Catherine Smith, a resident of Roseville, recently experienced a troubling incident while using Lyft after returning home from Sacramento International Airport. She encountered a peculiar driver who repeatedly exclaimed, “I need to charge.” Ultimately, he left her stranded about 10 miles away from her destination, in a desolate area around 2 a.m.
The 60-year-old passenger recounted that she got into the Lyft vehicle at around 1 a.m., expecting a straightforward ride home. However, during the trip, the driver began to express his urgent need for charging, and at the intersection of Base Line Road and Palladay Road, he abruptly stopped the car and began unloading her luggage.
Confused and alarmed, Smith was told simply, “You can call another Lyft,” as the driver walked away at roughly 1:40 a.m. With the area being barren and poorly lit, she found herself unsure of what to do next, leading her to contact Lyft’s customer service for assistance.
The Lyft support team alerted the police, who dispatched a unit to her location. An officer arrived to keep her company until a new Lyft vehicle was sent to pick her up, bringing an end to her distressing experience. Following the incident, Lyft notified Smith that her fare would be fully refunded, stating that they were investigating the driver’s conduct to determine whether he would remain on the platform. They assured her that he would never be able to accept rides from her in the future.
In an interview with KCRA, Smith expressed her hope that no such unreliable drivers would continue to operate. She criticized the driver’s lack of understanding of basic business etiquette and noted that he failed to communicate clearly throughout the entire ride.
As of now, KCRA has not received a response from Lyft regarding whether this driver will still be allowed to work on the platform.
