Being a Lyft driver has its ups and downs. You're your boss but at the mercy of passengers and Lyft. A Lyft deactivation is a pretty scary event for drivers, as it means you have lost your ability to make money on the platform. Lyft's system is based on driver ratings; a driver's account can easily get deactivated if too many passengers give them a bad rating. But how can drivers improve their passenger ratings, so they don't get deactivated? And how should they act once they get deactivated to help their chances of getting reactivated?
Keep in mind that if you do happen to get deactivated, Driverly can help you! When you sign up for a Driverly Premium Membership, you get exclusive access to all their tools and resources to help you succeed as a driver and get reactivated. Sign up now to try to get back on the road! Driverly helps gig workers who have been deactivated by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Postmates, Intstacart, and many more.
Why Lyft Drivers Get Deactivated
Lyft drivers get deactivated for a variety of reasons. You could be a new driver who just got your first deactivation or a seasoned driver who has been deactivated several times. It can be frustrating to know that you must start over again. Here are some common reasons why Lyft Drivers Get Deactivated:
1. Breaking a Traffic Law
Lyft has a zero-tolerance policy for breaking traffic laws. You can expect to be deactivated if caught committing any traffic violation. This includes speeding or driving recklessly, running red lights or stop signs, and disobeying traffic signals or signs.
2. Outdated Documents
To drive for Lyft, you must have a valid driver’s license and car insurance. If you don’t, then it’s likely that they will deactivate you. If a driver has an outdated license or insurance, they must update it before driving again.
3. Use of Alcohol or Drugs While Driving
There are serious consequences for being caught using drugs or alcohol while driving on the Lyft platform. If it is determined that a driver was under the influence when reporting an accident or incident, then they will be deactivated immediately. As you may know, there are strict laws against driving under the influence (DUI) in every state across the U.S., so make sure you don’t break any laws while behind the wheel.
4. Vehicle Doesn’t Meet Lyft’s Guidelines
Lyft has certain guidelines that must be met to become a driver on its platform. This includes things like having a clean vehicle, having insurance, etc. If you do not meet these requirements, you could be deactivated by Lyft.
5. Transporting an Unaccompanied Minor
Lyft has strict rules regarding transporting unaccompanied minors in your vehicle. If you are caught transporting an unaccompanied minor without permission from their parent or guardian, you could be deactivated by Lyft.
6. Violating Lyft’s Anti-Discrimination Policy
A Lyft driver gets deactivated because they violated the company’s anti-discrimination policy by refusing to give rides to certain passengers because of their race, religion, sex, age, or disability. This includes refusing to pick up people based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. Even if the passenger is not disabled but suspects they may be disabled somehow, you should still provide them with services as required by law.
7. Making Sexual Comments or Advances Towards a Passenger
Another reason Lyft drivers get deactivated is if they make sexual comments toward passengers or even try to touch them inappropriately during the ride. If this happens during your shift, it might be hard for you to defend yourself against these allegations since there is no evidence other than what the passenger tells about it.
8. Texted While Driving
Lyft has a zero-tolerance policy for texting while driving. You'll be deactivated from the Lyft platform if you're caught texting while driving. This includes sending texts to passengers or other drivers, but it also includes receiving texts while driving. You can only use your phone in an emergency when you're behind the wheel.
9. Rating Is Too Low
A low rating is another common reason why drivers get deactivated from Lyft. Your rating is based on passengers' feedback about your service as a driver and how often they choose to ride with you again after taking their first ride together. If your rating falls below 4.5 stars out of 5, you'll receive an email warning from Lyft asking you to improve your performance or risk losing access to the app entirely.
10. Falsified Information
Lyft has a zero-tolerance policy regarding falsifying information on their application or during the vetting process. This could include providing fake insurance documents, using someone else’s insurance, or using a fake name. You can also be deactivated if you provide false information regarding your driver’s license, car registration, or other personal information.
11. Canceling on Riders
If you cannot accommodate a rider's request, there is an option to cancel their request and allow another driver to pick them up instead of wasting their time, as well as your own. Canceling riders can result in being reported by other passengers, which may lead to deactivation from the platform if it happens too often. Drivers need to be courteous when accepting rides they cannot accommodate and make sure they cancel on their passengers as soon as possible so that another driver can take over without causing inconvenience for either party involved.
Check out this tips to become a better Lyft driver and hopefully avoid these mistakes and deactivation:
How to Get Reactivated With Lyft
If Lyft has deactivated you, keep hope, and you can get reactivated. Here's how:
Contact Lyft Support. The first step is to get in touch with Lyft support and plead your case. Be sure to contact them before your 14-day period, so they can start reactivating your account. If you're still within that 14-day window, try calling or live chatting with a representative on the website.
Be honest about what happened. Explain why you were deactivated and why it won't happen again, even if it was an honest mistake or misunderstanding. If you were kicked out for driving dangerously or violating other rules, tell the support agent that this has been a learning experience for you and that you'll never do it again.
Give them time to review your case before reaching out again. Once they've reviewed your case, they should give you an update within 48 hours. If this doesn't happen, send another email asking what's going on, but be careful not to sound demanding or pushy; just make sure they know that you're ready and willing to be reactivated as soon as possible.
Use Driverly. Again, signing up to be a Driverly Premium Member will give you exclusive access to their reactivation services where they'll handle the appeal process for you. Driverly strives to help drivers get back on the road so they can continue to earn more. Sign up now!
Conclusion
If you're a Lyft driver who has been deactivated, keep in mind that Lyft does reactivate drivers at times. You can take some steps to get deactivated if you believe you were wrongly deactivated or that the deactivation was a mistake. Those steps include talking to customer service, resolving issues with them, and contacting Lyft's Driver Support directly with your concerns. Keeping these guidelines in mind should help you on the road to reactivation.