Last month, Lyft called out Seattle’s city leaders for their decision to regulate the number of cars it could have on the road. The company even said it was ready to “battle” the city and was “prepared to fight.”
Now, though, Lyft is offering up a helping hand.
The San Francisco-based company today launched Lyft for Good, a new program that encourages Lyft drivers and passengers to fill community needs across the country via Lyft.
“Inspired by our drivers’ well-established tradition of making a difference, we’ve taken the next step to create a platform to support these community initiatives,” the company wrote in a blog post. “We’re asking you, the community — drivers and passengers, along with city leaders and local organizations — to share an idea that will better your city, and Lyft will help make those ideas come to fruition.”
Lyft, which will fund the program and have a dedicated employee focused on the initiative, wants to organize at least 100 community initiatives by the end of this year. The company noted a few examples of its customers and drivers already helping their city, from delivering disaster preparedness kits or supporting seniors by giving rides to medical appointments.
Lyft has always been big on the community theme, from the fist-pumps drivers give passengers to the recognizable — and potentially dangerous — pink mustaches. It’s an aspect of the company that distinguishes it from competitors like UberX and Sidecar.
Lyft just raised a huge a $250 million Series D round earlier this year and also announced plans to expand its service across the greater Seattle area — despite the fact that City Council wants to limit the number of active Lyft drivers to 150.
