David Risher, the CEO of Lyft, stepped into the position in April 2023 after stints at Microsoft, Amazon and a literacy nonprofit he co-founded called Worldreader. Under his leadership, Lyft achieved its first full year of profitability in 2024, as well as revenue of $5.8 billion for the year, an all-time high. Lyft also broke revenue records for its most recent third quarter.

Under Risher, 60, Lyft has introduced features like Price Lock, a $2.99 subscription service launched last year that caps prices to avoid surge pricing during peak demand. In a new interview, Risher explained why he decided to become CEO of Lyft, what his day-to-day looks like and how Lyft ensures drivers are paid fairly. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Why did you decide to become CEO of Lyft?
I saw an opportunity in Lyft to lead a company that truly redefines what customer obsession looks like — one that’s rooted in the belief that technology must serve people first. The competitive spirit I learned at Microsoft, the customer obsession I learned at Amazon and the purpose-driven leadership I learned leading Worldreader primed me to steer Lyft’s next chapter of growth — our comeback story.

What does your day-to-day look like?
I always start my day with a 15-minute stretch and a cup of coffee. I then sit down with my phone, but don’t check my email first. I check X and read The New York Times every day (I’m kind of addicted to Wordle). I ride a Lyft bike to the office every day; it takes about 20 minutes from my home, and I often count the number of AVs (autonomous vehicles) I see on the commute.

Every day, I go for a mid-day walk and get a matcha. Sometimes, I’ll do a one-on-one with a team member as we walk, because getting out of the office makes for a different conversation.

As for my wind-down routine, I read for at least half an hour before going to bed.

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How often do you drive for Lyft incognito? How have those drives impacted Lyft?
I drive every six weeks or so — it’s the best way to understand the driver experience, to pick up on frustrations we can improve upon and to talk to riders. I love every minute of it. Driving has inspired features from conversations with riders like Price Lock, and it continues to inform how we can better the platform for both riders and drivers.

Lyft rolled out a robotaxi ride-share in Atlanta earlier this year. What’s your plan for robotaxis?
Lyft’s autonomous vehicle strategy is simple and focused: Combine our world-class fleet operations, powerful marketplace engine and rider demand to be the best path to commercialization. We recently announced some major partnerships, including one with Waymo, where we will bring autonomous rides to Nashville in 2026.

How much are Lyft drivers paid? Are there efforts to improve pay?
Last year, we set a new standard in driver pay and transparency. We committed that drivers will always earn 70% or more of rider fares each week, after external fees. This is a rock-solid floor: If drivers are ever under 70% at the end of the week, they’ll be paid the difference. And drivers can check the math on rider fares with completely transparent receipts.

Related: Lyft Is Introducing a Feature to Make Women Feel Safer Riding In and Driving Its Cars

We constantly listen and take feedback from drivers about this. For example, earlier this year, we introduced Earnings Assistant, an industry-first AI tool for drivers to optimize their time on the road.

What is your leadership style? Who are you inspired by?
Transparent, creative and unafraid to challenge convention. One of my favorite stories of all time is The Odyssey — a story of epic comeback. I see Lyft on a similar path — I think we’re gonna be one of the world’s great comeback stories.

You have a background in nonprofit work. What’s your plan for Giving Tuesday this year?
Round Up & Donate takes the change from each Lyft ride to the nearest dollar and sends that to an organization you choose. Since we launched this feature in 2017, riders in the Lyft community have made more than 100 million donations, sending $42.5 million to organizations across the U.S. and Canada.

This Giving Tuesday, I’m personally matching every rider’s donation and committing to make our riders’ generosity go even further. Lyft will also match riders’ donations, tripling the impact delivered to our nonprofit partners.

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