Lyft has been busy innovating as usual, and their progress has been huge over the past couple of months. They’ve been rolling out Lyft Line in more cities, unveiled a new rental program for drivers, and created a new carpool program. We’re going to recap the biggest events for Lyft in this time period so that you can get caught up on all the buzz.
Most recently, Lyft expanded Lyft Line to five new cities. They chose some of the fastest growing cities for their expansion: Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle, Denver and Newark. The concept of Lyft Line is simple, consolidate rides on a similar path to maximize the usage of Lyft vehicles on the road. Lyft Line has been incredibly successful where implemented, accounting for as much of 40 percent of the rides in those cities. We’re excited to see Lyft Line expand. The benefits are clear- cheaper rides for passengers, a lesser environmental impact, and more demand for drivers. The expansion is still in progress, Lyft Line is expected to be available in 15 cities in the near future.
Another really cool step forward that Lyft has taken is their Express Drive Program. Through a partnership with GM they have made cars available to Lyft drivers at discounted rental rates. The program will officially begin in Chicago this month, and expand to other East Coast cities from there. The reception in Chicago has already been huge, as a large number of people without cars have applied to drive for Lyft in Chicago. By driving more often through this program, you will pay a lower rental fee. Drive often enough and your rental fee will disappear completely.
The final big innovation for Lyft to come out with recently is their carpool program, and it’s really cool. Essentially, it turns normal drivers into carpool drivers. They pick up another person on their way to work, and then get to work even quicker. Carpool drivers can earn up to $10 a trip and $400 a month. Passengers can join the program without ever driving, paying between $4 and $10 per ride. A very large percentage of commuters still drive to work alone, this innovation will lower that number significantly. The program will launch first in the San Francisco area, and we’re excited to see how it transforms carpooling and reduces rush hour traffic in the region.
If you’re reading this and interested in signing up to drive for Lyft, use our Lyft driver promo code and get up to $1000 as a bonus when complete your first 30 to 100 rides.