Lyft Joins Uber in Charging Customers Extra for Fuel Amid High Gas Prices

Lyft Joins Uber in Charging Customers Extra for Fuel Amid High Gas Prices
A Lyft pick-up area in Los Angeles on Aug. 20, 2020. (Mike Blake/Reuters)
Reuters
3/15/2022
Updated:
3/15/2022

Lyft Inc. on Monday joined Uber Inc. to levy fuel surcharge on rides from customers in an attempt to cushion the impact on drivers’ pockets from higher fuel costs.

“Driver earnings overall remain elevated compared to last year, but given the rapid rise in gas prices we'll be asking riders to pay a temporary fuel surcharge, all of which will go to drivers,” Lyft said in a statement in Monday.

Last week, Uber said U.S. customers, excluding New York City, will have to pay a fuel surcharge from March 16 to address the same concerns.

The move comes as drivers have been protesting on social media over high gas costs after Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, a major oil producer, had crippled global oil trade and could further lift gasoline prices.