Lyft and other rideshare services create accessibility and convenience for passengers across the nation. However, some passengers can end up waiting excessive amounts of time for their driver to arrive.
The long-distance pickups and pickup times don’t only affect the customer. Lyft drivers also receive negative impacts for long-distance pickups. Here’s what you need to know.
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What Are Long Distance Pickups for Lyft?
Long-distance pickups are long periods of time a driver has to take to arrive to pick up a passenger. Pickup times can vary from as little as five minutes all the way to 30. In this article, we’ll be covering what this means for both Lyft drivers and passengers.
Long Distance Pickups for Customers
Waiting for a Lyft can sometimes take a bit of time. Customers may get lucky and wait around five minutes for their ride to show up. Other passengers can end up waiting upwards of 20-30 minutes. This can be a frustrating experience when you’re in a hurry. However, you can use Lyft’s Wait and Save feature to capitalize on long pickup times.
What’s the Average Wait Time?
Customers can expect to wait anywhere from five to 20 minutes on average for their driver to arrive. This will depend on your market, location, and circumstances. However, more drivers are signing up for Lyft, so these time frames could decrease.
Wait and Save
Lyft passengers can wait anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes on average per ride. Not to mention, the global pandemic caused Shared Rides to be discontinued, resulting in more expensive trips. That’s where you can use Lyft’s Wait & Save feature to capitalize on long pickup times and save money in the process.
The program allows customers to pay lower fares by increasing the wait time. Wait & Save is available for most passengers across Canada and the United States. Lyft also ensures their drivers make their standard rates, despite the wait time.
It’s not specified how much you can save using the feature. However, the average seems to be around $1 to $5 per 20-minute wait. You might as well use the feature If you have a long-distance pickup time.
Does Lyft Charge Customers for Long Distance Pickups?
Lyft does not charge passengers for their wait times or long-distance pickups. This means customers will not have any additional fees whether they wait five minutes or 45.
Long Distance Pickups for Drivers
One issue Lyft drivers frequently run into is long-distance pickups. When a driver accepts a new trip, they have to travel to the customer’s pickup location. Long-distance pickups accumulate extra gas mileage, vehicle damage, and other fees. Let’s break into it a bit further.
Does Lyft Pay Drivers for Long Distance Pickups?
Unfortunately, Lyft drivers are currently not compensated for the time it takes to arrive at the pickup area. Lyft drivers are only paid for the time and distance when a passenger is in their vehicle. This cuts into a driver’s bottom line and affects their overall income.
Lyft previously tried rolling out a program that allowed drivers to start earning once they accepted a trip. However, Lyft soon canceled the program for various reasons.
Does Uber Pay Drivers for Long Distance Pickups?
When it comes to rideshare services, many drivers prefer Uber over Lyft. One of the reasons drivers prefer Uber is because they offer payments for select long-distance pickups.
Uber drivers that meet certain criteria will be eligible to receive Long-Distance Premiums for select trips. These Uber drivers can set their long-distance threshold and will start earning once they cross the timeframe. The maximum payment Long Distance Premium Uber drivers can receive is $20 for all cities and locations.
For these reasons, it may be better to drive using Uber for long-distance pickups. The decision will come down to your preferences, circumstances, and market.
Long Distance Pickup Tips for Lyft Drivers
You know how important efficiency is If you’re a Lyft or rideshare driver. Every mile costs money and takes a toll on your vehicle. You run the risk of making less money if you aren’t using your time, mileage, and vehicle efficiently. Here are some tips to make your life easier.
Avoid Low Paying Long Distance Pickups
Many Lyft drivers recommend avoiding long-distance pickups for various reasons. One of the main reasons is that Lyft doesn’t pay for the time spent traveling to the passenger’s location. Many drivers recommend avoiding these long travel times, especially if the trip payout is low.
Some drivers recommend declining any trip that’s more than eight minutes away. Other drivers recommend canceling trips 10-15 minutes away. The decision will come down to your market, experience, circumstances, and preferences.
Don’t Drive Around Aimlessly
This point may seem obvious. However, driving around aimlessly while you don’t have a passenger will result in less income. Lyft doesn’t compensate drivers when they don’t have a passenger. This means you will be spending gas, mileage, time, and adding maintenance costs to your vehicle.
Are Long Distance Pickups Worth It?
Long-distance pickups may not be worth it for Lyft drivers. Lyft doesn’t compensate their drivers when they don’t have a passenger in their vehicle. This means the time it takes to arrive at a pickup location can affect a driver’s bottom line.
Passengers can use Lyft’s Wait & Save feature to capitalize on long wait times and save money in the process. Passengers can save an average of $1 to $5 for a 20-minute wait when using the program.