---
title: "How to manage driver cancellations"
description: "Learn about driver cancellations."
url: https://help.light.onde.app/en/articles/132-how-to-manage-driver-cancellations
collection: "Order distribution"
updated: 2026-10-30
language: en
alternates: [es]
---

# How to manage driver cancellations

Learn about driver cancellations.

Cancellations are a natural part of ride-hailing and on-demand services. Our system includes tools and policies to reduce their frequency and minimize negative impact on customers.

**What happens when a driver cancels an order?**

When a driver cancels:

-   They are placed back in the Intelligent Queue.
    
-   Their waiting time is reset, possibly delaying their next order.
    
-   The cancelled order goes into auto search and is marked as “Seeking for a driver”.
    

This allows the system to automatically find another driver and reduce disruption to the passenger.

**When does an order return to "search"?**

An order is returned to the search pool under the following conditions:

-   If a driver cancels before arriving, and selects "Reject service" as the reason, the system sends the order back to auto search.  
    If this happens twice, the order is fully cancelled.
    
-   If a driver cancels after arrival, also using "Reject service", the order is cancelled immediately.
    
-   A driver is only considered to have "Arrived" if:
    
    -   The system status is set to "Arrived", and
        
    -   The driver is within the defined minimum pickup distance.
        

If a driver presses "Arrived" but is not actually close enough, the order is sent back to search.

-   If the driver cancels with the reason "Client didn’t show up", the order is cancelled.
    

![Order started screen shows a cancellation reason dialog with “Reject service” highlighted, leading to a map screen labeled “Looking for a driver.”. Visible: Order started, Trip, Pin on map, 6, Ulitsa Kozyrevskaya, Cancel order, Anya.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helparticle/20261030120209_6634.png)

**How can operators help with cancelled orders?**

Operators can assist by:

-   Viewing all cancelled orders in the Operator App.
    
-   Manually assigning a new driver to minimize lost trips.
    
-   Monitoring alerts:
    
    -   A red flag appears for each cancellation in the Operator App.
        
    -   This alert is visible on all orders with a “Cancelled” status.
        

![The New order Map screen shows an order’s pickup location and a map centered on Minsk with marker A. Visible: Instant, Preorder, Search, Unassigned, On trip, Canceled.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helparticle/20261030120209_9640.png)

**What happens to instant orders when cancelled?**

-   If an instant order is cancelled, it goes back to auto search.
    
-   This cycle repeats after each cancellation, unless the 3-minute auto search period ends.
    

  
If no driver accepts the order within 3 minutes:

-   The order expires.
    
-   The customer sees the message:  
    “No luck today. Looks like no one could take your booking :( Please, try later.”
    
-   The order is logged with status: “CANCELLED SEARCH EXCEEDED”
    

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helparticle/20261030120211_7484.png)

**Reporting on cancelled orders**

-   Reassigned and completed orders appear in reports with their final status (e.g., Finished paid, Finished unpaid).
    
-   The ID of any driver who originally accepted but cancelled with reason “Reject service” (before arrival) appears in the “Intermediate driver IDs” column of the Order Report.