Lyft News

Investing in Los Angeles through Lyft City Works

Rosie Bubb - Mar 29, 2019
Poster - city-works-la

Lyft is proud to be part of a growing civic movement comprised of thousands of grassroots activists, committed community members, and local civic leaders who share our central vision: To rebuild our cities around people, not cars, and make seamless, affordable mobility available to all.

To supercharge the collective efforts of this movement, today we’re announcing a major new commitment called Lyft City Works. Each year, Lyft will invest $50 million or 1% of profits—whichever is larger—to support locally-driven transportation and other initiatives to improve people’s lives in every city where we operate.

Lyft City Works doubles down on our longstanding partnerships with civic leaders across the country and strengthen the collaborative relationships we’ve built along the way.

And it starts today in Los Angeles, where Mayor Eric Garcetti joined us as we announced several new commitments to support local groups in the LA area. The initiatives in Los Angeles reflect the three key priorities of Lyft City Works:

  • Providing transportation

  • Developing transportation infrastructure

  • Creating a clean energy future

“We’re proud to stand alongside Mayor Garcetti and civic leaders in Los Angeles to launch Lyft City Works, which represents our long-term commitment to support cities across the country with sustainable, accessible, and connected transportation solutions, said Lyft General Manager of Southern California Allen Narcisse."

Through Lyft City Works, we will provide free and reduced-price rides to people who need them most. Homelessness is one of the biggest issues in Los Angeles, and we’re proud to partner with Mayor Garcetti’s A Bridge Home program to do our part. We will provide transportation to support the staff and communities of A Bridge Home’s partner organizations, including the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, PATH, and The People Concern.

Lyft also offers low-cost scooter rides to qualified low-income residents in Los Angeles through our Community Pass.

In addition, Lyft is working with the City of Los Angeles to quickly and efficiently expand transportation infrastructure to connect underserved communities. Our LA Driver Centers will have electric vehicle charging stations to give drivers an easy way to reliably charge - and further incentivize more drivers to use them. Lyft will also work with local nonprofit and civic partners to expand bikes and scooters into underserved areas of LA thoughtfully so they add value to our neighborhoods.

Finally, Lyft City Works is about creating a clean energy future for our cities. Last year, we committed to making every single ride carbon neutral. And we’ve quickly become one of the largest voluntary buyers of certified carbon offsets in the world. This means in the LA region we’ve offset emissions equivalent to what is removed in one year by 5.8 million trees. Lyft also committed this past fall to use 100% renewable energy at all of our facilities.

As we work toward direct sourcing of clean energy, we’re purchasing renewable energy credits through Green Power for a Green LA program right here in your backyard. And - we’re responding to the nearly 100,000 acres burned in the Malibu/Woolsey Fires by funding reforestation through the committed people at OneTreePlanted.

In Los Angeles and around the country, Lyft is investing heavily in products that minimize single-occupancy vehicles, such Shared Saver and Lyft Bikes & Scooters. This is ultimately the best way for anyone to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation in support of a more sustainable city.

To ensure we achieve the greatest possible impact for each city, we will form local advisory councils made up of civic leaders and advocates, who will work alongside Lyft drivers and employees to guide Lyft City Works support.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to work together, as a growing movement, to improve city life and build a future that ensures transportation access to those who need it most.