Dive Brief:
- Lyft announced in a blog post that it has partnered with Trafi, a transit information platform, to add public transit information to its app in Santa Monica, CA, starting this week.
- When users open the app, they will now see "nearby transit" options with details on Big Blue Bus, LA Metro and Metrolink routes and schedules. Users will also be able to see scooter locations, following the launch of Lyft scooters in the city.
- Lyft also announced the addition of Lilly Shoup to its leadership team as the Senior Director of Transportation Policy. Shoup will oversee a "national portfolio of policies and partnerships to advance Lyft's vision of the future of mobility," according to the blog post.
Dive Insight:
By integrating transit options into its app, Lyft is beginning to truly position itself as a one-stop shop for transit offerings and first-mile/last-mile solutions. In the blog post, Lyft explained its mission to decrease car ownership and make transportation more equitable, and it has recognized that such a mission can't be done solely through ride-hailing offerings.
Santa Monica will now act as a testbed for how users interact with the new app features, and if successful, it is likely Lyft will roll out similar features in other major cities.
The launch of a scooter fleet in Santa Monica is also a huge step forward for the company, following its first scooter fleet roll-out in Denver earlier this month. During a press conference in Santa Monica on Monday, David Fairbank, Lyft Market Manager for Bikes and Scooters, called the scooter launch a "key milestone" in Lyft's journey, and said bikes are soon to come in Santa Monica.
"More people biking, scooting and walking is better for the city," he said. "Our incredibly hands-on operational strategy for bikes and scooters in the market reflects our dedication to improving the community with our new services."
Uber is nipping at the heels of Lyft by offering Jump locations through its app, and while it hasn't yet phased public transit information into its app, the company does provide city traffic data and insights through its Uber Movement platform. Users can expect continued app updates from both companies as competition increases in the race to become a the leading mobility platform.
