PSTA's Lyft partnership hits 10K rides milestone

More than 10,000 Lyft rides have been taken by seniors, disabled residents, and veterans in Pinellas County, thanks to an innovative partnership between PSTA and Lyft.

The Lyft rides are part of the Mobility on Demand program, which helps people with disabilities, including veterans, get rides to doctors’ appointments, work, school, and other critical destinations. The service is tailored for those who because of their disability, are unable to independently use the regular, accessible PSTA buses.

In 2016, PSTA won a Federal Transit Administration Mobility on Demand Sandbox grant to launch the new program with Lyft. Since then, the service has been incredibly successful, with more than 10,000 Lyft rides.

Before PSTA’s Mobility on Demand program was implemented, riders were required to schedule their rides a day in advance. Under the new program, riders can receive critical transportation services in minutes.

In addition to the Mobility on Demand program, PSTA has become internationally known for its innovative partnerships. It was the first public transit agency in the U.S. to offer low-cost Uber or taxi rides to bus stops to boost access. In 2016, the agency also launched an award-winning partnership called “TD LateShift” with Uber and taxi rides for late-night, third-shift workers to get home from jobs after hours.