If you are trying to get a ride with Lyft, you may notice that it is stuck on “looking for nearby drivers”. This is a notification that Lyft gives when it has not been able to find a driver for you yet.
This can be frustrating as you may be getting this notification constantly and not get a driver. To find out why you are getting this alert and what it means, keep reading.
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Why Is Lyft Request Taking Forever?
When you see the “looking for nearby drivers” notification on Lyft, that means that it is having trouble finding a driver. This is because there are not enough available drivers working at that specific time.
This can result in the driver matching process taking a long time to complete. This is also not uncommon as many passengers will eventually run into this Lyft issue when trying to get a ride.
Lyft often has difficulty supplying enough drivers, which can lead to ridiculously long wait times. This can be very frustrating and even result in you not getting a Lyft ride at all if it can’t find a driver.
It is also common for Lyft drivers to decline rides depending on their personal preferences. This can slow the process down even more and make it harder to get a Lyft driver.
This creates a not-so-pleasant Lyft experience and can result in you not getting the ride that you need. Or having to go to another service to get a ride instead.
What Happens If Lyft Doesn’t Find a Driver?
If the “looking for nearby drivers” notification does not go away, Lyft wasn’t able to find you a driver. You will not be charged, but you also will not get the ride that you need.
This is something that has been happening more frequently in the past year as drivers have been in short supply. Lyft has especially suffered, resulting in fewer drivers available to pick up passengers.
This is frustrating from all sides as Lyft loses a customer, and you do not get the ride that you need.
If Lyft does find you a driver, but they do not show up, you will be refunded for any charges applied to your trip. You won’t be charged for anything as you did not get the ride that you were promised.
This is a small comfort, however, as you are still short of a ride and will have to find another solution.
Why Does Lyft Take So Long?
Lyft has a reputation for taking quite a while before you ever get a driver to take your ride. This is because Lyft drivers are not technically employees and can accept or decline trips.
This means that your trip may be held up as Lyft looks for a driver because none want to accept your ride. This could be due to the distance, your location, or any other factor involved in the trip.
All Lyft drivers have the option to either accept or decline any rides that are offered to them. Lyft does not have the right to force any of its drivers to accept the orders offered to them.
This system is great for the drivers and can give them more freedom, but it doesn’t necessarily work in the favor of the passenger. Especially since it is common for many rides to be declined by at least two or three drivers.
This can make the wait time to find a driver significantly slower, especially if Lyft is already running short on drivers. This is why you may want to expect a longer wait time when getting a ride through Lyft.
Many customers have to wait two to thirty minutes to get a driver, then ten to fifteen minutes for the driver to show up. This can be very inconvenient if you have plans or are on a deadline and need to get somewhere on time.
Why Is Lyft Stuck on “Looking for Nearby Drivers”?
Lyft can get stuck on “looking for nearby drivers” if it is running low on available drivers. This can result in longer than average wait times as it looks for any drivers to take your ride.
This has been a more common issue as of late as Lyft is running low on drivers in general, making it harder to supply the demand. This creates much longer wait times and can even result in you not getting a ride at all.
If Lyft cannot find a driver for you, you will either have to wait and try again later or go with another service instead. You will not be charged as you did not get the ride that you needed.
There is never any guarantee that a driver will take on your ride, even if there are plenty available. One common complaint is how long the driver matching process takes, as drivers can decline your ride.
In general, two to three drivers will decline your ride before one accepts it, which can make the process much longer. This can lead to a frustratingly long wait time as you are waiting to match up with an available driver.
When getting a ride through Lyft, you will want to keep these possibilities in mind just in case. Especially since you never know when there may be more or fewer drivers available.
To shift the odds in your favor, it is best to avoid getting a ride during the busiest times of the day as more drivers will be available.