As part of the CARES Act, the federal government created three new programs for people who are unemployed or out of work due to COVID-19. Because unemployment compensation is one of the most important parts of the newly enacted CARES Act, we wanted to take some time to expand just on this topic, specifically as it may relate to rideshare drivers.  13-week extension - For drivers who have held part-time or full-time “traditional” employment (as discussed in more depth below), traditional unemployment benefits have been extended by 13 weeks, on top of the regular 26 weeks that are availab ..read more

During this challenging time, Lyft drivers play a critical role, connecting people to essential services and goods—like healthcare, food and medicine. We deeply appreciate your contributions to your communities, and also understand that earning money may be difficult right now. Under the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) created new programs to support small businesses, including those who are self-employed, sole proprietors or independent contractors. Many drivers on the Lyft platform are self-employed or own their own business and may be eligible.  These SBA programs ar ..read more

As we continue to make our way — together — through this unprecedented crisis, many of you are on the road providing access to essential services for our communities. Thank you for everything you do to help others, especially now. For a lot of drivers, the ability to earn the money you count on has been affected, either by the drop in rides we’re experiencing, as people stay home, or the need to stay home yourselves.  On Friday, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The Act aims to ease the impact of COVID-19 and provide support to millions of work ..read more

We understand this is a challenging time, and new information is coming out every day. Last week, the federal government announced economic relief packages intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 and provide assistance to millions of working individuals and families across the country who are impacted by this unprecedented pandemic. At Lyft Canada, we are proud to support these measures. The federal response contains emergency provisions and funding that directly impacts the Lyft community - our riders, our drivers, our staff and our loved ones. Many cities and provinces across Canada have ann ..read more

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed a bill to provide direct support to millions of working individuals and families across the country. This is the second federal bill considered over the past week responding to COVID-19 that would provide benefits to many members of the Lyft community.  Lyft supports this bill, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), and advocated for a number of provisions contained in it. As a member of the Lyft family, we want to share with you what we know about resources found in the CARES Act that would help you and your family during this cha ..read more

We know this is a challenging time to be on the road and ride requests have decreased. We’re looking for new ways to support drivers. Starting March 25, we’re piloting an initiative in response to COVID-19: Priority driving times. During designated times, you’ll be prioritized in the Seattle region. What this means is you’ll be more likely to receive ride requests than non-priority drivers, leading to more chances to earn. We’re doing this to help you get the most out of your time on the road, even when ride requests are reduced.  Your eligible pr ..read more

First, we know no words will do justice to everyone's individual experience over the last couple weeks. All of us at Lyft feel the weight of our responsibility to the community, particularly right now. Today we wanted to share some of our initial efforts to help. Connecting drivers with additional sources of income While ride demand is temporarily down, we’re actively expanding our services to include delivery partnerships with healthcare, government, and businesses to create new opportunities for those of you who are interested and able to drive. Those who would like to help neighbors get to ..read more

Yesterday, federal legislation was signed into law that intends to slow the spread of COVID-19 and provide assistance to millions of working families across the country who are impacted by the coronavirus.  We support this new law, which contains emergency measures and funding that directly impacts the Lyft community - our riders, our drivers, our staff and our loved ones. As a member of the Lyft family, we want to share with you what we know about resources available to help you and your family during this challenging time.  There are many moving parts and a lot that we don’t yet know. We ar ..read more

Started in 2016, the Driver Advisory Council (DAC) program brings driver feedback directly to Lyft and helps the team understand drivers’ experiences better. In 2019, the program grew from 10 national council members to over 200 members across the US and Canada. And on January 15, 2020, over 100 new DAC members joined the ranks.  We’re so proud of the way 2019’s DAC members helped drivers connect with one another, with the Lyft team, and with their local communities. Local and National DAC members sparked valuable conversations and created powerful grassroots initiatives ..read more

Whether you give the best advice, pride yourself on your Dad jokes, or sing karaoke with your passengers, we want to know: what makes your ride extra special? Do you have a secret sauce? Enter to Win Tell us — or better yet, show us! — what makes you unique as a Lyft driver by submitting a short video clip below. We’ll select our favorites based on originality, creativity, and clarity to feature in an upcoming compilation. If we feature yours, you’ll score $100. Here’s how to enter: Open the video app on your phone, making sure to hold it vertically. Roll camera and tell us what makes you/your ..read more