Recently, Lyft announced a new feature they are rolling out in select markets—bonus zones. What are bonus zones? How do they work? We’ll look into what’s coming for some drivers and share which cities can expect to see this new feature.
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Lyft’s New Bonus Zone Feature
Lyft is using bonus zones to give drivers more during busy times. It’s not the same as surge pricing and is not the same as personal power zones, but it will look similar/familiar.
Here’s how it works. There are pink and purple zones (sound familiar?) and to unlock the bonus available for the zone, you need to drive into that area. Typically pink zones are higher bonuses than purple zones.
If you drive through multiple zones, you’ll unlock the highest pay from either zone as long as you’re not already on a ride.
Lyft New Bonus Zone Pay Breakdown
Here’s how the new Bonus Zone pay breakdown works:
- If you drive into a $5 zone, followed by a $10 zone before you get a ride request, then you’ll unlock the $10 bonus.
- If you drive into a $10 zone, followed by a $5 zone before you get a ride request, then you’ll unlock the $10 bonus.
- If you drive into a $5 zone and accept a ride request, but then you drive into a $10 zone on your way to pick up your passenger, you’ll unlock the $5 bonus.
You will not be able to unlock a bonus if you’re already on your way to pick up a passenger or have an active ride.
How are Bonus Zones different from personal power zones? You do not get a higher bonus simply by staying in the zone. And, even if you leave the bonus zone, you have already unlocked it, so you will get that bonus on your next ride.
You will also see the exact bonus amount you’ll receive up front.
However, you have to be sure to stay online. If you go offline and then go back online, you will not receive your bonus.
What if you cancel? If you cancel a ride that had a bonus attached, you will not get that bonus for your next ride. It’s a one shot deal. Unless you are still in the bonus zone and unlock it before your next ride request comes through, you have to complete the ride to earn the bonus.
Now, if the passenger cancels, you can still get that bonus as long as you accept the next ride request and complete that ride.
Best yet, you can get as many of these bonuses as are available during your time driving. There’s no limit to how many times you can get this bonus.
Bonus zones are being tested in the Cincinnati, Nashville, San Diego and New Orleans markets. More markets may see bonus zones in the upcoming months.
How Lyft’s Bonus Zones Benefit Drivers
The obvious benefit is that drivers should be able to earn more during busy times by unlocking their bonuses by driving through the zone.
I like that you can keep that bonus amount even if you drive out of the zone. I like that it sticks with you wherever you go instead of disappearing if you pop out of the zone area.
It’s also nice that you can get the bigger bonus if you go through two zones, no matter which zone you go through first as long as you don’t have a rider yet.
And, as I said earlier, the best part is that you can earn these bonuses all day and night. As long as it’s available, you drive through the zone and accept your next ride request, you can keep banking these bonuses. There’s no limit to how many times you can earn it in a day.
Of course, this new feature is only available in a few markets. Drivers in Cincinnati, Nashville, San Diego and New Orleans – let us know what you think about this feature in action!
-Paula @ RSG
