Lyft, the popular ride-hailing service, announced on Tuesday the introduction of a new rider verification pilot program to improve its drivers’ security measures. This initiative will help drivers confirm riders’ identities and ensure they are who they claim to be.
The program initially rolled out in nine markets: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Phoenix, and Seattle. Lyft has not disclosed when the program will expand to additional cities.
Under the new system, riders will see a verification badge next to their profile, indicating that Lyft has confirmed their legal name. Lyft utilizes third-party databases to cross-check personal information, such as legal names and phone numbers, to verify riders’ identities. The company has not specified which databases it uses for this process.
If a rider’s profile name doesn’t match their legal name, they will be prompted to enter it before undergoing further verification. In cases where details cannot be confirmed, riders may need to upload official government identification, such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. Alternatives can be provided through Lyft Support for those without these documents.
For situations where passengers request rides for others, the “Change rider” option can be used during the trip request. Guest passengers must also have a Lyft account with a verification badge.
While drivers can accept rides from unverified users, Lyft warns that riders without badges may experience longer estimated arrival times (ETAs) and pickup times.
This new program follows a similar initiative launched by Uber earlier this year, which also cross-references personal information and displays a blue checkmark on verified riders’ profiles. Uber’s program is available in 15 cities, including some overlapping with Lyft’s pilot markets.
These verification measures come in response to the ongoing safety concerns faced by rideshare drivers, particularly in high-crime or densely populated areas. Incidents of carjacking, robbery, and even fatal attacks on drivers have been reported in various cities. For example, a Chicago driver suffered a gunshot wound during an attempted carjacking in January of this year.
Sexual assaults have also been a significant issue in the ridesharing industry, leading to the emergence of several safety-focused startups. In 2022, former Lyft driver Jillian Anderson co-founded HERide, a female-friendly driving app. Lyft itself launched the Women+ Connect feature last year, allowing women and nonbinary drivers to prioritize matches with women and nonbinary riders. Uber offers a similar women rider preference feature.
In addition to the new verification system, Lyft emphasizes the importance of drivers and passengers verifying profile pictures, names, license plates, and car models before starting a ride.
This rider verification program is Lyft’s latest effort to enhance safety and compete with its larger rival, Uber, which boasts 156 million monthly active platform consumers compared to Lyft’s 27.3 million active riders. In a recent development, Lyft introduced pet-friendly rides on Monday, a feature Uber has offered for five years. Lyft charges an additional $4 for pets, while Uber’s fees range from $3 to $5.
As ridesharing companies continue to evolve their safety measures, the industry watches closely to see how these initiatives will impact both driver and passenger experiences in the long term.
