4/6/22 Rode My First Lyft?

     I experienced my first Lyft ride today and it wasn't that bad.  Last Saturday, I took our Telluride to Kia to get an oil change, and the dummies managed to ding the rear passenger door while driving it into the bay.  They are fixing it today, but I wasn't going to sit there all day and I guess the idea of a rental car is long gone.  They offered to get me a Lyft which I still don't know how they really work, but you summon a ride on your phone, and someone shows up and takes where you need to go.

    I waited about 5-10 minutes up front, once I handed my car over to the service lady.  A guy showed up and he seemed friendly and professional, as far as a driver can be.  I sat in the backseat, while wearing a mask, and we were on our way.  The guy was a talker and he told me after we got to talking that he lives in San Antonio, but there is a lot more Lyft work here in Austin, so he comes over and makes his money.  Apparently, one can rent a car from Lyft, he said he pays them $280 for the week, (they take it off the top) he then keeps whatever he makes after that amount, he said, that way he isn't putting the miles on his car.  I guess one can make some money doing this, he explained they play all sorts of little games with the drivers, like I was his third consecutive ride, so he gets an $18 bonus.  His daughter, he told me, also drives for Lyft, she lives out in Killeen, and for the week of SXSW, she made $1800.  It starts sounding pretty good.

    I asked about the danger factor, and he said he has been doing it for a while, and everyone so far has been a good client.  He also said his daughter has not had a bad experience either.  It is hard to believe people act up, you have to exchange names and get an account with them before even riding.  The payment was another thing I wondered, and I asked how much a typical ride would cost, such as mine, taking me a couple of miles from one place to another?  He said he honestly couldn't say because he never handles money, it is all done through the website, Lyft sends him a deposit to his bank on Wednesdays.  It should make it safer, not handling money in the car, so the idiots that go through life stealing can't target these guys, it is pretty smart.

    I thought the ride was smooth and a good idea.  He said he works as much as he wants and gets to take whatever time he wants off.  Just last week, he said, he picked up the Lyft car, made three drop-offs and then decided he was done for the week, he just kept the car, still has to pay the $280, but hecan do whatever he wants.  I like that.