Earn Extra Money By Becoming a Ridesharing Driver with Lyft

One thing is constant in people’s lives overtime and that is movement. People tend to move from one place to another for the completion of their daily activities. For some people, their activity for the day involves conveying others to where they carry out their daily activities and that includes Lyft drivers. If you are one of such people or you are hoping to be a ride hail driver, you can get information here.

How well will I get paid?

One of the first things that may come to your mind before you take any job is to know if it offers good pay, and this isn’t different with Lyft drivers. You would to know if the income of this job is enough to sustain you and cover all your expenses.  There is really no straight answer to this question. Several factors have to be put into consideration when discussing the earnings of drivers. Some of these factors include the city, working hours, number of hours invested into it, expenses, and the tips received from passengers. 

On an average it is possible to earn close to $1000 in a month while working as a Lyft driver after expenses, if you willing to work for about 8 hours in a day all through the week. If it is your major source of income, it shouldn’t prove too difficult to achieve. However, if ride hailing is just a side job to you it may be difficult to make such money within a month.

For more insight into what it’s like being a hired driver and how much you can make check out our interview with an Uber driver where we break down the requirements, benefits, pros and cons.

Drivers in this line of work get paid per ride which they take based on the distance covered. Passengers pay through the app after getting to their destination. After this, the company and the drivers each get their share. Drivers can also be tipped by the customers based on how customer friendly they are.

All you need to know about becoming a Lyft driver

Before getting to this job, you need to know some things, and make inquires about some others to ensure that it is a favorable line of work for you. Some of the things to look out for include the cost incurred in this line of work such as cost of gasoline. Contrary to popular belief the cost of gasoline and other expenses are usually covered by the driver and not the ride hailing company. Other costs which you would have to cover include car washes, cleaning, and snacks which are offered in the cars.

Moving away from all you have to pay for when you become a driver for a car hailing company. There are certain benefits which the job offers. One of such benefits is that you can decide to work at your own specified time. Working as a Lyft driver gives you the opportunity to work at your own free hours. You can create a working timetable for yourself and don’t have to stick with the orders of a boss, although you still have to be polite and show courtesy to the passengers.

Being a Lyft driver also allows you to see the destination of your passenger before accepting the ride. You can decide where you would like to work for the day. This provides some sort of flexibility which most other jobs do not possess. Although working in certain area earns higher pay than others.

As nice as it would be to work for long hours and make all the money in the world, there is a time limit for working as a car hail driver. Most companies put the limit at 12 hours for each day. This ensures that you can make a lot of money in a day but also have time to rest. You can always work less hours in a day or even not to work all day but overworking yourself is not encouraged on this platform.

What do I need to do to get started?

To become a Lyft driver certain things have to be in place and requirements which have to be met. One of such things is the age of the driver and experience. Applicant must be over 21 years of age and possess a valid license for the minimum of one year. This ensures that the driver is ready to deal with any situation which might arise. You also have to pass a background check to ensure the safety of both you and your passengers.

[alert-note]Lyft’s driver requirements are updated frequently so make sure to visit their official requirements page before applying: https://www.lyft.com/driver-application-requirements[/alert-note]

After a check on your background, your car will also be checked to insure that it is in good condition. Applicants with cars which do not meet the right standards will not be accepted. After passing these checks your application is young to be accepted and you can start working as a driver.

Rules to follow as both a passenger and a driver

As it is with all careers and jobs, there are certain rules to be followed both for the passengers and the driver to ensure comfort and safety.

 One of the most important rules for the drivers is to avoid bringing family and friends along in the ride. This is to ensure that the passengers feel comfortable with the ride and also safe. The sight of an extra unknown person might make the passengers feel unsafe.

Another rule to follow is to ensure that smoking is avoided in the car. This is for both the safety of the passenger and the driver. People with certain respiratory issues may find it to be damaging or disturbing to their health.

Drivers in this line of work are also allowed to cancel their ride at any time if they have an emergency or if they feel that their safety is being threatened in some way. However cancellation by passengers after the ride has started attracts a fee to ensure that the driver is not on the losing side.

Passengers are not allowed to request for any particular gender when requesting a ride. This is possible with local taxi companies however; car hail companies do not provide that luxury.

Whether you have decides to take it as a full time job or just to make some money as a side job. Being car hail driver is a good job which also provides flexibility for you.

About Rudeth S

I'm a retired Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist for a leading Fortune 500 company, current volunteer Director at Copy My Resume, a mother of 3 and herbal tea lover!

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