In an effort to enhance its safety measures, Lyft introduced Tuesday a brand new rider verification pilot program to assist drivers confirm riders’ identities and be certain that they’re certainly who they are saying they’re.
Beginning right this moment, Lyft’s new program is rolling out to 9 markets, together with Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Phoenix, and Seattle. The corporate declined to say when it might be launching in additional cities.
Riders will now see a verification badge subsequent to their profile, indicating that Lyft confirmed they’re utilizing their authorized identify. To make sure riders are who they declare to be, Lyft makes use of third-party databases to cross-check private info, reminiscent of a rider’s authorized identify and cellphone quantity, an organization spokesperson defined to TechCrunch. Nonetheless, they didn’t say which third-party databases it makes use of.
If the identify on the rider’s profile shouldn’t be their authorized identify, riders are prompted to enter it earlier than one other verification course of begins. If their particulars can’t be confirmed, they could must add official authorities identification, reminiscent of a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. If a rider doesn’t have any of those paperwork, they will contact Lyft Help and supply an alternate.
Moreover, when a passenger desires to request a trip for another person, they will use the “Change rider” possibility whereas requesting the journey. Any visitor passengers should have a Lyft account with a verification badge.
Nonetheless, drivers can nonetheless select to simply accept rides with out badges. Lyft warns on its web site that riders with out them could expertise “longer ETAs and pickup times.”
Lyft’s new program follows the launch of Uber’s initiative earlier this 12 months, which features the identical method. Like Lyft, Uber cross-references private info and shows a blue checkmark on the profiles of verified riders. It’s presently out there in 15 cities, together with Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Miami.
Rideshare drivers are all the time in danger when accepting riders. Nonetheless, in high-crime or denser cities like Detroit and Chicago, the dangers could also be even larger. Many Uber and Lyft drivers are carjacked, robbed, and killed yearly. As an example, a Chicago driver suffered from a bullet wound throughout an tried carjacking in January. Much less excessive examples are strangers flagging down drivers within the hopes of getting a free trip.
Sexual assaults are one other big downside, which has led to a number of ride-sharing startups rising lately. In 2022, former Lyft driver Jillian Anderson co-founded a female-friendly driving app known as HERide to assist hold feminine passengers and drivers secure. Lyft launched a Ladies+ Join characteristic final 12 months, letting girls and nonbinary drivers prioritize matches with girls and nonbinary riders. Uber additionally has a girls rider choice characteristic.
It’s all the time essential that each driver and passenger confirm profile footage and names. Earlier than stepping into the automobile, riders ought to first test the license plate and automotive mannequin.
Along with rider verification, there have been quite a few cases when Lyft has taken a web page from Uber’s playbook, which is its greatest rival with 156 million month-to-month energetic platform shoppers. (Lyft, in the meantime, studies 27.3 million energetic riders.) Extra just lately, Lyft introduced pet-friendly rides on Monday, a characteristic Uber has had for 5 years. Lyft now prices an extra $4 for pets, whereas Uber prices between $3 to $5.