Here's a great idea, hopefully something that can be worked out. Detroit needs all the help it can get when it comes to providing adequate public transportation.
Lyft Inc., a San Francisco-based competitor of Uber, has looked into partnering with Detroit transit authorities to offer subsidized rides for residents to get to and from local bus or light rail stations, Michael Martinez of the Detroit News writes. Lyft has pilot programs in California and Denver called "first mile/last mile."
Emily Castor, Lyft’s director of transportation policy, said Wednesday there are no plans to announce in Detroit, but she sees the city as a good target for the service, the News reports.
“We have had discussions. ... It’s something we’d be excited to do,” she said following a speech at the World Mobility Leadership Forum, according to The News. “Detroit is a place where it’s difficult to provide efficient, fixed-route transit because of the large land areas and low population density in some areas; it’s not a perfect fit for traditional transit. We think this could be an excellent opportunity area for doing flexible on-demand dispatch with Lyft in partnership with transit.”
Uber, the most popular U.S. ride-sharing company, was born in 2009. Lyft came along in 2012.
