Lyft News

Why This Single Dad Drives with Lyft

Rosie Bubb - Dec 21, 2016
Gene and his son standing in front of his car.

As a member of the Army National Guard, Gene’s had some tough workdays in his life. But it’s raising his son as a single father that he says is the toughest job of all — and the most rewarding.

To make ends meet, last year Gene took an evening job as a security guard for the state. He was getting home past 9 PM, making it difficult to find a steady babysitter or help his son with homework. Something had to give. For Gene, the decision was easy. “I quit my job in order to be home with my son, not really knowing what I was going to do,” he says. The next day, Gene learned he’d been approved to drive with Lyft.

Today, he drives around his son’s schedule, offering the business crowds warm, welcoming rides around Phoenix. In addition to boosting his income, driving gives Gene some much-needed interaction with grownups — and plenty of props for his service both in the car and for his country.

Recently, Gene drove an airman to Luke Air Force Base, delighting the passenger by flashing his own military ID and dropping him off at the door. Gene’s son is back on track, too, flourishing because of his father’s extra attention. He’s doing better in school, and Gene cherishes being able to spend more time with him. “I Lyft because I love people,” Gene says, “and the most important person to me is my son.”