560,000 people living with a disability are unable to leave their home because of transportation barriers
The out-of-town interview often makes people raise their eyebrows if they take a cab. Sometimes, some candidates become halfhearted only because of the expense. Getting a cab or other transportation to a job interview can be a huge matter of concern for low-income workers pursuing new employment. It’s increasingly becoming a loss to society. Responding to the need, the ride-sharing service Lyft is offering free and discounted rides to passengers who are struggling for new jobs. The company is entirely certain of the requirement, thus launched Jobs Access Program to provide free transportation for unemployed who are seeking job interviews, job training, or their first three weeks of work prior to receiving their first paycheck.
The company explains in a blog post:
“Everyone needs access to reliable, affordable transportation— to get to work, visit the doctor, make it to school, or simply participate in city life. In fact, a recent study pinpoints commuting time as the single strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty. Our own study shows that 44% of Lyft rides start or end in low-income areas and that our passengers saved 178 million hours compared to other transportation modes.”
“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.”
As part of the commitment, Jobs Access Program with a $50 million investment was made possible with the help of nonprofit partners playing a vital role in connecting individuals in need. The program will be launching in more than 35 US and Canadian cities. As GoodNewsNetwork reports, the program promises to serve particularly to vulnerable populations, such as veterans and people with handicaps.
Lyft’s Job Access Program focuses on three key interventions in the employment pipeline that are critical to individual success, and where transportation can play a major role:
- Rides to/from job training programs
- Rides to/from job interviews
- Rides to/from the first three weeks of employment, until individuals receive their first paycheck and begin to pay for their own transportation
