On-demand transportation service Lyft will launch in the State College area beginning at noon today.
The rideshare service allows users to request a ride and pay through the Lyft mobile app. Lyft requires that its drivers be at least 21 and have a U.S. driver’s license for at least one year. Drivers undergo driving record and criminal background checks and have to meet certain vehicle standards.
‘Since its inception, Lyft has been committed to treating people better, and as a result, our drivers and passengers are incredibly welcoming and friendly,’ a Lyft spokesperson said. ‘That’s why we’re excited State College is welcoming Lyft into the city. Our founding group of State College drivers includes a volunteer firefighter, a school bus driver, a sixth grade teacher, and the Penn State MBA program coordinator.’
Lyft now joins its competitor Uber in the State College market. Uber launched in the area in February 2015 after being approved to expand outside the Philadelphia area by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). Lyft was given the same approval shortly after Uber.
Lyft and Uber have been embraced for their ease of use, expanding ride availability and offering anyone who meets the driver requirements to make money using their own car. Uber has taken credit for a decline in DUIs in the cities in which it operates.
Taxi companies and drivers have been less enthused. Philadelphia taxi drivers staged a protest of the services earlier this year . When Uber launched in State College, taxi companies began displaying “Buy Local” stickers on their vehicles and around town.
To mark the launch in State College, new passengers will be able to use the code “LYFTINSC” to receive $5 off their first Lyft ride within the State College coverage area, which includes most of Centre County.
Lyft was founded in 2012 and operates in more than 200 cities.
