Lyft Launches Scooter Service

Lyft has launched a fleet of electric scooters in Denver, stepping squarely into the rapidly growing scooter-sharing market so far dominated by the likes of Bird and Lime. Uber is expected to deploy its own scooters in rival Bird’s hometown of Santa Monica, California within a few weeks, according to a company spokesperson, CNN reported. Although the two companies are synonymous with ridesharing, they see tremendous potential in electric scooters and bicycles. The devices, which are popular with commuters, help reduce congestion and complement public transit. That could help offset mounting criticism—backed by several studies—that show ridesharing leads to more traffic as people shift from mass transit to cars. Eager to further facilitate the switch to scooters, Lyft will soon offer anyone riding its scooters a discount if they start or end their ride near public transit. Scooters can be found through Lyft’s app, and prices mirror industry standards of $1 to unlock a scooter and 15 cents a minute. The company is also adding a feature in its app to let commuters know when they are near public transit stops.