Lyft adds Philly, Atlantic City to program offering discounted rides to grocery stores

Local riders dealing with food deserts will soon have access to cheaper supermarket trips

Newcomer ride-share service Lyft launched in Philadelphia on Friday night, defying threats from PPA
@iPhillyNews/Twitter

Lyft will soon offer a helping hand to Philadelphia and Atlantic City residents dealing with limited access to fresh food options because of where they live.

The ride share company is adding 15 new cities to its Grocery Access Program, which launched in Washington, D.C., in December, Lyft announced Thursday.

Philadelphia and Atlantic City are two of the 15 new locations being added to the program, which teams up with farmers markets, food banks, and grocery stores to offer discounted rides to those living in food deserts.

“We believe it’s our civic responsibility to address key problems our communities are facing through better access to transportation, with the goal of improving city life,” the company said in a release.

Lyft currently operates in more than 350 cities in North America, and the company said in the release that more cities will be added to the program later this year.

The average price for a Lyft Grocery Access Program ride is $2.50, according to The Verge, though that number will fluctuate depending on the market. Considering the program is expanding to cities like Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, some markets will likely see higher fares.

This past December, a Philly woman allegedly assaulted a Lyft driver on the way to a ShopRite grocery store after she claimed the driver attempted to kidnap her. She was cleared by a municipal court judge last week.


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