We know that maximizing your earnings is what matters most when you drive. So, let’s get a better understanding of your pay, see how booked time directly impacts your pay, and learn best practices for increasing your booked time.
Get to Know Your Pay
The majority of your earnings come from upfront pay—which is the fare you’re paid for each ride you give. This amount is shown to you in the driver app before you accept each ride.
Upfront pay is based on a number of factors which can include the estimated time and distance to complete the ride, your travel to the pickup point, ride demand in the area, and other market factors.
Here’s an example ride request to give you a better idea of what to expect before you accept a ride. Note: The rates shown here are just an example and don’t reflect your actual earnings.
Booked Time Is Earning Time
Knowing when and where to drive will help increase the amount of time you’re booked with passengers, which is also known as your percentage booked time. This time begins the moment you accept a ride and it ends when you drop off a passenger. The higher your booked time, the more chances you have to earn.
The balance of drivers versus passengers determines how booked you’ll be. If a lot of people need rides in a certain area, and there are only a few drivers on the road, it’s going to be a busy day for those drivers.
On the flip side, when there are lots of drivers online, but only a few people that need rides, you’ll likely get fewer ride requests. Being in a busy area, with lots of people on the go, means you’re more likely to be matched quickly and increase your booked time.
Use demand forecasts in the Lyft driver app to see when people are most likely to need rides in your city. Or, use Bonus Zones to view what areas have lots of passengers who need rides.
How Booked Time Affects Earnings
Using example times and earnings, here’s how increasing booked time can boosts your earnings:
Yesterday, you spent one hour online. Of that time, you spent:
15 minutes driving to pick people up
10 minutes giving rides
35 minutes online without a ride
Your booked time: 42% (25 mins of 60 mins)
Today, you spent another hour driving:
10 minutes driving to pick people up
45 minutes driving riders
5 minutes online, without a ride
Your booked time: 92% (55 mins of 60 mins)
By increasing your booked time from 42% to 92%, you have more opportunities to earn more.
How to Increase Your Booked Time
Consider when to drive. Morning commute hours, evening commute hours, after special events like concerts, and Friday and Saturday nights are common busy times.
Consider where to drive. Downtown, colleges, essential businesses, bars and restaurants, and transportation hubs like airports are common busy areas.
Accept more ride requests. One of the best strategies for staying busy is to accept all the ride requests you receive. Our data shows that drivers with upfront pay who accepted almost all of their ride requests typically had higher hourly earnings than those who were more selective.*
