Indian student stranded in US after Lyft driver flees with luggage, CEO reacts

New Delhi, Dec 24: An Indian woman was left stranded in Boston, US, after a Lyft driver took her luggage and other belongings during a trip to the airport.

Shreya Verma, who graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in May, took to LinkedIn to recall the experience, saying, "Dear LinkedIn community, I am reaching out with a sense of urgency regarding a distressing incident I experienced with Lyft".

"Yesterday, at 6 p.m., I booked a ride to Boston airport. Shockingly, after loading my luggage, the driver abruptly canceled, leaving with all my belongings, including my passport, VISA, OPT/EAD Card, and vital document, electronics, resulting in a devastating loss of $30,000," Verma wrote on the platform last week.

Verma mentioned she had been trying to contact Lyft's customer service, but the driver's lack of information made it difficult.

"I have been actively seeking assistance from Lyft customer service, but unfortunately, crucial driver details remain elusive, compounding the challenges I am already facing. I implore Lyft to promptly contact the driver, urging the immediate return of my belongings," she said.

However, the post received a response from Lyft CEO David Risher, who said that the team was working to resolve the issue.

"Very sorry you’re going through this, Shreya. That’s absolutely awful. Our team is on it," Risher wrote in his reply to Verma's post.

Verma again took to the platform two days after writing the post to express her disappointment that Lyft had not responded.

"Urgent: Lyft and David Risher, it's been nearly 48 hours since the traumatic incident I experienced, and I'm still awaiting your response. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated -- I've lost everything, including vital documents. The distress is overwhelming, and your lack of communication exacerbates my fear. What if the driver is still on the road, posing a threat to others or selling my belongings? Time is of the essence!" she wrote.

Her second post drew a response from Sean Aggarwal, a member of Lyft's Board of Directors.

"Hello Shreya, sorry to hear about the situation you are facing. I just saw your post. Can you please send me your email? Best, Sean," he wrote.

Ameena Gill, Lyft's vice president of global operations, replied to Aggarwal by stating that she would contact law enforcement officials on Verma's behalf and help her retrieve her belongings.