Miami riders spent an additional $87 million in 2018 due to the availability of Lyft, so says a report just released measuring the benefits Miami residents and their communities are seeing when it’s easy to get a reliable, affordable ride around town.
Other key findings in the company’s 2019 Annual Miami Economic Impact Report show more than half of all riders are less likely to use their personal vehicle due to the availability of Lyft, a 4 percent increase over the average for riders nationwide. In addition, 75 percent of local riders cited Lyft as a deciding factor in their decision to not own or lease a personal vehicle altogether, a 12 percent jump over the national average.
Lyft began as an unconventional way to improve transportation and connect communities by helping people share the ride. Since then, it has become a critical part of and partner with city transportation. The report indicates that companies like Lyft are increasingly helping create a seamless city living experience by making it easier for people to get around and experience Miami and its surrounding areas.
Some benefits Miami has seen from Lyft can be attributed to the official partnership with Brightline, allowing the local community to utilize multimodal transportation options in order to reach their final destinations.
Brightline is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad is the U.S. – and as the exclusive rideshare partner, Lyft is directly integrated into the operation, including wayfinding communications around the stations, designated pickup and drop-off lounge areas at the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach stations, and an area for Lyft drivers to wait while awaiting ride requests.
“Every day, people are using Lyft in Greater Miami as a way to connect with their community, support local businesses, and commute more efficiently,” said Sam Cohen, general manager for Lyft Florida.
“This is having a dramatic and real impact on our region by enabling riders to move around seamlessly and drivers to earn on their own time. As Lyft works to better knit together North American cities, including through bikes and scooters, we hope to continue to find new ways to invest in the local economy,” he added.
Miami 2019 Economic Impact Report highlights:
• Using Lyft, riders throughout Miami saved over 9 million hours compared to other transportation modes – which translates to time savings valued at $34 billion
• 50% of riders explore more areas of their city as a result of using Lyft.
• 95% of drivers say a flexible schedule is very or extremely important
• 35% of riders spend more at local businesses as a result of using Lyft
• 71% are less likely to drive substance impaired due to the availability of Lyft
• 88% drive fewer than 20 hours per week
• 50% of vehicle owners use their cars less because of Lyft.
• 33 % of healthcare riders state that without Lyft they would be less likely to make it to their appointments regularly.
The full survey results can be found at www.lyftimpact.com/stats/cities/miami.
