While driving with Lyft, Carlos Correa decided he needed a new car. He researched buying or leasing one, but for a variety of reasons, neither option made sense.
“When I sat down with my wife and looked at the cost of a down payment, monthly maintenance, insurance, and depreciation, I just wondered if it was worth it to get into the debt,” Carlos says.
Then he heard about Express Drive, a new program that lets Lyft drivers rent a ride in certain cities for as little as $0 - insurance and standard maintenance included - as long as they give a certain number of rides each week. Not having a long-term car payment appealed to Carlos.
“Express Drive seemed like a great deal,” says Carlos, who has driven with Lyft for more than three years in Chicago. “I'm not locked into a long-term lease. If I want to take a break for a few weeks, I can return the car and get it again later.”
Carlos is far from alone. Express Drive started in Chicago, where 60,000 people applied to drive with Lyft but didn't have a qualifying car. Now, 30 percent of new applicants in Chicago want to be a part of Express Drive.
The exclusive program was so successful that it has expanded to Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver. Learn more in this Express Drive FAQ.
Deon Ashford is an Express Drive participant who joined to keep miles off his everyday car. With about 92,000 miles on that car, he's just short of seeing his 100,000-mile warranty end. With the help of Express Drive, he now takes passengers across Chicago in a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, eliminating any extra wear and tear on his own car.
“I think it's an amazing program,” says Deon, who works full-time as a fleet service manager for an airline when he's not driving with Lyft. “I definitely drive more with Lyft now that I have the rental. The fact that they cover maintenance and oil changes - that's fantastic.”
Start your Express Drive application here. Or, if you're already an approved driver, visit the Vehicles & Documents tab in your Dashboard. Once approved, you just pick up your Lyft rental and hit the road. Not only can you rent a car from Lyft and General Motors, but you can also give it back when you need to - just open the app and schedule the return.
“It's great because it's a newer vehicle,” says Carlos, who drives a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. “My tips are higher than average, and I think one reason is the vehicle - passengers feel good about being in a nice car.”
Carlos balances driving with Lyft, being a father, having an internship, and studying as an MBA student. Even with all that going on, he still drives enough most weeks to cover the weekly Express Drive rental cost.
“It's a hodgepodge of when I drive, but that's what's so great about driving with Lyft,” he says. “It's flexible. I can drive when it suits me, with a car that's really roomy and new.”
Rent a ride with Lyft and Express Drive. See how much you can earn and start driving.
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