a well-trained pilot and copilot, both human, at this stage in the process.
The Bad
- Hiring Requirements
- Availability in Rural Areas
Hiring Requirements
The hiring requirements for Lyft seem to be a little loose. Generally, the background check goes back seven years. The company policy may allow hiring drivers who have DUIs or other major traffic violations on their driving record after seven years. The seven-year policy also applies to those convicted of violent crimes and sexual assault. While we understand that people make mistakes, it seems a little lax to let people who have had a DUI drive you around.
Each Lyft driver uses his or her own car for driving clients, which can limit car make/model options. In most cities, the car must be newer than 10 years old. Other cities have more strict regulations.
Availability in Rural Areas
Like most taxi or peer-to-peer transportation network companies, Lyft is only available in a limited area. It's great if you need to go somewhere in a big city, but isn't a viable option for people living in many small cities.
The Bottom Line
If you live or work in the Lyft coverage area and need a one-time pickup or recurring ride, this is an excellent choice. The mobile app is easy to use. We like that the service shows you how many minutes you have to wait for pickup, and allows users to select a driver. This is especially helpful because you can see each driver's rating. As a Lyft passenger, you are in control of who will be driving you, adding a little more peace of mind.
We also love Lyft's low cost. Although cost changes from city to city, on average, a rider will pay less money for your Lyft than you would for a taxi fare.
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James Burger Hurst, TX
They are thieves and management backs up their behavior. Due to the reckless driving on my ride my cell phone fell on the floor of his car. He almost hit a wall on a sharp curve due to his speed. I've been trying for a week to get my phone back but LYFT has more excuses on not know who the driver was formy trip. I'm out a very expensive phone and Iwill NEVER use them again or anyone I can tell about their unprofessional company. The driver finally called me yesterday and returned my phone. I gave him $20 for his time. Now LYFT is charging me an additional $30 dollars for the driver bring me my phone. If the driver hadn't drove recklessly there wouldn't of been a problem in the first place. Like I said previously I and anyoneone I know will never use their service again.
4 years ago Edited April 11, 2022
Michael Salvacruz Tempe, AZ
Sometimes okay but recently I have had terrible experiences with drivers. It seems Lyft will hire just about anyone especially unsafe drivers with lack of empathy or customer service. Why do you hire unsafe drivers when clients only want to get to where they need to safely you are putting our lives at risk. My last driver was speeding over 84 on the highway and not using turn signals to cha he lanes. In addition to this ride, Robert, my driver proceeded to hit me with his car as he was backing up when he dropped me off at my destination. Complete lack of focus or attention to surroundings and road. Please get safe drivers who are unsafe and display erratic driving behavior. Worst company ever, only looks out for their drivers and not their riders.
4 years ago
Mike Crow Denver, CO
On January 2nd of 2022 I ordered a lift I instructed them to come to the front door of the apartment complex wish they did not they never showed up so I ordered another one and again that one didn't show up to the front of the complex like I instructed now they're trying to charge me $22 for one fee and 1395 for another I've informed my bank and am challenging these fees they're a total rip off when I didn't even get the ride I will not be using Lyft ever again I would not recommend them to anyone because you can never get hold of any live person when you have a problem with charges even my bank told me they hear this all the time from people so I do not recommend lift anyone.
4 years ago
Shanna Hull Pensacola, FL
I was scammed in Atlanta, GA on September 4th, 2021. The scam is when drivers come just close enough to the pick up area to start the 5 min timer, make no contact until about 5-10 seconds remaining, then send one text like "Where are you?" Then before you can respond the time runs out and they collect a "no-show" fee. Mind you, they will not respond to any call or text within that 5 mins while you are trying to contact them. But when they send that last second "Where are you?" text, it makes it appear as though they tried to reach you and failed. This happened to my boyfriend twice within 10 mins where in one of them, we watched the car icon literally drive away from our area when we tried to contact him. Then, I decided to try and it happened to me. I could see the car icon was nearby but he just went and parked in the huge parking lot of cars to run down the time and we didn't have time to search every license plate to find him. I called and texted several times with no response. $6 later, I finally got a ride with my 2nd attempt. I asked the driver about the scam and he openly admitted that he does that often himself if he doesn't like the way the customer looks or he just doesn't want to make the drive. I reported this to Lyft immediately while in the 2nd Lyft. I never got a response. I just looked into again today October 23, 2021. I looked through my inbox to see if I had missed it or something. I went in the app to try to find my report and it was no where to be found. I then contacted them through the message system and re explained it all just to be told that the charge was correct and if I can't show up to my ride within 5 mins then the driver gets rightfully compensated. #1 I have NEVER missed my ride. EVER. #2 I used to drive for Lyft. I still have a 5.0 rating on my profile. All the "customer service" would need to do is look at the messages and call attempts between myself and that scam driver in the app to see what I am saying is true and even look at his profile for a pattern. But no. Blame the customer. That's the answer. I'll be using Uber from now on.
5 years ago
EJE Saint Paul, MN
The LYFT app does not allow the ability to add a NOTE for SCHEDULED rides, which is critical to inform the drivers of my exact pickup location (despite pinpointing the exact pickup spot when scheduling), which results in drivers taking off, leaving me stranded and inflicting a cancellation fee on me. I have severe mobility issues and when drivers don't pick me up at the correct designated location -- I can't "run" to the front of the apt building when they should be picking me up in back.
Getting to my medical appts is critical to my health -- after so many last minute cancellations (for which, ironically, I can't charge LYFT a cancellation fee), I now have to reserve rides a minimum of 1-2 hour prior to my appt so there is a cushion period for when LYFT cancels at the last minute and I then have to reserve a new ride.
SCHEDULING rides ahead of time is no better than reserving rides at the time of departure, as the rider is not notified until minutes before your departure time whether or not a ride is available. And there are no consequences when the scheduled reservations are cancelled last minute. And, the SCHEDULING option is generally much more expensive. Since there are no guarantees for your rides, this can only be considered a money-making scheme on behalf of LYFT! Very poor business practice, LYFT!
5 years ago
MzFab *2 Fort Worth, TX
I recently started using Lyft. The app was giving the drivers incorrect location of where I was ready to be picked up. But the worst was when my daughter dropped melted ice cream on the side of the vehicle that could be easily wiped off. We told the driver and he asked for $20 to clean it. So, I authorized a $29 tip for his inconvenience. Then, he turns around and files a damage claim with Lyft, who then charges me $80 for the DAMAGE! The vehicle was not damaged. I disputed the charge with Lyft but they said they pay their drivers $80. I told them that it was a shake down because the driver asked for money and he turns around and asks them for money too. I asked them to provide me a copy of the agreement I signed in agreement with this overcharge, but they couldn’t because they don’t have one. I’m now disputing it through my credit card. I’m fine with paying $20 for his inconvenience, but $80 is ridiculous! Plus, to have drivers that think it’s ok to take advantage of you is just dishonest! We were honest when we told him about the small spill and now they took advantage of it! Use another service! This one is all about what mistakes you can make on the ride to fault you for it! This company is not about the customer! It’s about how they can fill their pockets with your hard earned money,
5 years ago
Frank L Navarre, FL
This company should not be in…
This company should not be in business!!!! They don’t even deserve one star! Their customer service is full of excuses on why they they operate the way they do. I know not all have had a bad experience, but ours was the worst! When you plan a pick up with lyft a couple days in advance, pay 150.00 for seating at an event, all packed and ready to be picked up, and as the app sends texts “driver on the way” excited about your first lyft experience and event you had planned weeks in advance, and then nobody shows up,,,, well thats why ours was the worst fail from a company. And like I said, the company was full of excuses of why it all happened, and even tried to put it on us, saying, “we sent you a cancellation”. Ya they sure did, 50 minutes after our scheduled pick up time. If you don’t have more control on how you operate and service your customers, you need not be in business! Never again!
5 years ago
Amyserianni Serianni Brooklyn, NY
NEVER EVER again will I use this company I booked a lyft a few days ago and added a stop I even asked the driver if it's okay that I added a stop just to make sure he wasn't in a rush he said absolutely when I got out of the store to get back in the Lyft to go home it was gone not only was it gone and he didn't even have the decency to tell me I had belongings in that car I reached out right away and of course I never got any response from my Lyft driver I had keys to my home and Business in that car so I was locked out of my house and my business and the driver also knows the location of my home in business because he picked me up my business and was dropping me off at my home now I'm locked out of my home and the customer service rep told me it'll be okay call a locksmith and message him through the app so now a stranger who's a thief has keys to my business and home now it's been days I mean it's obvious this driver has no intentions of giving me back my belongings or he would have reached out to me by now I've gone back and forth with Lyft and and they could care less they have the worst customer service I've ever ever experienced anybody who works for that company should be ashamed of themselves today I spoke with somebody who said that they were going to forward my number to this mysterious driver that nobody can get a hold of that was hours ago like he stole my stuff if he would have came in and said he had an emergency and had to go it wouldn't have been a problem and they won't refund me my money for the ride where their driver stole from me keep referring to my stuff as lost items I didn't lose those items I knew exactly where they were your driver left with them when he wasn't supposed to it wasn't time for the ride to end that wasn't the end address so they are totally fine with their drivers blatantly stealing from their customers who spend hundreds of dollars a week using them so if anybody out there gets a lift in Pennsylvania and gets Greg in a black Jeep Cherokee do not get in the car cuz he'll probably steal from you too and Lyft won't care they'll tell you to use the app if you can even get an actual person on the phone that is absolute worst customer service so bad I'm devoting every free minute I have to write reviews and tell anybody and everybody I come into contact with about Lyft I'm very active in my community and I tell multiple people a day about this incident how lift doesn't care that they steal from their customers and then don't even have the decency to refund them for the money that they spent to get stolen from how ridiculous is this
5 years ago
Althea Alexander Kingston, 01
The worst app I've used in all my life! So I've booked my trip to be picked up from the airport for tomorrow. The only info they asked for is pick-up destination and drop-off destination then unto payment. Waiting for another page to ask me date and time of pick-up. None. In 2 seconds I received a text message that my driver will be there in 8mins. I was so taken aback that I tried assiduously to contact someone without avail. Apparently no one is available on weekends to speak to. I canceled the ride and I was charged almost $7. Total waste of my time, energy, and money. I need a refund and I'm totally passed.
5 years ago
Rhonda Homan Fort Worth, TX
I used Lyft for the first and last time today. It was suppose to be a round trip, instead I got left at my 1st stop the bank. I then had to wait for another ride for about 30 minutes. I told that driver when I got in that I needed to make 2 quick stops before returning home. She said she couldn't do that and I should have entered the stops when I requested the ride. Well all I saw was pick up and destination, nowhere to enter multiple stops. I requested to be let out at my 2nd stop and ended up walking the rest of the way home. I'm close to 50 and I can't believe that you have drivers leaving a paying customer with no care or concern for there well being. Never again will I use your service.
5 years ago
Dawnnisa Tubaugh Austin, TX
On October 10, 2020 my foot was ran over by a Lyft driver as I was loading my children into the car. I had contacted the Lyft company immediately and took pictures for their records. The first person I spoke with said they would send me a medical form through email to provide to the hospital if I chose to go. I never received this email. Three days later (which is funny since they conveniently waited until my Lyft Pink subscription was auto-renewed and paid) I received an email from Lyft stating that I would not be refunded for that ride or given any other ride credits as compensation for the incident. Lyft made it very clear, in fact, that they would do nothing to make it right. The only form of reassurance I was given was that they had “appropriately dealt” with the driver – whatever that means. Long story short, one of their drivers caused personal injury and endangered my children yet I was still expected to pay for that ride (meaning the driver still got paid) while Lyft made zero effort in customer service to right the wrongs caused by someone contracted through their service.
Because of not being able to afford the medical bills, I avoided a trip to the hospital by spending the next 48hrs with my foot elevated, wrapped, and iced. Thankfully enough, the swelling went down but the area is still bruised with a possible metatarsal fracture. I am glad I didn’t go because it has been made apparent that there is a good chance I wouldn’t have been reimbursed at all. With no medical document provided as promised, and the canned email stating policy and terms in lieu of basic customer service, it seems as though the only way this situation would be made right is through a lawsuit.
After reading multiple reviews, it seems like the issue of rider safety is a common occurrence – all with similar results of Lyft still paying the driver in question and providing the injured rider with little to no compensation or peace of mind.
I don’t know about you, but I definitely can not condone supporting a company that continues to capitalize while putting their loyal customer’s safety at risk.
For the record - I was an Uber Diamond user subscribed to Uber Pass for years. I never had a safety issue like this with Uber, but whenever ANYTHING went wrong I could contact Uber's customer service and they would immediately refund me for the ride and do whatever they could to make it right. I only switched to Lyft for the price (the base Lyft price was cheaper than the discounted Uber price. With Lyft Pink, the service was even cheaper). After this situation, though, I would rather pay the few dollars more to ensure my peace of mind when it comes to my family's safety.
6 years ago
R Long Island City, NY
Living in the city, I dont have a car. So I use Uber a lot. It's only a couple of dollars each trip more than Lyft. The difference can be neglected that it can save me so much headache later! I was so much disgusted last few times experience by Lyft customer service not taking any responsibility on any issues when happened. I have given Lyft multiple tries. It really sucks. All they care is grab my trip money and run! On the contrary: Uber customer service is very responsive, fast and always taking care of customers for a good experience!
Once I lost/forgot my leather gloves on the car. After the trip at home I messaged Lyft customer service for help. They are cold and not helpful. Not taking any responsibilities.
Second time, me and my friend called a shared Lyft from JFK to Manhattan. I live midtown and she lives up east so it's on the way. However, Lyft matched us with a guy living in Jersey city and to drop him off all the way in NJ first! Oh My...It obviously is a bad route that we wasted so much extra time in the car!
Third time, It is the worst experience. I decided I had enough. I will forever ban this company from my life! I am really angry after hours long 4, 5 times transferred to different reps repeating myself the incident and multiple emails later. Both reps replied after 24 hours are only a copied terms and conditions the company takes zero responsibility or insurance for the users (including driver and passenger). Imagine if I was in bigger danger or damages. I can not risk it. The incident was I have a shoulder injury, the driver damaged my large box of grocery. He carelessly dropped it to the floor. My trip was extended double time due to the incident. The grocery are spoiled due to the delay. My back was also hurt because the driver unwilling offering a hand. Neither the driver or the company offered any good gesture or even an apology
6 years ago
Regularguy123 Lafayette, CA
Horrible experience!! I set up a remote pickup of my mother and sister and Lyft sent a driver than COULDN'T SPEAK OR UNDERSTAND ENGLISH!!!! My mother is 86! I tried to communicate with him and he just said nothing! After picking up them he got lost and drive around in circles and then made them get out of the car! This was Thanksgiving! I had to call 911 and have the police pick them up and take them home! I complained to Lyft and they didn't even credit me the full amount they charged me!!!! They just send me canned I'm sorry emails. This is a horrible company and I will never use them again! They don't care about the rider at all and they don't have a culture of trying to make thinks right like Nordstrom. Beware!!!
6 years ago
Beth Shadur Highland Park, IL
I just ordered a Lyft yesterday. The driver had turned to go to the wrong address so I called him with the correct address. We waited...and waited. I texted the correct address and then called
He said he was waiting, but at the wrong address by a full street. We hailed a taxi as i spoke to him, since by now we were late from waiting so long.
Contacted Lyft customer service to report. The company charged me $6 cancellation fee. I argued many times, still have been charged. Their driver waited at the WRONG address even after I informed him 3 times of the correct one, but they penalized me. I will not use them again.
6 years ago
Wade Rusk Scottsdale, AZ
Scheduled our Lyft ride the night before for 4:00AM to the airport for our international flight to Europe. The next morning 4:00AM came and went before I get a notice that the driver will be here at 4:20. My wife is panicking and I call the driver. The first three times he doesn't answer the 4th he finally does. I politely inform him it's important he gets here soon as we don't want to risk missing our flight. "When will you be on your way?" he says "I don't know, I'm dropping someone off and haven't looked." and he hangs up. Once he finally shows up roughly 20 minutes after the scheduled time he sits in his driver seat rolls his window down and says "trunks full" as we stand there with 4+ suitcases. I'm like, are you serious? "yep" you'll have to find a way to get it in the car. No help from him, I'm scrambling to get everything in his car. No room to spare as bags are on our laps and between us. Couldn't even buckle our seatbelts. He had no empathy whatsoever. Was actually very rude about the entire thing. He drove very slow as to further aggravate us. Then he passes are turn to the terminal. My wife tells him this so he puts it in reverse on a one way.
That morning I left him a one star review and immediately get an email from corporate that he states we damaged his car with a spill on his floor. This car was already dirty as can be and I don't think the floors were very clean to begin with. I replied he obviously is retaliating due to the unfavorable review and lying. We didn't have any thing in his car that could stain his floor. I had a can of sparkling water which I left the can in his door because I was in a hurry and my hands were full. Lyft charged me a $25 damage fee and would not listen or refund this. They stated via email he provided significant proof with a picture of an existing floor stain. They said this will be the last correspondence you get from us. I was totally blown away. I have since reached out to legal and emailed them our experience and concerns with no reply. They never even replied to the review I left which is amazing. Why ask for the customers experience if you don't care. This is what happens when companies get to big and forget who got them there. They lost multiple customers for life due to this situation over $25 dollars. I have told everyone I know and my wife has as well. Hope it was worth it Lyft!
7 years ago
Nia R Orlando, FL
I ordered a lyft ride. The app told me to expect my driver in 3 minutes. I waited about 7 minutes and checked my phone to see if his car was in route and it was sitting in the same place it was in when I ordered the ride. I called the driver to see what the delay was. He told me that he was finishing some shopping in the mall and if I didnt want to wait for him to finish shopping I should cancel my trip and get another ride. Cancelling the trip would have cost me so I waited. after 15 minutes of waiting he arrived. I called Lyft customer service to share my horrible experience. They said the only thing they would do is make sure I would never have him as a driver again. (anyone that uses Lyft knows you never get the same driver so that had no meaning to me. I asked if they would refund my fair or at least credit my lyft account something for future ride. They refused and said they had no plans to do anything about my inconvenience. I'm now an exclusive Uber customer. Lyft clearly doesn't value its customers or take accountability for bad experiences. Beware...
7 years ago
David A Roseville, CA
I use to use lyft when I was out drinking in downtown Sacramento. The last time I used them, the driver took advantage and drove me all around Sacramento. The report shows him making circles around the middle of no where on Jackson highway/highway 16. When I reported him to lyft as making a 34 mile trip when it should have been 2 miles, they sent me this copy/paste apology and refunded me 5 of the 40 dollar trip. I will never use them again. He drove me to the middle of nowhere when I was alone and passed out. What was he thinking? What was he going to do to me? Or take from me? My bad for thinking lyft would make a good DD.
7 years ago
Sylvana Manvel, TX
This company is a total scam. Myself and my other three girlfriends ordered an Lyft. The driver of our Lyft lost his marbles over us spilling some orange just on his already stained and nasty back seat and started screaming and yelling at us. We got very uncomfortable so we asked him to stop the car and let us out multiple times. He refused, locked all the car doors, and continued to drive on yelling and screaming. We kept asking over and over for him to pull over. He claimed he did not speak English, yet "STOP" is a pretty universal word. After about a mile of continuing on like this, my friend who was riding in the passenger seat forced him to pull over into a parking lot by shoving her hand in his face. He finally slowed down the car and came to a stop. She gave him $20 cash to clean his back seat so that he would just let us out. He snatched the money from her (which come to find out later, is against their policy). We finally get out of the car and start trying to run to safety. He started walking towards us and approaching us. I threatened to call the police, and then he retrieved to his car, opened the trunk and started digging around in it. We were all terrified that he was going to pull out a weapon and come after us since he seemed so unstable. We hid behind a building and attempted to go into the bathroom but the doors were key access only. We all literally saw our lives flash in before our eyes and there was nothing we could have done about it. He finally did go back into his car, but he sad there in it for at least 15 minutes in the dark with all his lights on, not allowing us to get out of where we were hiding. It wasn't until we got another ride to come pick us up did he freak out and drive off when he saw the car come into the parking lot. After all of this, I reported the incident to LYFT right away and they said they would take it very seriously and investigate it. Immediately after reporting it, all the driver information, license number, car description, picture of driver, and everything related to that ride completely got deleted form the app. I called them back to get that information so I can file a police report, they informed me that they could not provide that information as they had to "protect their driver," and clearly didn't care about the safety of their passengers. One day went by and then I find a charge of $50 being charged to my credit card for DAMAGES. I called them to ask them about it, and they said that they were just putting a hold on the card like that while they investigated the issue and that since it was a safety issue that was reported that it was not linked to the damages department so neither department knew what was going on with the other one. They assured me that they would link documentation between the two together so that the safety incident would be taken into account when they make their decision about the damages. That of course did not happen as the next day I saw that the charge was no longer pending but was an actual charge that was made to my credit card company. What's worse in in all of this, is that a week went by and I finally got an email from LYFT updating me on the incident and all it says is that "I can assure you that the concerns you have brought to our attention have been investigated and the necessary actions have been taken." Of course it doesn't say what those actions are or if there was even ever an investigation or what was found. They were so much more concerned with charging money for damages that the safety and well-being of their riders. They refuse to remove the charge of the $50 even after they were informed of the whole incident in detail as well as the fact that the driver willingly and hastily took the $20 cash that my friend handed him. I am wanting to bring awareness to this terrible company, the safety issues it ignores, as well as its terrible customer service.
7 years ago
Eniko Richmond, VA
Yesterday I had to use Lyft because my car was being serviced and I had to go to work in the morning. I booked a ride (my work is a 13 miles distance from my home (16 minutes drive) It initially gave me a price of $14.14 which was reasonable considering the distance. After my rather unsafe drive (the guy was tailgating every car in front of him) I arrived to work. Later I received my receipt of the total of $30!! I was confused as it practically doubled the original price. I went ahead and checked my bank account. There were two separate charges from Lyft. One was $14.14 and the other one was $18.39! I looked at the My Trip option and found out this driver made it as making a stop at my work location, then driving me to another location some 31 miles away! He manipulated it so there was more charge! I found this really upsetting - he was (or Lyft? who knows?) stealing from a single mother of two ! I reached out to Lyft but has no high hopes they will investigate, because I read the other reviews from different incidences. I will sure NOT use Lyft anymore and will recommend everyone I know against it!!
7 years ago
Chanel
Last night my driver pick me up but he noticed that I had a 3 year old with me and said he couldn’t drive me because I didn’t have a car seat with me. I was nice about it and told him that it was okay and asked him to cancel the ride so I could call another lyft or Uber. Instead of cancelling it, he parked a block away on a Walgreens parking lot and waited 5 min so I would get charged the cancellation fee.
What pisses me off is that the driver knew what he was doing and that by waiting the 5 min a I was gonna get charged the cancellation fee.
I wrote an email to costumer service and they basically said that they couldn’t do anything about it.
7 years ago
Conner Mooresville, NC
I left my phone in a car for less than 30 seconds before realizing it was gone. My friend called it until randomly the found was turned off and though I contacted Lyft and informed them that the driver may have stolen the phone, they refused to take responsibility because "Lyft drivers are contractors, not employees of Lyft." Several months later, a woman called me asking if I had a a phone lost or stolen. She had purchased a phone through LetGo for $530 by the SAME PERSON who drove me. I presented this new info to Lyft and they continued to refuse to give me assistance. If a driver steals your phone from Lyft, they do not care at all, so always double check your belongings are in your possession before you let a driver out of your site.
7 years ago
Disappointed Auburn, CA
On April 19 around 3:30 pm I requested my first ride with Lyft, for myself, my two children along with a friend of mine and her two kids.
At first everything was going great, our driver, Kevin showed up in a clean Suburban dressed in a suit and tie. At the start of our ride things were very professional. We were leaving Anaheim (near Disneyland) and headed to the Ontario Airport to go home from our vacation. About 35 minutes into our ride, our driver’s phone started ringing several time. After about 5 calls he finally answered it. By his tone, it did not sound like a good conversation. Unfortunately, it was in a language I could not understand, so I’m not sure what was being said, except there was some type of confrontation or disagreement. After he hung up the phone, things changed. He started driving very aggressively, driving into oncoming traffic in a non-passing lane to pass cars, flying through intersections when it was not his turn, running red lights and going way above the speed limit in Las Angeles traffic. By speeding, I’m talking about 80-90 mph. We were terrified to say the least.
When we were about 15 minutes away from the airport, he turned around and started taking us in the wrong direction, back where we just came from! We watched this on our maps and could not understand what was happening. When we asked him what he was doing he would not clarify his plan. When we would inform him that we are going away from the airport he just kept saying “I know I’m going this way” or “I’m taking the road” to which I believe he meant side roads? Even then, they were still in the opposite direction. As he kept driving we were getting further and further away from the airport. At this point our map was telling us there was no possible way we were making our flight. It was showing us arriving at the airport at the time our flight was going to depart, which was 6:55pm. When we were at our closest point to the airport, it was about 5:10 (we had sat in sow moving traffic for a good portion of our ride) and we were showing we were less 15 minutes away. Before the driver turned around and started driving in the wrong direction we would have been at the airport with plenty of time to catch our flight. This resulted in us having to stay a another night and book new flights for the following day, as there were no flights we could make that night. We finally demanded to be dropped off at a chick Filet, as we were going farther and farther from our agreed upon location. This was not just convenient, but scary, so unprofessional, and completely uncalled for. All we wanted was for our ride to be completed as scheduled.
Not only did he put two women and four children in extremely uncomfortable and unsafe driving conditions, he also put us in a situation to scramble to find a safe and reliable ride to another city and to find a hotel and new flight. I reached out to Lyft and they just said a manager will be in contact with us.... but we STILL have not heard back from them and just keep getting the run around.
7 years ago
ceej269 College Station, TX
My issue with Lyft relates to the experience that I had a couple of nights ago.
I needed a ride to the store on the corner. It is less than a mile and normally I would walk. But it was raining and I needed some medicine.
When the driver picked me up, his stereo was up very loud. I take a seat and immediately saw that his windshield was shattered. This wasn't a crack...it was a spiderweb shatter in the center spanning out over the entire windshield. This worried me that not only was his view obstructed but also that it was dangerous.
On top of that, he was texting while driving checking for his next fare I assume (glancing up and down through the cracked windshield while driving in the rain).
This short 2 block dangerous ride was still $7.
I contacted Lyft who responded they "take reports like this very seriously but do not offer refunds".
They might be very slightly cheaper than Uber but at least Uber would have communicated better and offered a refund or credit for the next ride.
I used Lyft 3 times this week and this was my only complaint due to safety and they emailed a generic copy/paste response and told me that I should have requested another ride. However I was standing in the rain, was unaware of the windshield/loud music until I sat down, and did not know he would be staring at his phone while driving.
Some would say that I should have brought my concerns to the driver's attention. I tried...but the driver did not speak English. He just nodded, smiled, and laughed.
7 years ago
AD Morristown, NJ
I went with a group of friends to a NJ Devils vs NY Rangers game at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. After the game, we requested a LyftXL. We were told a driver named Rishi (driving a black Toyota Highlander) was 2 minutes away. Over the next 15-20 minutes, however, he did not get any closer, and when we called him (more than once) to try to organize a more convenient pick-up location for him, he continued to say that he couldn't get to us because roads were blocked. However, we were standing at a major intersection of unblocked roads, and moved to various street corners in hopes of making the ride more convenient for him. He continued to argue with us saying he couldn't get to us, so we canceled the ride.
We then tried to get another XL from another one of our accounts, and Rishi ended up accepting this ride as well. However, the same issue ensued, and this time he even told us that he was outside at the location we chose although he was not. He, again, argued with us incessantly, using foul language to three of us who each got on the phone trying to help direct him to the location. While this was all happening (over the course of about 45 minutes between the two Lyft attempts), his location on the map was not moving, and we could hear people in the background of his phone laughing. It was clear that he was not trying to get to us. We again had to cancel the ride, and again request an XL, which at this point was surcharged to over $100, a $30-40 increase from the original price.
This incident not only cost us an additional $30-40, but also cost us 45 minutes of our time on a week night as we tried to return home for work the next morning, as well as undue stress as we roamed around the streets of Newark in freezing temperatures at 11pm. It is clear that the driver was accepting rides with no intention of picking up passengers, so that he could collect $5 cancellation fees from various customers without leaving his apartment.
Since the incident, I have spoken with other Lyft costumers who have had the same experience with other drivers. It is clear that Lyft is not vetting their drivers well (if at all), nor are they holding them accountable. After reaching out to Lyft various times about the incident, no action was taken against the driver, and our money was not refunded. I have never had an issue like this with Lyft's competitors. It goes without saying, I will not use Lyft again.
7 years ago
Jj Lambie Roseville, CA
While on vacation, I received an email from Lyft offering me 50% off my next ride. Being new to this whole ride alternative, I figured I'd give it a try.
I have no complaints about my driver. He was awesome! But when requesting my ride, I never received a rate quote. When I mentioned it to my driver, he said to just contact customer service and they would help. Their service is great, he said.
It took two days to hear from customer service. After several emails back and forth I got my quote, but there was no discount? Another string of emails, only to find out I had a duplicate account and that the discount didn't apply to the account I used for my ride.
Duplicate discount? I'm a new user, so that didn't make any sense to me. And even if that were true, how hard would it be to apply my discount to the proper account?
Sorry, they said. We can't help, they said.
I call BS. Told them my first ride with Lyft would be my last. I received an email asking if I'd like to discuss this by phone and I agreed to that, but never did receive a call. It's just as well. I won't be back.
Five stars for my driver Steve! Zero for Lyft and their pathetic service. See ya!
7 years ago
Teeya Miller Louisville, KY
I have ridden over 60 rides with Lyft services. All have been average to great experiences with the exception of my last ride. The last occasion I rode with Lyft I left an item in one of their drivers vehicles , and realized within a 5 minutes time span that I had left it. I contacted the driver back while walking into my office and he didn't answer. Throughout the day he proceeded to ignore my calls and messages. I finally reached him later that night and he explained that he didn't see or didn't find it in his vehicle. This was very hard to believe considering I was sitting in the front, it was left in the front seat, and it was bright silver and pink. He advised me to contact the Lyft Help support which advised there was pretty much nothing they could do because basically it was my fault I left it in the drivers car. Although it wasn't my fault the driver decided to keep it and ignore me the rest of the day. Its whatever I guess I will take it as a loss because to Lyft , it was MY FAULT that I had a dishonest driver. If my driver would have just answered my calls instead of deciding he wanted to keep my wallet than there wouldn't have been an issue. Then again Lyfts current policy does absolutely nothing to infringe punishment or justice for individuals who decide to keep lost items. So basically if I was my driver, I would have kept it as well because I knew nothing would have happened to me. There is absolutely no form of deterrence present in their policy. Altogether with what was lost in the wallet and the cost of my last ride, I payed $213 out of pocket for that 10 minute ride , one in which I have regretted every day since then. Lyft needs to review their policy on lost or stolen items, or maybe just need to employ more honest individuals. Either way I will never be requesting or referring their services to anyone else.
8 years ago
Cindy Wiltz Lewisville, TX
I am livid. I found out from some entirely disrespectful customers service agents that this company authorized a charge on my bank for $15.00 when I have gift card credit for Lyft. After being hung up on by someone who claims to be a supervisor. I took a look at my bank account and found that Lyft tried to authorize $15.00 from not only one account, but two accounts even though there is nearly $80.00 in gift card credit sitting on my Lyft app. One my personal accounts declined (thank God) and the other accounts placed the authorization and reversed it soon afterward. I soon found out from a representative who calls herself Carolyn that Lyft authorizes $15.00 even though you have credit because it’s set up that way in the system. She said it’s in the terms of service. So I will be contacting the BBB and making a complaint.
My ride history doesn’t show records of this charge and no alert to this policy was given. This is a buyer beware that everyone should be aware of and I will make them aware of it.
8 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Amber Frey San Diego, CA
I've used lyft here and there for years and haven't really had a problem up until now. I recently used them on my friends birthday, and a week later I noticed two extra charges on my card from them. I tired to dispute it. One charge was for $5.00 and the other was for $12.90. While trying to dispute it, they sent me a receipt from a ride I got in 2015, three years ago and already charged on an entirely different card, and tried saying that was one of the charges in question for $5.00. They never sent any proof of the $12.90 charge. Ultimately, they told me they couldn't refund me simply because they were made from my account, even though they showed me actual proof that one was a double charge from 3 years ago, and no proof of the other. I will no longer be using their services ever again.
8 years ago
Jarod Nandin Randle, WA
Left my phone in the lyft car, so I got no email receipt, which would have had my driver's info, and problem solved. Called and was told they could not text the driver because it was "illegal at this hour," 11:23 pm. I was told they would email him, but there was no guarantee that
he would see it tonight. They said call back at 9:00 am and they would text the drive, again, no guarantee he would see that either.
I cannot believe that I am the first person to have done this, and that they do not have a policy in place to handle it more efficiently. This is definitely a roadblock to recovering something that is so important. Come on people.
9 years ago
KARIN MCLEARN
I have used Uber and Lyft until this past year. In my opinion, Uber is a far better option. It's always cheaper (although often not by much). In my area there are dozens of drivers available within minutes with Uber while Lyft, having fewer drivers takes at least 15 minutes to arrive. The Uber drivers have nicer cars, Lyft is a toss up. Most are nice, many are not…and you have no choice about your ride until it arrives. Twice I have gotten stuck with Lyft cars that wreak of cigarette smoke and dozens of times my driver does not speak ANY English. I live in Texas!!! Furthermore, Lyft drivers have “dropped” my ride because they can't find me…which means I have a new driver and start my wait all over again. That's frustrating, to say the least. Lastly, Lyft is constantly sending me offers. I mean, daily until I adjusted my mail settings. The offers sound good, but they rarely are what they seem. Customer Service is terrible. The Lyft drivers expect a tip on top of pay.
9 years ago
kernan m Camarillo, CA
I used Lyft 3 times. The first 2 times were fine. The third time, last night January 8, 2016, I requested a lift at 1pm after a dinner party on my way home from the airport. From a popular restaurant in a city of over 100,000 population, the fastest response time was 15 minutes. However, the first driver who accepted my request, Jennifer, never showed after 15 minutes and would not respond to calls or texts. The second driver, Darin, did the same thing. So, the restaurant closed and I was left out in the wind and rain. I found an overhang but the wind was so bad I still got drenched. After nearly an hour of no-shows, I called a conventional taxi. Had they just replied "no drivers available" I would not have nearly frozen.
Here is where i gets really bad: the next day I tried to delete my account and credit card and there is no way to do that. It's been over 6 hours since I contacted support via email with no response. To add insult to injury 11 hours later a driver responded and said "I'm on my way" when I hit the cancel ride button I soon got a $5 cancellation receipt....11 hours after I requested the ride??? Consumers should know that while this service may be okay during working/peak hours, however Lyft is totally unreliable in situations such as emergencies or to avoid driving after drinking...situations when you really need a ride. Who accepts a fair then just leaves the customer standing in the rain without the courtesy of a text??? Evidently this is a common thing with Lyft. I would not recommend this service to anyone. You can't count on them showing up.
Same day follow up: Lyft support got back to me and said they will not delete my account and that I can't get my credit card information removed. They say it's a third party and they do not retain credit card information but when I go on the app, there it is - my credit card remains there and showing attached to my account. Pretty sure what they are doing is illegal.
10 years ago
Courtney Khal Henderson, NV
They charged me twice for the same ride without any warning, then when I went to try to resolve the issue they say it’s only a “pending authorization” and one of the charges will reverse in 5-7 days. Meanwhile my account was overdrawn because I wasn’t expecting double the charge. And there’s no phone # or anyone to speak to at all, just useless FAQs. I hope they don’t treat their drivers like they treat their customers. I’ve never been charged twice for an Uber, just sayin.
4 years ago
Brittney Love
There rental car program is horrible they charge you for personal miles that aren’t even personal if you take someone a long distance why should you have to pay to come back to the original location you started from makes no sense at all and for what you pay a week miles should be unlimited especially since you are working and already paying so much Uber has unlimited miles with Avis maybe lyft should wake up and use the Avis program instead of hertz
4 years ago
Meghan Lazor Denver, CO
Trick promotions. The app shows a week bonus which I completed only to be told it started at a certain time and I missed the mark. However, nothing states when the bonus started only the end date and time. I messaged support and they said it only shows on their end and I should have reached out to find out the start time. Why wouldn’t it just show on the app I’m actually using instead of having to go out of my way to find out?
5 years ago
asal bahrami Laguna Niguel, CA
I recently took a Lyft home from the airport. My driver picked us up, put our suitcases into her trunk. My roommate and I went to the back seats of the car. Sat quietly until we arrived at our destination. The driver then took the suitcases out of her vehicle. Said goodbye to us and went on her way. The next day I get an email with an additional $150 charge on top of my ride fee with the driver complaining of vehicle damage. I strongly believe these were prior marks and she is trying to get money out of it. There was no chance of damages to the exterior of her vehicle being from my ride.
5 years ago
Emily W New Orleans, LA
Scam. Watch out if you use Lyft they charged my 96 year old Granny who has a nurse 24/7 to help her and is in a wheelchair 80.00! Why? For getting her seats wet while it was raining in New Orleans when she was trying to get out of the car. You would think that people would have some compassion for a 96 year old woman who can’t move very fast but apparently not. I mean it’s water and dries.
It is amazing how some people are so heartless. I mean really your seats got wet because my grandmother can’t move fast enough. Be aware!!!!! Complete BS.
5 years ago
Nia Beachwood, OH
I use to be a driver for lyft. I have a lot of issues with the app. They kept deactivating my account even tho I submitted all the proper documents and met all the requirements. I sent my pictures of my license and a selfie and they would not activate my account. I am a black young woman and have been discriminated against. Lyft is racist!! and I have friends who this has also happened too. I am very disappointed in the entire lyft staff. especially matt in support. God will take care of Lyft :-)
5 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Moonstone Vibes Minneapolis, MN
If I could give them zero stars I would. This company is a joke! Three times in one month I have had rude, inconsiderate and lazy drivers. This company should train their drivers in customer service. They just basically let anyone drive for them. I have had route issues and pick up location issues in this month alone. I deleted my account it’s not worth the hassle or putting up with their drivers.
And I’m sure the good reviews on here are from people who work for this company
5 years ago
Robert Houston, TX
Lyft just deactivated my account this morning, as a driver for safety reason due to a passenger lien about my service as a driver. They always agree with the customers and never want to hear what the drivers have to say. I have NEVER been rude to a passenger and my car is always Clean. I don’t drink or do drugs and I also have a 5 star rating. They yet have told me the reason for my account
deactivation. They told me they have made the decision final. I used lyft as a part time income. I’ve been with the company for almost 4 years and this is how they treat they drivers.
6 years ago
Jacqueline Parker, CO
In December of 2019 the company I worked at gave us 2 lyft promo codes totaling $50 to use for rides to and from our holiday party. Lyft only reimbursed me $34.12, rather than $50. I sent them emails via their app on 12/31/19 and 1/12/20. They never responded other than the auto reply saying they would get back with me. I will not be using them again.
6 years ago
Miguel legaspi Avondale, AZ
Driver was smoking marijuana and texting while on the ride after the ride he then tried to charge my debit card $162 in Damages when I did nothing at all there was nothing in the car when I got in the only thing I had was my cane when I left I took my cane and left the guy looks like a real scumbag he was texting all the time didn't say much but obviously lives has lowered their standards for employees I will never use them again ever. I recommend that you consider Uber.
7 years ago
Kimberly Surprise, AZ
I tried every avenue to let Lyft know that a driver put me in danger. They refused to reimburse me. They ignored my reviews. I will now dispute with my bank because no woman should feel vialated or scared during her ride home and have Lyft ignore it.
I was a 5 year customer but because of this I have deleted the Lyft app and will only Uber in the future. When you no longer care about your customers, I no longer care to support your business.
7 years ago
Patricia Wyatt Harrington, DE
This was my 1st experience with Lyft and my last. I was scheduled to be picked at 9:30 am, driver didn't get there until 9:57 am which had me late for my appointment. After I finished my appointment called from them to pick me up.... called a totally of 6 to see where was the drivers they say the person was on the way. I waited for approximately 2 hours and I ended had to call someone else to pick me. I do NOT recommend this company, horrible service and they will never get my busy again.
7 years ago
Thomas Houlahan Washington, DC
Lyft is pretty clearly on its way out. Everywhere you look, there's cost cutting, to the point that customer service is now non-existent. Call the toll free number and it simply directs you to a help site that is extremely limited in the help it can offer. if you have one of the few problems it can help you with, you can send an e-mail. I should warn you, however: Don't hold your hand on your knee while you are waiting for a response. The skin will graft before you get one.
7 years ago
Carrie Fischer Las Vegas, NV
Lyft app pings where you're at. This is the second time this night that lyft has ping me at the wordolf on the Vegas Strip I was never there.
I got cancellation fees of $5 each
why is this my fault when your app is messed up
if you don't return my $10 cancellation fee for the two rides that you said that I missed
I will not use your service again
and if you look at my receipts I would say that I'm very good customer with you I use your service everyday sometimes three four times a day
Thank you Carrie Fisher
8 years ago
SAMTA VYAS Brighton, MA
They randomly out of the blue deactivated my account. This was there explanation.
we found your account to be violating our Terms of Service and you will no longer be able to use the Lyft platform.
I can honestly I have not violated anything so clearly there is something wrong with there information but the worst thing is they don’t even tell you what the problem is. Oh well guess take my business to uber instead.
8 years ago
Keith
Please everybody be aware of faulty damage claims made by Lyft drivers. I received a charge of $150 to clean up throw up that me nor any other passenger did. Their driver has committed fraud. Uber does not have this issue, so it is obvious that Lyft should have more rigorous hiring processes. I will be fighting this charge until I am fully refunded and compensated for my time spent fighting this fraudulent claim. Just a word of advice. It may be a good idea to take time stamped pictured of when you get in and out of a Lyft vehicle...or use a different company
9 years ago
Amber C Frey San Diego, CA
I've used Lyft here and there for years and haven't really had a problem up until now. I recently used them on my friends birthday, and a week later I noticed two extra charges on my card from them. I tired to dispute it. One charge was for $5.00 and the other was for $12.90. While trying to dispute it, they sent me a receipt from a ride I got in 2015, three years ago and already charged on an entirely different card, and tried saying that was one of the charges in question for $5.00. They never sent any proof of the $12.90 charge. Ultimately, they told me they couldn't refund me simply because they were made from my account, even though they showed me actual proof that one was a double charge from 3 years ago, and no proof of the other. I will no longer be using their services ever again
7 years ago
Sadia Islam Port Coquitlam, BC
LYFT is completely unreliable
LYFT has the highest price with worst service. They cancel scheduled rides at the very last moment. Absolutely not reliable! On top of that if you try to call their customer support, you won’t be able to talk to anyone but you will get charged from your phone company for the calls. Terrible!
4 years ago
Angelica White Silver Spring, MD
In Nov 2021 I had to get a job interview. The Lyft driver didn’t know how to use Google maps . The driver couldn’t find where I had to go then got frustrated and put me out of the car. My mom had to come get me and I was 2 hrs late for my job interview. I would suggest people save up and get a professional personal driver.
4 years ago
