When you’re looking for a ride, you should consider your options. If you don’t have a friend or relative to drive you, Lyft may be a good alternative.
However, you have to consider if Lyft drivers are available for the ride when you need it. This is particularly important for rides early in the morning or late at night.
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When Are Lyft Drivers Available?
Lyft drivers can start as early as 3 AM, but they don’t have to work that early. Since drivers are contractors, they control when and where they work. Lyft drivers may be more available in larger cities at those hours.
You can schedule a ride in the Lyft app, but even that won’t guarantee a driver will be available. If you’re a driver, though, taking early morning rides can help you avoid competition. You may also make more money at those hours.
Can You Get a Lyft at 4-5 AM?
You may be able to get a Lyft at 4-5 AM, but it’s not a given. The odds of getting a ride early in the morning are greater in larger cities. There are more drivers, in general, which means there are probably more drivers available early in the morning.
In a smaller town, there may not be any drivers working at the time. There might only be a couple of drivers, so you might need to wait. It can also depend on the day of the week, the time of year, and other factors.
If you need an early morning ride, you might want to have a backup. That way, you can get where you need to go if no Lyft drivers are available.
How to Schedule an Early Morning Lyft
One way to increase the chances of getting a ride early in the morning is to schedule it. Lyft lets passengers schedule rides up to a week ahead of time. To schedule a Lyft, you will need to go to the app and set your destination.
Tap “Schedule” to tell Lyft that you don’t need the ride immediately. After that, you’ll set your pickup address and the pickup time. Confirm the ride by selecting “Schedule” again. If you realize later you need to cancel the ride, you can do so in the app as well.
Why Schedule an Early Morning Lyft
If you know you need an early morning ride, scheduling it is helpful. For one, you’ll have one less thing you need to worry about the day of the ride. You can focus on getting ready for the day, packing for a trip, or doing whatever else you have to do.
Scheduling a ride may also help push the ride out to Lyft drivers earlier. Then, a driver might accept the ride and get to you sooner than if you requested the ride that morning. If only a couple of drivers are available, you can get the ride when you need it.
Why Drive for Lyft Early in the Morning
If you’re a Lyft driver, working early in the morning has a lot of potential. Of course, not everyone is willing to get up at 3 or 4 AM to start driving. However, that means the drivers who do get up early can take advantage of that time.
Maybe you have a day job and want to make extra money. Driving before work can be a good option. Even if you drive for Lyft full-time, taking the morning shift offers quite a lot of benefits.
Here are some benefits you should consider before you drive early in the morning.
Make Extra Money
Depending on where you live, Lyft may set peak hours early in the morning. Peak hours usually come with pay bonuses, so you can make more money without working more.
If you don’t have a lot of time to drive for Lyft, you should focus on peak hours. Now, those hours can be stressful, but early mornings aren’t as hard as some other times.
Since a lot of Lyft drivers aren’t willing to get up early, you can snag more bonuses. Then, you won’t have to spend all of your free time driving just to get by.
Less Competition
Because a lot of Lyft drivers want to stick to later hours, you may not face as much competition if you get out and drive at 3, 4, or 5 AM. This can be a nice option if you live somewhere with a lot of drivers but not a lot of rides.
You’ll have access to more rides, and you might get more rides back to back. Then, you won’t have to sit around waiting for passengers as much. That can help you make better use of your time, which can further help you make more money.
Avoid Rush Hour
Most peak hours happen during rush hours or on busy weekend nights. However, those hours tend to come with a lot of traffic. If you want to avoid rush hour, early mornings can be a great time to drive for Lyft.
You may face a bit of traffic, but it probably won’t be as busy as it would later in the day. Driving early is also a good option if you have a day job. You’ll be able to drive for Lyft to make extra cash, go to work, and go home to relax after a long day.
Good Passengers
You always risk getting unruly passengers, but early morning riders tend to be pretty calm. Of course, you may get the occasional ride request from a bar, but you can decline those rides.
A lot of business people tend to request rides early in the morning. They might need a ride to get to work early to prepare for a long day. In a lot of cases, they’ll need rides to the airport to catch an early flight.
If you get a lot of these riders, you might also get bigger tips. Business people tend to make a lot of money, so they can afford to tip you. And they may tip you well if they struggle to get someone to pick them up.
Standard Routes
Another benefit of driving for Lyft early in the morning is the routes. You could get any route within your city, but many routes involve the airport. A lot of people may need rides to catch their 6 or 7 AM flights.
Similarly, you might also get rides from the airport. If flights get in late or your airport has a lot of red-eye flights, you could get some passengers who need rides home or to a hotel.
You may also get a lot of rides to the business district or the downtown area of your city. After a few days, you could get to know those parts of the city well, which can help you focus more on driving.
How Early Are Lyft Drivers Available?
Lyft drivers may be available as early as 3 AM, but that’s not always the case. The specific availability can depend on your city, the day of the week, and the weather conditions. While scheduling rides is an option, even that won’t guarantee someone is available. But if you’re a driver, working that early can help you make extra cash since others aren’t working.