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Lyft to test Netflix-style monthly subscription for rides

Lyft Testing Netflix-Like Subscription Packages for Riders According to Engadget, Lyft has reportedly been testing the idea of offering pre-paid packages of rides for its customers for a few months. "The ideal scenario is moving to a subscription model." Lyft recently emailed a number of riders invites to its "All Access" program, with offers varying by person. Riders would pay a weekly or monthly rate for a number of rides. One invitation outlining a service offering 60 free rides (up to $15) for $400 up
By Fiza Pirani
March 16, 2018

Ride-hailing company Lyft is testing monthly subscriptions similar to Netflix, The Verge first reported Thursday.

» RELATED: Lyft, auto parts maker Magna partner on autonomous vehicles

Lyft CEO Logan Green discussed the idea of subscription plans during a press event Wednesday when announcing a partnership with auto parts maker Magna to build self-driving cars. According to a company spokesperson, Lyft has actually been testing all-access passes for several months now to find new ways to provide riders with affordable and flexible transportation options.

The companies announced the partnership Wednesday and also said that Magna would invest $200 million in Lyft.

“We are going to move the entire industry from one based on ownership to one based on subscription,” Green said at the press event.

» RELATED: Taking Uber, Lyft? Read these 7 safety tips before getting in the car

The Lyft subscription plans work best for high-frequency users and offer a set number of rides each month for an upfront fee. There’s a version that comes to approximately $200 for 30 rides worth up to $15 each.

Another subscription plan costs about $400 a month for 60 rides.

Lyft-competitor Uber has tested out similar plans for its users as well. According to The Verge, the Uber Plus Pass was rolled out in some cities in 2016, “but it’s unclear whether that experiment went anywhere.”

With its own all-access passes, Lyft is hoping to challenge Uber by adding more cities and drivers to its roster.

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Fiza Pirani is an Atlanta-based freelance writer and editor.

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