Lyft is a popular rideshare app that allows you to place an order for a driver to pick you up and drop you off at your destination for a price, like Uber.
Lyft suspended carpooling and sharing rides with other people as a safety precaution amid the COVID-19 situation.
This makes rides more expensive, so people are searching for other means of affordable transportation services.
One way the company is offering is the Lyft Wait and Save.
What Is Lyft Wait and Save?
Lyft Wait and Save is a money-saving program that allows you to pay lower fares by waiting longer for a driver.
This offer is available to most riders in Canada and the United States, and is a great option for regular trips to the grocery store.
You don’t have to worry about the drivers losing either; Lyft ensures that they make their regular rate no matter how long you wait.
How Long Does Lyft Wait and Save Take?
Lyft Wait and Save doesn’t have specific wait times.
You can wait for as little as five minutes or up to 30 minutes before the ride starts.
Lyft did not specify the time limit, but you are able to cancel a ride request if the wait time becomes too long.
Take note that if you cancel three or more rides in a 15-minute period, you may be subject to a $2 cancellation fee.
How Much Can You Save?
The Lyft cost that passengers pay seems expensive in some cases.
Therefore, this is a great feature to help save money.
Lyft isn’t explicit in the exact amount you can save for selecting the Wait and Save option, but the general average for a 20-minute wait can save you between $1 to $5.
Lyft states that not only is the service itself typically cheaper than the regular service, but customers can expect to save more the longer they wait.
In our Uber vs Lyft guide, we outlined that Lyft takes up to 20 minutes for a ride to reach the rider, so you might as well select this option since you’ll probably be waiting anyways.
How to Get Wait and Save on Lyft
The Wait and Save pilot program is only available in selective markets.
In the last year, Lyft has rolled out this new option in the US and in the cities in Canada where Lyft operates.
If you’re in a region that has the Wait and Save service, you’ll be able to find the option in your Lyft app.
Instead of choosing the standard ride modes, simply select the Wait and Save mode before you put in your location and destination.
If you’re not in a location where this service is available, keep an eye out for updates from the company.
Lyft claims it is looking to make this service widely available to other markets in the future.
Can You Cancel a Lyft Wait and Save?
If you book a Wait and Save and you want to cancel it, you can.
You have to be careful to cancel it before two minutes pass.
Doing so after two minutes means you might have to pay a cancellation fee.
With Lyft, you can also have a scheduled ride up to seven days ahead, but if you want to cancel, make sure you do that before the app pairs you with a driver.
If you can’t cancel before two minutes are up or before the app matches you with a driver, you might find yourself paying a Lyft cancellation fee of up to $5.
Also, if your driver shows up and you don’t come out within five minutes, they can cancel the trip.
This will lead to you being charged a $10 fee in most places.
Is Lyft Wait and Save Worth It?
It is worth it if you want an affordable ride option regularly.
You might not want to use the Wait and Save mode if you’re in a hurry because you don’t know how long you might have to wait.
According to Lyft, 40% of the rides in the United States either start, end, or both in a low-income area.
So the Wait and Save service helps people save money, which is essential, especially during the pandemic.
If you’re looking for quicker pickup, you may want to stick to the standard Lyft ride.
In 2020, Lyft announced it would temporarily suspend its ride-sharing mode in the United States and Canada.
The company did this to reduce the spread of Covid-19 through ridesharing.
The ride-sharing option is disabled in the application, so you can’t use it whether you want to or not.
Lyft made the move after its drivers requested the company temporarily shut down the ride-sharing feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lyft Wait and Save is a new feature, so it’s understandable to have questions about the service.
The most commonly asked questions are listed below.
Why Is Lyft So Expensive in 2021?
Like other industries, the ride-requesting industry claims that prices have gone up because there aren’t enough workers.
There are fewer Lyft drivers on the road due to the coronavirus, but a high demand of riders.
If prices go up, it will attract more drivers to go back on the road to service the demand.
Why Does Lyft Take So Long to Find a Driver?
There are a few possible reasons for Lyft taking a while to find you a driver.
Those reasons include:
1. A high number of requests. If you’re in an area that frequently experiences a high volume of ride requests, it can take a little longer to find you a driver because there are more drivers than riders.
2. Few Lyft drivers are on the road. On a broader range, there are fewer employees in the Lyft workforce right now because of the pandemic, so you might have to wait a little longer to get rides.
Can You Ask a Lyft Driver to Wait for You?
Yes, you can ask a Lyft driver to wait for you.
If you already started the trip, the “meter” calculating the fee continues running, which means you could pay more the longer your driver has to wait.
If you want your driver to wait for you before you start the trip, it will be up to the discretion of each driver.
Keep in mind that you might also have to pay a wait fee for making the driver wait.
If you don’t ask the driver to wait for you and keep them waiting, they can cancel the trip after five minutes, and you’ll have to pay a $10 fee.
How Long Will Lyft Wait?
If you ask your Lyft driver to wait, the maximum time they can stay is 10 minutes before they end the trip.
If you are going to make a mid-stop to pick something up, make it a short trip.
Anything longer than 10 minutes, we advise you to end the trip and start a new one once you’re done with your errands.
Wrapping Up
Lyft’s Wait and Save mode offers customers a way to find a more affordable Lyft ride for their essential trips.
While it’s not currently available to all riders in the U.S. and Canada, the company claims to be working on making it more widely accessible.
If you already have this feature and don’t mind a longer wait time for your ride, it’s a great way to save a few bucks on your grocery trip.
