The gradual rise of ridesharing services has changed the entire ground transportation paradigm. Frugal travelers no longer wait in line at a taxi stand and pay their bill with cash. Instead, with a couple taps of the smartphone (where available by law), you can request a driver, give them directions to your destination and pay with the convenience of your favorite travel credit card.
While the convenience comes for frequent travelers, it also comes with a little bit of mystery as well. If you have a problem with a driver, how does it get resolved? Can you leave cash as a tip? What if you leave something behind – is it gone forever?
I talked to two experienced Lyft drivers to find out what happens behind the scenes. What I ended up finding out was enlightening, to say the least.
Like having bottled waters or other refreshments? Leave a good tip.
It’s no secret that drivers have to pay for convenience items, like bottled water and candies, out of their own pocket. One would expect that the driver’s rate would keep these things in mind – but that’s not the case. Drivers’ rates are determined by location, surge pricing and other factors. Rider experience items, like water, are not added into that consideration.
Both drivers I spoke to said their ability to keep water in their cars is directly based on the tips they receive. So if you appreciated having a cold water or a breath mint prior to your arrival, be sure to leave a large tip. Paying it forward to drivers ensures they can keep paying it back to future riders.
Cash is an acceptable tip. Seriously.
At the conclusion of a ride, the Lyft app will present you with your bill and the option to give the rider a tip. While you can give a tip from your credit card and get extra miles, cash is sometimes more convenient – and that is absolutely okay.
“I’ve gotten tips in cash before,” one of the Lyft drivers told us. “I don’t mind either way. Cash is good, and if I need my tips today I can always pay a convenience fee to get them deposited same day.”
When it comes to tipping, there is no wrong way to do it. Using either cash or credit from the app is acceptable and easy to do.
Lyft does take complaints seriously
One of my personal frustrations of Lyft is dealing with unsafe drivers. Although the majority of my rides were safe and without issue, there are situations when I get a driver who is uncourteous, doesn’t stop after I hail them on a ride, or drives like a madman.
We’ve all been in that situation. And according to the two Lyft drivers I spoke to anonymously, they can get in big trouble for unsafe driving. If Lyft gets a report that a driver ran a red light or stop sign, its an immediate strike against them. Enough strikes and they are banned from being a driver.
If you are in an emergency, then call 911. After that, ask the Lyft Critical Response Line to call you back through the app. This can help you resolve your situation immediately – and help future riders not get paired with unsafe riders.
Drivers have an incentive to get your items back
In the early days of ridesharing, one of the principal concerns was leaving items behind. If you left a bag, phone or purse behind, one of the worries was that you may never get it back.
Today, that’s less of an issue because Lyft provides an incentive for drivers to reunite people with their stuff. If you report an item missing to Lyft, they will get in contact with the driver to return your item – either by mail or by reuniting with you later. If they successfully get your stuff back to you, the driver gets a cash incentive.
This actually happened during one of my interviews: a rider left behind an item and reported it to Lyft. The driver dropped it in the mail – and when the rider reports they got it back, the driver will receive a $15 bonus.
Ridesharing is cheaper than a cab, but drivers know cheaper ways around
Finally, it’s no secret that ridesharing is cheaper than taking a cab to any destination. But the drivers know that there are even more frugal ways to get around.
“One rider wanted me to take him to Los Angeles International Airport at the height of rush hour,” one of the drivers explained. “I explained to him his options: it would take two hours and over $50 if I took him, or he could take public transportation, get there in 90 minutes and spend less money.”
Needless to say: the ride got canceled and the rider opted for public transportation. In some situations, if you ask nicely, the drivers can help you find alternatives that will get you places just as efficiently and save you a little cash as well.
What travel hacks have helped you get around with ridesharing services? Let us know your tips and experiences in the comments below!
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ https://www.frugaltravelguy.com
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ https://www.frugaltravelguy.com