'What is Lyft Express Drive?': How to qualify for Lyft's rental car program, and drive for Lyft without owning a car

Devon Delfino

Sep 27, 2019, 20:33 IST

'What is Lyft Express Drive?': How to qualify for Lyft's rental car program, and drive for Lyft without owning a car

Mike Coppola / Staff/Getty Images

You can sign up for Lyft Express Drive to become a Lyft driver even if you don't have a car.

Lyft Express Drive is a rental car program that allows those who don't own a car to become Lyft drivers.
Lyft uses Hertz, Avis, and Flexdrive rental cars for the Express Drive program.
The cost of participating includes insurance and maintenance, and may vary based on your location (Express Drive is available in most major cities and a few smaller ones).
Once you make sure Lyft Express Drive is available in your area and successfully sign up to be a driver via the app, you'll be able to pick up your rental car, provide a refundable deposit, and start giving rides.
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If you want to drive for a ride-hailing service like Lyft or Uber, it might seem like you need to own a car - which can be a tall order, especially since that car usually has to meet certain requirements to be qualified as a vehicle, depending on the company.

That's where Lyft Express Drive comes in. In short, it's a rental program that allows those who don't own a car to become Lyft drivers.

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Here's what you need to know about Lyft Express Drive.

What is Lyft Express Drive?

The Lyft Express Drive program lets those who don't own a car use rental cars from agencies - like Hertz, Avis, and Flexdrive - to give Lyft rides.

According to Lyft, the rental period is "flexible with no long-term commitment" and the costs of participating include insurance and maintenance. Your total costs will also depend on your location.

Cars are made available on a first-come, first-served basis, so timing is critical for those who wish to participate.

How to qualify for Lyft Express Drive

To participate, you have to be at least 25 years old, apply to be a Lyft driver, and meet those requirements. This includes being able to pass national and county background checks, as well as a DMV check.

You also have to be located in a place where the program is available, which includes most major cities and even a few smaller ones.

After meeting those requirements and successfully applying to be a driver through Lyft's dashboard for the service, you'd be able to schedule a pickup of the rental car. At that point, you'd provide a refundable deposit and start taking rides.