Lyft began as an unconventional way to improve transportation and connect communities by helping people share the ride. Since then, Lyft has become a critical part of and partner with city transportation, providing more than 1 billion rides, and helping the driver community — over 90% of whom drive on a part-time basis — with $10 billion in earnings.
Lyft is committed to making cities more liveable, so we conduct a survey each year to better understand the impact we have on them, as well as our rider and driver community. The 2019 Economic Impact Report sheds new light on how ridesharing eliminates friction in city-living by making transportation more reliable and convenient. We surveyed 30,000 Lyft riders and 30,000 drivers across 54 North American regions to gain more insight into what’s possible with increased use of on-demand transportation.
“We are on a mission to provide the world’s best transportation, including as an alternative to owning a car,” said Anthony Foxx, Lyft’s Chief Policy Officer. “Our 2019 Economic Impact Report finds that 35 percent of Lyft riders do not own a personal vehicle and a majority of them say Lyft is the reason why – evidence that Lyft is making car ownership optional for many. We look for this trend to continue as we bring new transportation options to Lyft including bikes and scooters.”
Moving Away from Car Ownership
With unlimited monthly subscription plans, connections to transit, and new, more cost-effective ride options, community members are increasingly shedding the hassles that come with driving themselves.
35% do not own or lease a personal vehicle
64% of non-car owners said Lyft has impacted their decision not to own or lease a personal vehicle
50% of non-car owners would be more likely to purchase a vehicle if services like Lyft became unavailable
Destination: Transit
By helping to reduce reliance on personal cars, Lyft provides a critical bridge to a variety of sustainable transportation options. In 2018, we continued to see Lyft riders embrace a variety of these transportation options including transit, bikes and scooters.
46% take public transit at least once a week
25% use Lyft to get around when public transit does not operate
20% have used bike or scooter-share programs
Rides for Health, Rides for Safety
The past few years have shown that ridesharing brings more revenue to local stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues. We’re now learning that Lyft also enables people to make smart decisions about their health and safety. Lyft makes it possible to get to medical appointments, get a ride home instead of driving impaired, and more.
29% of riders have used Lyft to get to healthcare related destinations
28% of healthcare riders state that without Lyft they would be less likely to get to appointments regularly
71% of riders are less likely to drive impaired due to the availability of Lyft
Each year brings new findings about what it means to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation. Read the full Lyft 2019 Economic Impact Report.