No car? No problem. Lyft, a ride-sharing app, is piloting a program offering seniors in New York City rides to nonemergency medical appointments through a new partnership with National Medtrans Network, a provider of nonemergency medical transportation.
Currently, Lyft is offering 2,500 rides per week in New York. The new service targets seniors due to their "unique needs for reliable transportation solutions," according to Lyft. "Many have regular medical appointments and limited transportation options."
Additionally, Lyft reports more than one quarter of seniors don't have smartphones, so the company unveiled a new web-based platform called Concierge through which seniors can request rides without needing a smartphone.
Lyft hopes this new service helps reduce the number of missed appointments or delayed medical care due to lack of appropriate transportation. What's more, less than half of New York City households own a car, according to a 2012 report from the New York City Economic Development Corp.
"Since Lyft has long been on a mission to reconnect people and communities through better transportation, we're making sure people who need rides most are able to get them," according to Lyft.
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