Driving Transparency: A Challenge to Lyft CEO David Risher

As I was scrolling through Twitter, I stumbled upon an interesting post from David Risher, the CEO of Lyft. He shared his experience of driving for Lyft in San Francisco, providing a running commentary on his day behind the wheel. While his post painted a vivid picture of the different riders he encountered and the conversations they had, there was a glaring omission: the financials.

What Did the Riders Pay? What Did You Earn, David?

David Risher recounted his day driving for Lyft, highlighting his encounters with various riders, but not once did he mention what those riders paid for their trips or what he earned from them. This raises an important question: Why leave out the numbers? As someone who leads a major rideshare company, transparency should be a cornerstone of the business.

Let’s break down his day. His first ride was with Samantha, who was headed to her morning Pilates class. It was a quick, 10-block ride, and while he mentioned how Lyft’s machine learning matched him with Samantha within 30 seconds, he never disclosed what she paid or what he earned from that ride.

Then there was Rebecca, a neurologist heading to her clinic. They had a thoughtful conversation about how technology can either bring people closer or push them apart. Again, no mention of the fare or the earnings from this longer ride.

Finally, David picked up three friends from Spain who were full of energy and ideas. They even shared some product suggestions with the CEO. Yet, once more, the financial details were missing.

The $4 Tip: The Only Mention of Money

Interestingly, the only time David Risher mentioned money was when he received a $4 tip from a rider who appreciated the quiet, peaceful ride to her appointment. It’s telling that this was the only monetary detail he felt comfortable sharing.

A Call for Transparency

David, if you’re reading this, I challenge you to be transparent with the community. How much did these individuals pay for their trips? What did you earn from them? Lyft drivers deserve to know what the real earning potential is, especially from someone at the helm of the company.

Driving for Lyft can be an interesting experience, as you highlighted. But let’s not shy away from the financial reality. Your post seems to suggest that you drive more to learn than to earn, but for many, driving for Lyft is a means of making a living. Sharing the earnings from your day driving could provide valuable insights into what drivers can expect.

Was This a PR Stunt?

One can’t help but wonder if this was all just a well-organized PR stunt. Did you have a dashcam recording the whole day? Was everything pre-arranged? Regardless, what you owe the Lyft community is transparency about what you earned during those trips, including the time spent waiting between rides.

David, your post left many questions unanswered. How much did Samantha, Rebecca, and the friends from Spain pay? How much did you receive for these trips? The Lyft community deserves to know the truth about earnings on the platform.

I hope you consider sharing these details and addressing this in your future posts. And on a side note, please ensure your legal department cooperates with the subpoenas from my attorneys regarding unpaid referrals. A settlement would go a long way for both you and Lyft.

Looking forward to your response.