Ratings and cancellations

Ratings and Cancellations

We know drivers work hard for their ratings, and we’re here to help you keep ratings high.

“Clean car, good driving skills, great attitude. Pleasure riding with him.”

— 5-Star Feedback, Passenger Comment No. 8,362,844

Understanding the Lyft ratings system

At the end of each ride, you and your passenger have the opportunity to rate each other on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the best. Ratings are a way for drivers and passengers to learn from each other and continue to improve. You won’t get matched again if you or your passenger rate each other 3 stars or fewer. Consistently low ratings can put you at risk of deactivation, so check your summary emails to find ways to improve. However, we also know some things are out of your control — such as Shared routes or pickup times — so if you’re rated 4 stars or fewer for something you can’t control, it won’t count against you.

Pro tips from some of Lyft’s highest-rated drivers

Friendliness

“Start off saying good morning, good evening, hello, how are you. Start with the basics. If they don't want to talk, you'll know right away. Don't be silent. Smile. Do all the right things when you first meet somebody.” Millions of amazing connections are made in Lyft rides every day. A simple hello and thank you is always polite and appreciated. Try to match the energy of the passenger: If they’re feeling chatty, keep the conversation going. If your passenger is just on their phone and staying quiet, that’s okay, too.

Navigation

“Especially with people who are locals, I like to ask them if the route that I'm planning on taking is the route that they would prefer. I get a lot of locals that don't like to take the interstate, for example.” Most passengers are happy if you follow your GPS, but some may have a preferred route. It never hurts to ask!

Safety

"Stay alert: don't text, don't speed, and don't talk on the phone during rides." Passengers value safety over a quick ride. Don’t forget to obey traffic laws, pull over safely for pickups and drop-offs, and avoid abrupt stops.

Cleanliness

“Always keep your car clean, passengers really like getting into a clean car that smells good.” Keeping a clean, odor-free car is key to a pleasant Lyft ride — for both you and your passengers. If your seats and trunk are clutter-free, then you can make way for anything your passengers may have with them, like luggage.

Above and beyond

*“If I think they’re not interested in talking, I'll just ask them to let me know if I can adjust the temperature for them and go about the route.”* Making sure your passengers are comfortable in the car creates a smoother ride. Support can be as simple as playing some good tunes, checking that passengers don’t forget any items, or offering to charge their phones.

Self-care

“If I feel myself not being able to provide the level of service that I hold myself to, I'll log offline and go home, take a break, go get something to eat, or do something to let my brain relax.” Remember to take breaks and rest whenever you need.

Cancellation Policy

It’s not you, it’s them. (... Well, it’s sometimes you.) Cancellations are here for when things don’t go to plan, but they tend to be a bad experience for everyone involved. Choosing wisely is so important. Important: If you cancel 15 or more of your last 100 accepted rides — not including passenger no-shows — your account could be at risk, so it’s important to choose carefully.

Reasons to cancel a ride

We recommend using your best judgment when cancelling rides.

• Emergency: If you have an emergency and cannot pick up a ride you have already accepted, you can always cancel the ride.

• Safety: There are a number of concerns that are perfectly acceptable if you need to cancel a ride, including:

  • Your passenger makes you feel uncomfortable

  • Your passenger is an unaccompanied minor (17 and under)

  • There isn’t a car seat for a child they are traveling with

  • There aren’t enough seat belts for the people in your passenger’s party (if that’s the case, they should order a Lyft XL) If you cancel for any of the above reasons, make sure to reach out to our support team so they’re aware and can review the request.

Cancelling a ride

We recommend using your best judgment when cancelling rides.

1. iPhone users, tap the arrow in the top right corner. Android users, tap ••• in the top right corner.

2. Tap Cancel ride.

3. If your passenger is not at fault, you can select Do not charge.

Marking your passenger as a no-show

We know how vital your time and efforts are, so we charge passengers a no-show fee under the following circumstances and add it to your total earnings:

1. Tap to arrive at the pickup location.

2. Wait for the timer to count down to 0:00.

3. Attempt to call your passenger.

4. Cancel the ride by tapping Passenger is no-show and then tap Confirm no-show. For Shared rides, you’ll need to wait a minimum of 120 seconds for each passenger. You may have a dynamic waiting period (up to 5 minutes) for a passenger during unmatched shared rides before you can mark them as a no-show, but 90% of the time you will wait less than 2 minutes. For unmatched Shared rides, you must call your passenger before marking them as a no-show. If your second passenger cancels or is a no-show, you will not receive a no-show fee because you’re already being paid for the time you’ve spent waiting, as well as distance for the ride. Any cancellation fees you receive are added to your payout each week and shown in your Earnings tab under Ride history.

When passengers cancel

If certain conditions are met once you’ve made progress to the passenger’s location, you can collect a cancellation fee.

Cancellations and your acceptance rate

Your cancellation rate is not affected by passenger cancellations or no-shows. Only rides which you cancel yourself or decline to accept are factored into your cancelation rate.