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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Howard chapter.

The popular rideshare company Lyft is dedicated to ensuring its customers have transportation to work. The company introduced a new initiative, called the Jobs Access Program, which provides free or discounted transportation to job interviews and training. If the person begins working that job, Lyft will continue providing free or discounted rides for up to three weeks until the rider receives a paycheck. From their statement, it is unclear when the program will launch. However, Lyft is actively collaborating with companies including the National Down Syndrome Society and Goodwill to make this program possible.

 

The Jobs Access Program is a part of Lyft’s 50 million dollar commitment to improve cities and transportation infrastructure. In their own study, Lyft found that 44% of Lyft rides begin and end in low income areas. Lyft recognizes that the first few weeks of a job are important for building a strong foundation, and their new program is designed to help during that time period.

 

Image Credit: Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images, FILE

 

“For the unemployed, reliable transportation to a job interview or to the first few weeks of work can mean the difference between successful, long-term employment and lost opportunities,” Lyft’s statement read. “So we’ve partnered with several leading national and local organizations dedicated to workforce development in order to deliver free or discounted rides to people making their way through the employment pipeline.”

 

Lyft’s target audience generally come from low-income areas, are veterans and people living with disabilities. However, Lyft’s new program is one that college students should use to their advantage. Many students who are searching for jobs and internships are away from home and without a car. The program could give students reliable transportation to their career pursuits. For a list of cities the Jobs Access Program is available in, click here. Lyft is also accepting donations to ensure the vision remains possible here.

 

Kyndall Dunn is a senior honors media management major, business administration minor at Howard University from Atlanta, GA. She is a content contributor and topic editor for Her Campus. Instagram: @kyndunn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyndunn/
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Deni Dedmon is a sophomore speech-language pathology major from Albany, GA. Her first love was writing but her second love was helping others, which led to her choosing a career in speech pathology. When it comes to her writing, she loves to write about everything, from entertainment (she’s an avid Kehlani fan) to book reviews (she’s been reading since the age of one) to controversial topics and current events (ya know, your average angry black girl things). Being the oldest of five girls, she is also passionate about young black girls, their self-esteem, and making sure that they’re proud of being who they are. At the age of seventeen, she became a contributor for MTV Founders and a spring writer for Affinity Magazine.