BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) – Residents of the greater Baton Rouge area now have another resource to get around town, called Lyft, and city officials are hoping this will also make roads around the city safer.
Safety and convenience, according to Lyft senior policy communications manager, Chelsea Harrison, are top priorities for the company, with safety being of special concern for local law enforcement. Baton Rouge police say the roads were a bit safer last year, with DUI numbers down. There were 1,090 DUI arrests made in 2015, compared to 1,018 in 2016; 72 less. Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says that could be thanks to programs like Lyft.
“You’re not only protecting yourself, but you’re protecting others and being responsible. Getting behind a car while you’re impaired is something you shouldn’t do because of the possibility of injuring yourself or killing yourself or someone else.”
The service is available at the touch of a finger. Simply go to the App Store and download the Lyft app. Then decide whether you’re riding solo, in which case you’d use the regular Lyft service, or if you’ll be traveling with a group of friends, then Lyft Plus will be the better option. Then, according to Harrison, a driver will be on the way.
In keeping with ensuring the safety of passengers, Harrison says, “All Lyft drivers undergo criminal background checks, driving record checks, and vehicle inspections.”
Lyft is available in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. A complete pricing list is below:
- Lyft
- Base fare: $1.25
- Service fee: $1.95
- Per minute: $0.15
- Per mile: $0.90
- Min. fare: $4.00
- Lyft Plus (6 passenger vehicle)
- Base fare: $2.00
- Service fee: $1.95
- Per minute: $0.25
- Per mile: $1.35
To celebrate the launch, new passengers will be able to use the code LYFTLOVE17 to receive $5 off their first Lyft ride.
