Lyft does not offer a per-trip CSV with distance data — unlike Uber, which provides a downloadable trip history CSV. Lyft drivers must track mileage separately and build income records from weekly earnings emails.
Income tracking via Gmail scan: ExpenseBot scans your Gmail inbox for Lyft weekly earnings summary emails and creates Income Tab entries automatically — categorized as Rideshare Income. Each weekly email includes ride earnings, tips, and bonuses. This builds a running income record that aligns with Lyft's own numbers for 1099 reconciliation at year-end.
Mileage tracking options: Since Lyft provides no per-trip distance data, Lyft drivers need one of: (a) a GPS tracker app running during shifts — captures both trip miles and deadhead miles (driving to pickup); (b) Lyft's in-app mileage tracker (available in some markets under Work Hub → Mileage); (c) manual odometer logs — legally sufficient for IRS. The 2026 IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents/mile (IRS Notice 2026-10).
Schedule C for Lyft drivers:
- Line 1 (Gross receipts): Total rideshare income from 1099-NEC or weekly email totals
- Line 9 (Car/truck expenses): Mileage × $0.725 per mile
- Line 10 (Commissions and fees): Lyft's service fee if reporting gross fares as income
- Line 25 (Utilities): Phone + data plan (business-use percentage)
1099 threshold 2026: Lyft issues a 1099-NEC for most drivers. A 1099-K applies only if you processed $20,000+ through Lyft's payment platform (OBBBA reinstated the original threshold; the temporary $5,000 threshold does not apply for 2026). All rideshare income is taxable regardless of whether a 1099 was issued.
Key difference from Uber: Uber drivers can import a trip-by-trip CSV that includes distance, while Lyft drivers must rely on weekly totals + a separate mileage source. Multi-platform drivers (Lyft + Uber) can combine both approaches in ExpenseBot.