Lyft overhauls its driver rewards program to take on Uber Pro
Lyft drivers can now go platinum.
Lyft Rewards for Drivers is a new driver loyalty program unveiled Thursday in 11 U.S. regions, but it's currently only offering drivers reward points during busy hours.
During those hours —which vary for each city — drivers earn points for every dollar earned working on the app. Then drivers can turn those points into cash or Lyft credit. Drivers can also qualify for silver, gold, and platinum tiers, which unlock different perks.
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Drivers need a 4.9 rating or higher to reach gold and platinum levels. Those levels also let you turn points into cash instead of Lyft credit.
At the highest level, you can get perks like trip information before accepting a ride, qualify for a monthly credit for AT&T phone plans, get 5 percent cash back at gas stations, and call for free, 24/7 roadside assistance.
Gold is a more watered-down tier with the same perks, but instead of 5 percent cash back it's 4 percent and roadside assistance is discounted. Silver, the lowest tier, offers only 2 percent cash back on gas, even less of a roadside assistance discount, and no cash out options.
Lyft previously had a simple rewards program called Accelerate Rewards with silver, gold, and platinum perks based on the number of rides given. For example, gold used to be for drivers who had given 175 rides in the past three months.
Uber first offered a driver rewards program in November called Uber Pro that has since expanded globally. It similarly offers status levels that come with different perks. Its levels are partner, gold, platinum, and diamond. Drivers earn points for every ride, if they have a high enough rating and low cancellation rate.
At Uber's product event in San Francisco last week, the company said 1.5 million drivers are on the rewards program, with 3 million expected by the end of this year. It's available in eight countries, with the recent additions of Brazil, the UK, and Argentina.
On the passenger side, Uber has a rider rewards program that started in November with the same reward tiers, but with different perks from what's offered to drivers. We're still waiting on Lyft's to arrive for passengers using that ride-hailing service.
Drivers in Nashville, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Austin, and throughout New Jersey will see the rewards program in the driver app.
Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.
