On Thursday, Lyft announced a number of new programs meant to woo drivers, including discounted rental cars and gas, and a way to get paid anytime.
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Finally, for drivers without ready access to cars, Lyft’s partnership with Hertz has culminated in a pilot program that is already live in Las Vegas.
Aimed at drivers who do not have their own cars or those that meet Lyft standards, such as having four doors, the plan will be expanded to other markets, Hsiang said.
Lyft has announced a new partnership with Hertz, among a few other things, under which it will give drivers a new option to get on the ridesharing service’s platform.
The company has worked to distinguish itself from its larger rival, Uber, in part by positioning itself as the company that treats drivers better. The partnership debuts in San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston, and will roll out nationally next year.
The deal with Shell stations will allow drivers to earn gas discounts with the more they drive.
From pink mustaches and fist bumps when the ride-hailing app launched three years ago to carpooling and tipping today, the company wants everyone, both drivers and passengers, to be happy.
Auto rental deals are great, but what about helping drivers get paid? It will let drivers cash out directly to their debit card – a product of a partnership with payments startup Stripe – as soon as they hit $50 for a $0.50 fee. Zimmer said that it’s about putting people first, with community the top priority; empowering great drivers by honoring their stories and giving them tools to reach their goals; delivering extraordinary experiences to the riders, where the company exceeds its expectations to provide better transportation; and listening and innovating, where the community is the key stakeholder.
For drivers, more than $40 million has been distributed in the form of tips.
Lyft now has more than 100,000 drivers active each month in 150 cities, completing a total of more than 1 million rides every week, according to Zimmer.
However, Lyft might just be getting the message.it recently opened up a customer service center in Nashville and an engineering hub in Seattle to improve issues.
Zimmer framed the partnerships as building on other recent announcements from Lyft, including the announcement of a partnership with Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Kuaidi that allows Didi users to call a Lyft through the Didi app when in the U.S.
“We keep the company afloat but we’re not even employees”, said one of the Lyft drivers attending Thursday’s event.
Yet Lyft is focused on targeting the full spectrum of drivers, she said.
“The more you drive the more you save”, said David Rust, Lyft head of operations strategy.
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But another driver, who asked not to be identified because he thought Lyft might deactivate him for criticizing it, had a more cynical view.
