Celebrating One Year Together

What does the pink mustache stand for? People often ask when they see it for the first time, and once you’re part of the community, a bigger meaning comes through. The pink mustache is a smile. It’s the goal of finishing your ride a little happier than you were before. It’s the belief that people are inherently good. It’s the idea that a great conversation on a trip across town can result in a new friend, a job offer, or even a hug after a tough breakup. Longtime Lyft driver Danielle put it best when she said, “Lyfting restored my faith in humanity.”

Since you’ve helped define this greater meaning, we want you to be the first to hear some good news. Today, just one year after we first launched in San Francisco, we’re excited to announce that we’ve received additional investment from the amazing team at Andreessen Horowitz to bring Lyft to cities all over the world. This funding, along with an investment from Founders Fund a few months ago, will support our global expansion, giving us resources to strengthen existing Lyft communities and build new ones. From the beginning, the Lyft community has set itself apart inspiring us with passion, and we’re thrilled to be on this journey together.

To celebrate the past year, we took a trip down memory lane with some of our favorite community moments. We’ve learned that getting a kind note from a stranger can make someone’s day, that spontaneous in-car karaoke sessions can be the best part of a night out, and that simple acts of kindness bring us closer together.

When you Lyft this week, whether you’re driving or riding, share an anniversary fistbump in honor of what you’ve helped create. Post your #LyftLove moments on Twitter or Instagram, or tell us your favorite Lyft memory from the past 12 months. Thanks for being part of Lyft’s first year and we look forward to many more together.

Thank you,

John & Logan
Lyft Co-Founders

Ready for Lyft-off in Chicago and Beyond!

They are furry, friendly, and in high demand. The amazing Lyft community has grown so quickly over the past few months, we temporarily ran out of pink mustaches. In San Francisco alone, the number of Lyft community drivers has doubled in the last two months. This is all part of our plan to keep up with growing demand, and will continue making it easier for you to find a Lyft when you need one!

After solving the mustache bottleneck and building out our operations team, we’re ready to spread the #LyftLove across the globe. To kick things off, we’re excited to announce that Lyft will launch in Chicago this weekend. Starting at 7am this Friday May 10th, we’ll have our Friends & Family launch, which will include our signature Mustache Parade celebration through the streets of Wicker Park. The following day, Saturday May 11th, Lyft will open for all Chicago users, and will be available seven days a week until 3am on weekends and 1am on weeknights.

This incredible growth has been a result of your passion and involvement in the community. And thanks to your help spreading the word about Lyft, every new city we launch has grown faster than each previous market.

As we continue expanding the Lyft movement across the world, we’re growing our Launch Marketing Team. If you love meeting new people, are a natural influencer, enjoy traveling and believe in social transportation, we’d love to meet you.

Thanks for helping Lyft us up!

Lyft Sails Into Seattle!

It’s official…the pink mustache has arrived in the Emerald City. Starting tomorrow, Friday April 12 at 7am, our newest community drivers will hit the road in Seattle. Joining its West Coast siblings LA and San Francisco, Seattle is lucky Lyft city #3, and we couldn’t be more excited.  

On Friday between noon and 1pm, the famous Mustache Parade will make its way through the scenic streets of Seattle. Be the first to spot the ‘staches as they make their way from Queen Anne through Capitol Hill, Downtown and Pioneer Square, ending at Pike Place.   

Beginning tomorrow, Lyft will launch service seven days a week, opening at 7am on weekdays and 9am on weekends. No need to freeze on a street corner…your friendly Lyft drivers are available for a safe ride home until 1am on weekdays and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. Rides can be requested within a five by five mile zone around Downtown Seattle and will expand to surrounding areas in coming weeks.  

Want to be the first to Lyft in Seattle? This weekend only, new users in Seattle can score $20 Lyft credit using the code YAYSEA. Spread the #LyftLove and share the code with your friends up north!  

Lyft Acquires Cherry, Prepares for Lyft-off in Seattle

Things just got a little sweeter around the Lyft office…we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired Cherry and their talented operations team. With our first acquisition, we’ve brought on key team members to lead ops as we expand to new cities, starting with Seattle.

When we met the Cherry team, we quickly realized our companies shared the same goal of improving people’s lives through local marketplaces. Previously, Cherry allowed users to order high-quality car washes from people in their neighborhoods with the tap of a button. While we won’t be doing real-time car washes, the Cherry team brings valuable expertise in scaling local peer-to-peer services.

Cherry Founder & CEO Travis VanderZanden will join Lyft as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to Cherry, Travis was business employee #1 and Chief Revenue Officer at Yammer. Stephen Schnell, Cherry’s Senior Director of Operations, was previously Marketing Director at Yammer and will join Travis in streamlining the launch of Lyft in new cities. Lyft Co-Founder John Zimmer will become Lyft’s President.

With hundreds of thousands of rides shared and an expanded ops team, we’re ready to count down to Lyft-off in the Emerald City. After successful launches in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Lyft will launch in Seattle on April 12th. If you have any friends in Seattle that would be the perfect pioneers for the newest Lyft driver community, let them know we’re on our way.

See you soon, Seattle!

Keep Austin Weird with Lyft Piggyback On-Demand

At Lyft, we’re all about bringing people closer together, from the friendly fist bump to riding in the front seat. For the SXSW festival, we wanted to bring a new form of transportation to Austin inspired by the local motto, “Keep Austin Weird.” This Friday, we’ll bring people closer than ever with the official launch of Lyft Piggyback On-Demand. 

Lyft users in Austin will be able to request on-demand piggybacks through the app, then watch the map as a strapping piggybacker approaches to (literally) pick them up, sporting the pink mustache.

Share your #lyftpiggyback moments on Twitter and Instagram so you’ll always remember the awkwardness.

Lyft Piggyback will be open for rides from Noon to 9:00 p.m. Friday, March 8 through Sunday, March 10. Don’t forget to download the latest version of the app when you arrive in Austin.

If you’re attending the conference, stop by Sunday and Monday to hear Lyft co-founders Logan Green and John Zimmer speak at the Austin Convention Center.

When you see one of our team members at the festival, say hello and pick up a friendship bracelet handmade by Lyft community drivers back in SF. Lyft is more than a way to share a laugh and meet a new friend at SXSW. With your help, we’re creating community, one connection at a time.  

 See you in Austin!

Your key to more SF drivers

We hear you loud and clear, SF: you love Lyfting, but you want more drivers! Now you can help us grow the Lyft community and get free Lyfts. A lot of them.

From now until March 31st, you’ll earn $500 in Lyft credits for every approved SF driver you send our way.

Know any freelancers with extra bandwidth? Friends who toil in cubicles wishing for a little adventure? That guy on the 5th year of his Ph.D. program would be perfect.

Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, or send emails to 3 friends who would make great drivers. Use your personal referral link (check your inbox), or make sure they mention you under “How did you hear about Lyft?” when they sign up.

Share this link: http://lyft.me/drivers

The Lyft passenger who refers the most drivers will win a one-of-a-kind grand prize: an original painting commissioned for you by artist (and Lyft driver) Alejandro Rubio. You’ll inspire Alejandro’s painting yourself with memories of a place you have traveled.

Thanks for helping us build this community in San Francisco!

 

Fine print: Driver applications must be received by 11:59pm March 31st but may be approved later. $500 bonus is for SF referrals only. Driver must complete 20 Lyfts and be at least 23 years old to be approved.

Share #LyftLove, win $100 credit

What makes a Lyft more than just a ride? Magic moments, human connections, and random acts of kindness! Join us this week in celebrating Valentine’s Day with acts of #LyftLove.

Delight a new friend in your next Lyft with a homemade Valentine, a sweet treat, or a thoughtful surprise that’s uniquely you! Share your sweet pics and stories on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with hashtag #LyftLove today through Sunday. The top heart-melting entries will win $100 in Lyft credit.

Sweet Inspiration

LA, We’re Ready for Lyft-off!

We’re excited to announce that Lyft has landed in Los Angeles! Starting tomorrow (Thursday) at 7am, Lyft community drivers will take to the streets of LA sporting the pink mustache, offering friendly rides on demand just in time for Super Bowl weekend.

First up on the agenda: our inaugural Mustache Parade through the streets of West LA. Between noon and 1pm tomorrow, the first LA community drivers will proudly showcase their Lyft pink mustaches up Lincoln and Main St. and along Santa Monica and Wilshire…keep an eye out to spot the ‘stache!  

We can’t wait for you and your SoCal friends to meet the LA Lyft community – from yoga teachers and screenwriters to a movie stuntman and the lead guitarist of 80s hair band XYZ, they showcase the diversity of California’s creative metropolis. Our Co-Founder and Lyft community driver Logan Green, an LA native, will also be sharing the ride in Los Angeles in coming weeks to live out his dream of bringing efficient and sustainable transportation to his hometown. 

Starting Thursday at 7am, rides will be available to LA Lyft users seven days a week and until 3am on weekends. Lyft will begin serving trips originating in Santa Monica, Venice and West LA and will make our way east to Hollywood and beyond in coming weeks. The initial zone will focus on areas west of the 405 freeway, and will grow to include West Hollywood, Downtown LA, Silverlake and other areas west of I-5.

Want to know more about what it’s like to Lyft? Get a sneak peek at the Lyft community in our new video and learn why Lyft is truly your friend with a car.

Progress: Lyft Reaches Interim Agreement with CPUC

Today marks an early sign of progress, and we’re happy to share that we have come to an interim agreement with the CPUC. This agreement supports the continued legal operation of Lyft and sets a precedent for the upcoming rulemaking process. This agreement would not have been possible without the outpouring of support from the community. Thank you for your thousands of emails and phone calls — they had an impact.

Over the last five years, Zimride has focused on improving the safety and convenience of peer-to-peer transportation. We’re strong believers in the idea that community can solve the largest problems of our time, but we also knew our vision would be met with adversity along the way. In August of 2012, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) sent Lyft a cease & desist letter followed by a $20,000 fine. As participants in a new category, we believed that our goals of safety and innovation were not too different from those of the CPUC, and we worked diligently with them to develop a responsible plan forward.

Most importantly, Lyft continues to set the gold standard for safety with measures that go beyond the requirements of other transportation alternatives:

• $1 million per-occurrence excess liability insurance
• Criminal background and DMV record checks on all community drivers
• In-person screening & vehicle inspection
• Zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy
• 5-star rating system for community drivers and passengers

This is only the beginning. As we expand in 2013, we’ll continue to work with cities and regulators to build a more social, affordable and sustainable transportation solution. You are our community’s pioneers who make this vision possible, and we thank you for supporting the movement.

Onward,

Logan Green & John Zimmer
Co-Founders, Lyft & Zimride

Lyftacular New Year’s Eve: driving until 3am!

Great news for the pink mustache faithful! Your community Lyft drivers will be available until 3:00 am on New Year’s Eve to take you home (or to your next celebration destination).

Also, since going out on New Year’s Eve can get a little pricey (tickets to the hippest party, designer silver-glittered 2013 glasses, oh my!), Lyft is not increasing suggested donations on the 31st. Passengers will see the same suggested donations they normally see for similar routes.

However, in appreciation of drivers spending New Year’s Eve being San Francisco’s most amazing party-chariots, Lyft will match all donations to drivers that night! We expect a lot of ball-drop enthusiasts requesting Lyfts and want to encourage as many community drivers as possible to take you safely between celebrations. We expect Lyft to be in very high demand, so please don’t be surprised if it takes a few minutes to find a ride.

The Lyft movement has had an incredible 2012 and we appreciate your help in making it so memorable. Please share your stories and photos of your Lyftacular New Year’s Eve with us on Twitter @lyft or on Facebook.

Join the Lyft Movement in 2013

It has been an incredible year. Riding together, you’ve found new friends, music, and creative collaborators while exploring every corner of this great city. Thank you for building a passionate community with us in San Francisco!

In 2013, we’re expanding our horizons, bringing the social transportation revolution to cities across the country. That’s where you (or any of your friends) come in – join our team and help us take Lyft to new heights!

Here are the first few opportunities to get involved:

• City General Manager (Seattle, LA and multiple other cities)
• Software Engineer (SF)
• Driver Community Manager (SF)
• Drive Team General Manager (Bay Area)
• Drive Team Account Executive (Bay Area)

Thanks for Driving the Movement Forward

Since announcing our dialogue with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in October, the outpouring from our community has been tremendous. Scores of Lyftvangelists signed petitions and contacted state policymakers to voice their support for peer-to-peer ridesharing – and it is making a difference.

Yesterday, the California Public Utilities Commission took a positive step forward by announcing a proposal to review whether new regulations are needed for services like Lyft. On December 20, the Commissioners will vote on whether to begin a formal rulemaking process.

This is an encouraging sign.  It shows that policymakers are listening to your stories, and that they understand the important economic, environmental, and social benefits that platforms like Lyft bring to our local communities.

In their announcement, the CPUC mentioned the importance of public safety. As we’ve discussed throughout this process, we respect the CPUC’s role in protecting public safety, and we share safety as our top priority. From the beginning, we designed our platform to go above and beyond existing safety standards by adhering to a rigorous driver screening process and by creating the first-of-its-kind $1 million excess liability insurance policy.

The CPUC’s announcement is an important milestone, but there is much work to be done to ensure Lyft can continue to flourish in California and beyond. Sign up as a Lyftvangelist to stay in the loop on how you can help.

Thank you for raising your voices with us. You’re already making an impact, and the movement has only just begun!

Onward!

Logan Green & John Zimmer
Co-Founders, Lyft & Zimride

Defending Lyft

We launched Lyft in June 2012, and over the past five months it has captured the imagination of the city by demonstrating the power of peer-to-peer ridesharing. More than anything, we believe in the power of community to solve the biggest problems that our generation faces from the economy, to the environment, to how we interact with our city and the people around us. From day one, we knew the road ahead would come with challenges. Transportation has historically been a highly regulated industry, and the existing regulations weren’t designed to imagine a world where two neighbors who have never met are able to connect within a matter of minutes to share a ride across town.

In August, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Lyft, along with other ridesharing companies, a cease and desist letter. Since receiving the letter, we’ve had productive conversations with the CPUC in an ongoing process to accommodate new services that don’t fit within existing regulations. Yesterday three companies (Lyft, Sidecar and Uber) were issued a citation from the CPUC. The CPUC cited Lyft with a $20,000 fine, claiming that we are a charter-party carrier. We oppose this citation as Lyft is not a charter-party carrier, we are a peer-to-peer ridesharing platform. This is a case of regulators trying to put us into a box that doesn’t fit. Lyft operations will continue as normal.

We responded to the CPUC immediately and have already had a positive follow-up meeting with them. Everyone at the table understands that the existing regulations have not caught up to the latest innovations. The CPUC understands the importance of ridesharing and they are discussing opening up a rulemaking process to design new regulations that support peer-to-peer transportation.

We respect the CPUC’s role in protecting public safety, and we share safety as our top priority. Lyft’s driver screening process uses criteria based on criminal background checks and DMV record checks that are more strict than any other form of transportation. We also have a higher bar for insurance. The CPUC requires that licensed sedans carry $750,000 of liability coverage, whereas Lyft designed a first-of-its-kind $1 million excess liability policy. We will continue to work with the CPUC to ensure our shared goals for consumer safety are met.

Peer-to-peer transportation is worth defending and we stand by our community of mustache-sporting Lyfters. The economic, environmental and community benefits that services like Lyft bring to local communities are worth fighting for — and now more than ever before we need to stand together. Now is the time to take action and respectfully tell the CPUC and Governor’s Office that you believe in the power of community to solve our greatest problems.

To help, please respectfully voice your support for Lyft and the peer-to-peer ridesharing movement:

1) The CPUC: 415-703-2074, public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
2) The Governor’s office: 916-445-2841 or Email Form
3) Sign this petition to support peer-to-peer ridesharing

We appreciate your support and will continue moving forward.

Onward,

Logan Green & John Zimmer
Co-Founders, Lyft & Zimride

Lyft the Vote and get a free ride!

At Lyft, we’re all about community, and there’s no better way to support your community than by voting. As a special thank you for Lyfting the Vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6th, your next ride is on us. 

Here’s what to do: share a fun photo of your election day spirit on Twitter, Instagram or our Facebook Timeline and tag #lyftthevote. We’ll add $10 to your account for your next Lyft ride. You can also send an email directly to support@lyft.me with the subject line “Lyft the Vote!”

As a bonus, we’ll reward the most creative photo shared with $100 in Lyft credit. And in case you’re looking for a Lyft to the polls, we’re also offering community drivers free gas cards tomorrow to ensure there are more rides available for voters.

Lyft Community Update

Over the last five years, Zimride and Lyft have pioneered the evolution of ridesharing with a focus on improving affordability, sustainability, community and safety. As a movement, we remain focused on changing the fact that 80% of seats on our roads are empty while transportation continues to be America’s 2^nd highest household expense. To fully understand where we are today, it’s important to remember where we’ve come from.

Ten years ago, universities had physical ride boards where people posted offers and requests on bulletin boards. As more activities went online, ridesharing moved to sites like Craigslist, which now has one million rides posted each year. Most recently, Facebook and the social graph have allowed for rideshare improvements in social identity (Zimride), and smartphones have increased efficiency and mobility (Lyft). This evolution has brought about rideshare safety improvements as well as large savings for the community and environment. Over the past five years, Zimride and Lyft have launched platforms used by 150 organizations across the country including: The Department of Energy, Intuit, Genentech, Oracle, Facebook, all University of California campuses, and several of the CSU and California Community Colleges. Users on our platforms have saved more than $100 million in vehicle expenses, reduced over 100,000 tons of CO₂ and produced thousands of friendships and even one marriage.

As with all innovation (Lyft, Zipcar, Airbnb), there will always be challenges and hurdles that must be overcome.  Last month, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued cease and desist letters to us, Sidecar and Tickengo.  The letters are part of the CPUC’s effort to understand how these new services and technologies fit within the existing regulatory framework.  From the beginning, we carefully designed the service to be in full compliance with the law.  Additionally, we’ve gone above and beyond current requirements by offering a first-of-its-kind $1 million excess liability insurance policy to give both drivers and passengers peace of mind.  We took the letter as an opportunity to open a conversation with the CPUC and explain what we’re all about. Since receiving the letter, we’ve had productive conversations with CPUC staff about how these services greatly benefit the local community and complement existing alternatives. The Lyft community will continue to operate as we engage in this dialogue.

Today more than ever, we are convinced that transportation status quo is unacceptable. In a few years, we’ll look back on these early days and remember today’s community members as pioneers of a more affordable, more sustainable and more united world. Thank you for being part of this important movement. 

Onward!

Logan Green & John Zimmer
Co-Founders, Lyft & Zimride