Lyft, developer of the popular mobile ride-hailing app, recently announced its Jobs Access Program initiative that aims to close short-term transportation gaps related to employment access and job training to more than 35 cities in the United States.
The Jobs Access Program will offer free rides to and from training programs and job interviews, as well as (upon employment) rides to and from the job for the first three weeks, until the individual receives their first paycheck.
Lyft is partnering with Dress for Success-Phoenix and St. Joseph the Worker to bring the program to life in the Phoenix area.
“St. Joseph the Worker, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, is proud to partner with Lyft to assist the underserved members of our community in getting to interviews,” said Katie Thorson, director of development for St. Joseph the Worker. “Transportation is one of the top-two biggest barriers to getting to an interview or a job on time.
“With the support of Lyft and its reliable transportation across our large Valley, we’re allowing job seekers and newly employed clients to have one less thing to worry about on their journey to self-sufficiency,” she said.
Lyft reported that 45 percent of Lyft rides in the greater Phoenix area start or end in low-income areas, compared to 44 percent of its rides nationally.
According to a recent study from The Quarterly Journal of Economics, commuting time is one of the single strongest factors in the odds of escaping poverty.
The Jobs Access Program will focus on providing benefits to those who need it most, such as veterans or individuals with disabilities.
“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 Drena Kusari, regional director for Lyft’s Southwest region. “We’re proud to work with Dress for Success-Phoenix and St. Joseph the Worker to work toward a future where Valley residents can successfully make their way through the employment pipeline.”
Lyft’s national partners include:
• United Service Organizations (USO)
• Goodwill
• National Down Syndrome Society
• Year Up
• #cut50, a Dream Corps Initiative
• The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth
This story was originally published at Chamber Business News.
