By David Risher

The settlement with the State of California, pending court approval, resolves litigation over how drivers using Lyft in California were classified between 2016 and 2020, before Prop 22 took effect. I'm proud of how the Lyft team worked constructively with the state to reach this agreement (terms outlined here). Settling now spares us a long, costly fight, so we can keep our focus where it belongs: on drivers and riders.

I'm glad it's being resolved, and I want to use this moment to talk about how much has changed.

Back then, rideshare was new. Drivers, companies, and the state spent years fighting over what we all thought was fair. Nobody was well served by that, least of all drivers.

In 2020, California voters backed Prop 22, which protects driver flexibility while adding real benefits and protections. When I became CEO, I spent time driving and talking with drivers, and heard the same things over and over. They wanted to earn more, on their terms – “A job that works for me, not the other way around,” as one of them said. They wanted transparency about what they’d earn and a partnership that mattered to them.

So that's what we worked on, including our fee cap, which no other rideshare company offers. And when California passed legislation giving drivers a seat at the bargaining table, we didn’t stand in the way.

For too long, the story of rideshare in California was a fight, but what we need is partnership. Drivers, riders, the state, and Lyft all want the same thing: good work that’s fairly paid and rides people can afford. 

And when it comes to supporting drivers, we don't budge. Even as AVs become part of how people get around, we're working alongside drivers to make sure they have a real place in what comes next. That’s what drives me each day: helping connect more riders and drivers, and making Lyft the best place for drivers to earn. 

And with this chapter closed, I'm focused on moving us forward, together.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this announcement are “forward-looking statements” about Lyft within the meaning of the securities laws, including statements regarding benefits for drivers and riders. Such statements, which are not of historical fact, involve estimates, assumptions, judgments and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors are detailed in Lyft’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lyft does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events, except as required by applicable law.