Lyft announced a significant change to its ridesharing program today: if a driver arrives and the rider is a no-show, the driver will still get $5.

Drivers will surely cheer this Lyft policy change because it’s one of the more frustrating aspects of the job: you make your way through traffic to the place where the rider is supposed to be, but even after calling, there’s no passenger in sight. This doesn’t happen very often, but when it did on my first day as a Lyft driver, I immediately wondered whether the job would be worth it.

Lyft doesn’t say how this change will impact the cancellation fees it charges riders who are no-shows.

As the video below explains, drivers will now be able to notify passengers that they’re arriving (UberX already has this feature). You’ll also be able to load the navigation before the passenger gets in and the fare begins.



Lyft says drivers should wait three minutes before calling a passenger. “If you can’t get a hold of them, hit ‘Cancel as no-show’ and you’ll receive $5 for your time,” the company says. “With this change, you’ll no longer have to decide between starting a ride or politely giving a late passenger extra time. It’s a big upgrade for both safety and peace of mind, freeing you to focus on providing a great experience.”

The Lyft policy change will go live for drivers nationwide in early August.

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