Lyft is providing rides to job training, interviews

When it comes to increasing access to employment, transportation is a key piece of the equation.

Along with building skills and getting certifications, how to get there is an important consideration. Before one even gets to work, having reliable transportation and a workable commute plays a key factor in ensuring that a person is successful in a job. The length and the cost of the commute have a role in economic mobility, as well as movements of people.

With a new program, Lyft is looking to address this with free and discounted rides to folks who are navigating the “employment pipeline.”

Through the Jobs Access Program, the ridesharing company is providing rides in more than 35 markets for people going to the following three things: job training programs, job interviews and the first three weeks of employment. It’s working with nonprofits Year Up, United Way and Generation to provide the rides in Baltimore.

Lyft’s data shows that 58% of rides start or end in low-income areas.

“We know that for the unemployed, reliable transportation to a job interview or to the first few weeks of work can make a world of difference,” said Mike Heslin, GM of Lyft Baltimore. “We’re proud to work with United Way locally to work towards a future where Baltimore residents can successfully make their way through the employment pipeline.”