Lyft users sometimes experience issues and need to contact the company. It’s essential to get in contact with customer service to be able to dispute payments, notify the team of found items, report accidents, or ask general questions.
Being familiar with how to contact Lyft can give both drivers and riders peace of mind that they know what steps to take in the event they need to reach out.
Have you had trouble getting help with your problem? A lot of people have trouble getting in contact with Lyft’s customer service department, so you’re not the only one. The good news is, that once you know how to contact them, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
More on that farther down the page. Whatever problem you’re trying to fix, there are ways to contact Lyft, and they’re easier than you think.
Jump to:
- The Lyft Help Center
- Lyft Phone Number
- Email Support
- Social Media
- Critical Response Line
- In-Person Support at Lyft Hubs
- Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
Lyft’s Help Center
Lyft has done an excellent job in anticipating customer concerns. In addition to phone support and email support, they have built the Lyft Help Center, located on Lyft.com, that encompasses nearly every topic you might have a question about.
The way Lyft Help Center is structured is intuitive and easy to navigate. Either start typing in a question in the search bar or scroll down to find categories. The categories are broken out into these sections:
- Riding with Lyft
- Driving with Lyft
- Earnings and Promos
- Profile and Account Info
- Policies and Other Info
- Airport Info
This comprehensive resource covers a myriad of issues from lost and found item recovery to refunds and even how to protect your personal information or property, which is why we recommend you check this first before contacting Lyft.
Hundreds of questions have already been answered in detail by the Lyft team, so it’s likely that if you do contact customer service, they will refer you back to a Help Center page. It saves time to check this first before going through the process to get in touch with Lyft.
This article will touch on some of the most common Lyft questions, but if you have a very specific question that you can’t get the answer to in the Help Center, then feel free to reach out to Lyft’s customer service team via one of the methods below.
Contact Lyft Via Phone
Even though you can’t call Lyft, you can have Lyft call you. While their phone number no longer connects you directly with an agent, you can reach out via the website or the app and have them call you back.
In some cases, this might be easier than trying to track down an actual person to speak with and helps you avoid having to wait on hold.
To schedule a phone call from Lyft, go to the Help section of the Lyft website and fill out an inquiry form with your name, email address, and phone number.
At the bottom of the form, Lyft asks that you pick a category that best fits the nature of your question or situation.
Tap the down arrow on the right-hand side of the tab “What do you need help with?” to see four options to help you identify yourself.
You will notice that there is a forward arrow on the right of each choice that will lead you to the question or issue categories.
After you submit the form, Lyft customer service will get back to you as soon as possible.
Drivers, if you have issues and you can’t find your question in the help section, or you don’t have time to before your next pick-up, there is also a “Call Me” feature in the mobile app that you can use to request a phone call from Lyft.
It is located in the Help Section of the smartphone app, and it’s available 24/7 and in both English and Spanish.
Lyft asks that any riders that use the Call Me button only do so if the question is about a specific ride, and not about any general questions that can be answered in Lyft’s Help Center.
Contact Lyft Via Email
There will be times when the Help Center doesn’t answer your question completely. When this occurs speaking with an actual team member of Lyft should be your next course of action. Submitting a help ticket is Lyft’s preferred method of contact.
Bear in mind, responses are usually not immediate and can even take several days. This is due to the due to the volume of messages. But your driver status can also impact response times.
For example, if you are considered to be a Platinum driver, you can expect to get a response from Lyft within the next few hours. Platinum drivers also receive priority support at Lyft Hubs. In general, non-Platinum drivers have reported waiting at most a few days for a response.
This typically occurs due to the high volume of incoming emails. On an average day, Lyft receives over 10 thousand emails. Despite the overwhelming amount, the email response team for Lyft is very helpful.
To ensure that you receive an answer as quickly as possible, check out the following tips:
- Each question you have should be sent in a separate message.
- Provide precise details in your question.
- Emoticons are very useful for describing the situation. We’ve even discovered that using a sad face in your message has a higher probability of getting a response.
- If you have a response to their follow-up message, click the reply option that is included in the email. By doing this, your message will be sent back to the exact same operator who is already familiar with your current situation.
- There are times when you will receive a “template” response. This will keep your question in the queue to get a quick response.
- Be friendly! Remember the other person is a human being that is actively trying to help you. If their first attempt at this does not answer your question, kindly ask for more details.
Lyft Email Contacts
- support@lyft.com – if you are a Lyft rider or driver and need general help with the Lyft app
- stories@lyft.com – if you have an awesome story from a Lyft experience, or just something you want to share, you can submit it to this email
- thehub@lyft.com – if you have questions, comments, concerns, or updates for the folks at The Hub, you can email them here
- inspection@lyft.com – if you need to submit your completed CPUC inspection checklist or past inspection documents (California drivers only)
- pay@lyft.com – if you need to get reimbursed for something such as a Lyft-related toll you can email them or learn more about how this works in this guide
- performance@lyft.com – if you have questions about your rating or how you can improve as a driver
With the public eye always looking for a good story or drama, it is easy to understand why contacting a large company via social media works.
Since companies have to worry about how the population sees them, they make sure their brand image is seen in a good light. One of the best ways a company’s PR team can assure that is by issuing fast, accurate responses on social media.
If you have a question, feel free to reach out to Lyft via Facebook and Twitter Support. Lyft is also on Instagram.
Lyft typically monitors their social profiles from 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. PT. The response time users experience by contacting Lyft via social media is usually much quicker than using any other method.
When sending a message, be sure to include as much detail as possible. This can help them figure out the best course of action to take without a lot of back and forth.
Critical Response Line
Unfortunately, emergencies happen. If you ever find yourself experiencing one, Lyft has a dedicated Critical Response Line open. Hopefully, you will never have to call this Lyft phone number.
But if you are in a collision or a passenger did something dangerous, follow these steps:
- First, visit this page. Once you’re there, hit the button that says “Contact Safety Team”
- From there, enter the phone number you’d like Lyft to use to contact you into the box that appears.
- After you’ve done that and confirmed that the info you entered is correct, hit “Contact Safety Team” one final time to get connected with a member of Lyft’s Critical Safety Response team.
No one knows for sure when or if something disastrous is going to happen. So it’s a good idea to save the number for the Critical Response Line in your phone. To ensure that a support member is always available to assist you, Lyft has a full staff of customer service representatives scheduled 24/7.
855-865-9553.
Since there is always going to be someone waiting to take your call, it can be very tempting to use the critical response line outside of emergencies.Do not do this. To confirm that what you are experiencing is worth a call to the hotline, read the following comparison list.
- A potentially life-threatening collision occurred. Examples include if you ran into or over someone or if someone ran into you.
- Passengers in your car did or attempted to do something that was dangerous.
- Those who are in your car with you do something illegal.
- A safety incident happened and you need to report it to the authorities.
- You anticipated getting a referral bonus and have not yet.
- A charge came up on your account that you need to dispute.
- Unusual prime time issues occur.
- Free ride credits are needed.
- An unruly passenger was rude or verbally disrespectful.
- A passenger gave you a poor rating.
- Police issued a ticket for double parking or picking up in the red zone.
Also, remember that safety should be your first priority in all emergency situations. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first. Once you’re safe, you can then call the Critical Response Line to receive further support.
In-Person Support at Lyft Hubs
Although most questions can be answered online, sometimes nothing beats speaking to someone in person. When you need to speak to someone face-to-face, whether to resolve an issue or get more information, Lyft has people stationed across the United States at Lyft Hubs.
These locations are packed with reps ready to help. Unfortunately, Lyft Hubs are only in big cities, but they are a great option if phone support doesn’t answer your question.
Here’s a list of Hubs to help you get started:
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Florida
- Houston
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Nashville
- Northern California
- New Jersey
- New York City
- New York State
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Portland
- Reno
- San Diego
- Seattle
- Toronto
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re a frequent user of Lyft, whether you’re a driver or rider, you’re bound to run into an issue every now and then and need to contact the support team. From emergent matters to inquiring about how something is done, there are many avenues to take to resolve an issue.
Here are a few issues that are commonly asked about:
Can I book a ride without a smartphone?
Did you know that you can book a Lyft without a smartphone? You read that right! You can do it from the convenience of a desktop or laptop computer.
You do, however, need a mobile phone able to receive text messages to get started.
To book a Lyft without a smartphone:
- Go here and enter a phone number on which you can receive a text (or the number the text message website gave you).
- Lyft will send you a verification code – enter it on the page on your browser.
- Enter your payment information.
- Click “Request Lyft.”
After you’ve placed your ride request, Lyft will send you a confirmation text message.
If you are requesting a ride via desktop or laptop, be sure to keep your mobile phone on and with you because Lyft may send you updates or essential information while you’re waiting for your ride.
How can I request a refund?
You don’t have to call Lyft to get a refund. They make the process easy through the app.
To dispute a payment using the app, tap the menu icon and choose “Ride History” from the available options. Then you select the ride you want to dispute or have refunded, and then scroll all the way to the bottom and select “Get Help.”
A form will appear. Fill it out with an explanation of why you are disputing the ride and why you deserve a refund.
Lyft will contact you by phone or email shortly after to discuss the ride and refund.
How can I report an accident?
In most cases, the rider doesn’t need to report an accident. The driver is required to do that. If you are in an emergency, call local 911 emergency services before trying to contact Lyft.
If for any reason, you do need to contact Lyft about the accident, you will find that option on their website on the Report an Accident page. You can also use this page to report safety incidents, although Lyft drivers usually report these.
Tap the “Contact Safety Team” button on the Report an Accident page to report the accident. Their critical response team is available 24/7 and will get back to you as soon as they can.
Drivers: if you have an accident or encounter a safety issue, use the “Contact Safety Team” button on the Safety Info for Drivers page as soon as possible. As you know, if your rating falls below three stars, you can no longer drive for Lyft.
You may want to beat that rating to the punch by telling Lyft that you experienced an emergency as soon as you can.
How can I request roadside assistance?
Drivers participating in the Accelerate Rewards program can also get roadside assistance by phoning 844-400-1449 for help with fuel, flat tires, battery issues, towing, or if you’re locked out of your car.
If you are a driver in the Express Drive program, do not use the number above or call Allstate. Instead, call Hertz roadside assistance at 800-654-5060 for towing.
Flex drivers can call 833-274-5938.
Both Flex and Express drivers should know that there is a possibility that towing charges may be added to their accounts.
Drivers that aren’t participating in either program but who do have either Allstate or Esurance may have roadside assistance on their insurance policies. If you have Allstate, call your local agent. If you have Esurance, call 877-508-4131.
How do I retrieve a lost item?
You might need to contact Lyft if you think you’ve left something in the car.
If that’s the case, Lyft recommends calling the driver first. That is usually faster, and you might get your item back sooner.
The best way to track down a lost item is to check your Ride History tab, find the driver and either message them or call them.
Both your phone number and the driver’s phone number are protected through a third party calling service. Just call the number provided, and you will be connected with the driver.
If you don’t get a response from the driver within 24 hours, go to Lyft Help and select the “Contact Support” button. Select “Lost and Found” under the “What do you need help with” drop down.
Don’t worry if you left your phone in a Lyft vehicle; you can quickly get it back. Just open a browser on another mobile phone, desktop, or laptop and go to the Lyft Lost and Found page.
Click on “Contact Support” and follow the instructions. You will need to provide them with an alternate phone number where they can reach you.
How much does the item you left in the vehicle matter to you? Be aware that getting the item back might cost you. For one, it’s customary (and the nice thing to do) to tip the driver when he drives back to give you your lost item.
Also, Lyft will charge you up to $15 to pay the driver for his or her time and gas money to bring it to you. If the item is replaceable for under $15, you might want to let it go instead of trying to get it back.
If you want to retrieve the item yourself, you might be able to if your city has a Lyft hub. Check the map of Lyft hubs to see if there is one near you.
Then contact Lyft support to report the item lost and to ask to pick it up. You will need a reference number and your ID to pick up the item.
You can also opt to have Lyft return the item to you through the mail, which can be done by contacting the support team.
If you lost something with sensitive or private information and it’s imperative that it’s returned to you, Lyft recommends that you contact your local law enforcement.
Lyft will assist law enforcement and suggest that you give them this link to help them in the process.
Drivers: if you find an item but are not contacted by Lyft about it, go to your Ride History and look for rides that have Lost Item written next to them. If you don’t see one, contact Lyft, and they will look into it for you.
Get the Lyft Support You Need
While it might be inconvenient that you can’t just pick up the phone and call Lyft, they do provide quick ways to get the answers you need. The alternative would be to have a call center keep you on hold for longer than it would take to find the solution via their Help Center.
Since there are so many different ways to contact Lyft, it may be hard to choose which option is the best one. We suggest going in this order:
- Lyft.com Help Center
- Submit a support ticket
- Social media
- Leave your number
- Lyft Hub
But always remember: Do not hesitate to call the Critical Response Line in case of emergencies. With a little persistence and an understanding of how to contact Lyft, you will have your question or issue resolved in no time.
