WASHINGTON — The nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program has partnered with ride-hailing service Lyft this year for its SoberRide program instead of taxi companies.
Starting with the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, drivers who’ve had too much to drink can use the code SOBERRIDE via the Lyft app to request a ride home. New Lyft users will get $20 toward the ride home. WRAP will subsidize the $20 for existing Lyft customers.
Lyft will also donate $1 to the nonprofit for each new Lyft customer that uses the code.
Lyft and the charity also plan to offer the SOBERRIDE program on Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day, Halloween and between December 15 and New Year’s Day.
In previous years, SoberRide users called a special phone number to request a taxi, with WRAP subsidizing the cost of the fare.
The SoberRide partnership with Lyft covers all of the District, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties in Virginia.
WRAP’s SoberRide program has provided almost 63,000 rides home to would-be drunk drivers since the program started in 1993.
