Lyft Healthcare Fuels On the Go Expansion to 300+ Cities
On the Go was founded in 2010 as a regional program in San Diego County to provide rides for seniors, people with disabilities, and underserved communities. Their innovative approach removes barriers to transportation with tailored solutions that can transform people’s lives and wellbeing.
From the beginning of their partnership with Lyft, On the Go has provided feedback that has been instrumental in developing products with seniors in mind. And in turn, the Lyft platform has helped On the Go overcome transportation challenges, implement people-first solutions, and expand their service to communities in need nationwide.
“We talked to healthcare organizations, community-based and social service agencies, and Area Agencies on Aging all over the country,” said Shana Hazan, Senior Director at On the Go. “Everyone was facing similar issues. Folks weren’t being served, and their health and wellbeing was being compromised.”
Partnering with Lyft “changed the face of our program”
With limited staffing, a small fleet of vehicles, and a manual process, On the Go found it difficult to expand their hours of service and geographic reach.
“We were looking to support riders with the highest quality of service,” said Maureen Glaser, Director of Operations at On the Go. “We added volunteer drivers and taxis, but they lacked the dependability that we needed. Lyft brought the ability to monitor rides and see what was happening in real time, which was amazing. And with a virtual fleet, we were able to serve riders round the clock. It changed the face of our program.”
Hazan added: “We have on-demand and scheduled access to rides right through the API. It has created tons of efficiencies for us and allowed us to scale. People ask, ‘Are you open in this market?’ And we say, ‘If Lyft’s there, we're there.’ That's huge.”
Cost-effective, community-based change
Partnering with Lyft has enabled On the Go to scale to over 300 cities nationwide, so they can connect more individuals with the opportunities that help them thrive. On the Go’s partners include government agencies, healthcare providers, hospital systems, community-based organizations, retirement communities, and more.
“We’re committed to the needs of each individual rider,” continued Hazan. “Through API integrations, software, and automations, we're able to understand individual needs. We have the ability to solve these large public health issues one person at a time. With Lyft, we can respond effectively and efficiently, in a cost-effective way, and achieve community-based change.”
Glaser recalls when rideshare was new, and many seniors found the idea intimidating, from having difficulty finding the driver, to fears about getting in the car with a stranger. But, she says, the Lyft platform has enabled On the Go dispatchers to assist riders through pick up and communicate with drivers in real time. This helps riders feel safe.
“It’s been such a fun process educating older adults about rideshare,” added Glaser. “They’re gaining independence.”
A 75-year-old rider shared: “On the Go has helped renew my spirit and trust after the chaos of the pandemic and the continuing economic problems we face as seniors. I am able to go to doctor’s appointments and socialize more. The staff has been thoughtful, caring, professional, and patient with my many questions and concerns. On the Go is fabulous!”
Customizing solutions for partners
On the Go’s personalized level of care and attention to detail for riders extends to their partner organizations. “We work with partners to think through eligibility criteria based on their priorities and the outcomes they seek for the populations they serve,” said Hazan. “Then we use our software to set those criteria and automate it. The software is so flexible. We can share data with our partners and make changes in real time.”
The results
“It's really about listening to our riders and partners,” says Hazan. “The Lyft Concierge model has proven successful. We have an incredibly low rider-driver missed connection rate at around 3%. And we know that 83% of our older adult riders take more than one ride. So they try it for the first time, and come back again.”
About 44% of On the Go rides are for medical purposes, and they have a 94% completion rate for trips using Lyft to get to doctor’s appointments.
“We don't want to lose that personal touch, because rider outcomes are so critical,” continued Hazan. “We want to make sure that everyone gets where they want to go, when they want to go there, and we’re working to make that possible.”
Financially, partnering with Lyft has led to significant cost savings for both On the Go and its partner organizations. By eliminating the need for an in-house fleet and associated maintenance costs, On the Go can scale its services more efficiently across multiple cities.
“It’s less expensive for us and for so many other organizations, including government agencies who are trying to spend taxpayer dollars wisely,” said Hazan. “Partners have been able to redeploy staff to do the things that they are best suited to do, and where they have the most expertise, and leave the ride scheduling to On the Go and Lyft.”
Looking ahead
As On the Go has grown, they’ve implemented new Lyft Concierge features to serve a wider range of riders with their signature personal touch. One major improvement comes via Lyft Assisted, where riders can get extra assistance getting from their pickup location to the car, and from the car to their destination. On the Go can see in their software if a rider would like some help and then connect them with a Lyft Assisted ride.
Lyft remains a committed partner to On the Go’s mission to transform lives with the freedom of transportation.
To learn more about Lyft Healthcare or how to get started, please visit us at Lyft.com/healthcare.