LYNN — A partnership among the city, Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS) and Lyft will provide access to transportation for seniors and residents with disabilities through next Monday, Aug. 31.
The arrangement is not related to The Ride, a transportation service still available to Lynn residents, even though GLSS is no longer one of the vendors, said Holly Jarrell-Marcinelli, director of consumer services for the agency.
The partnership is part of LyftUp, Lyft’s comprehensive effort to expand transportation access to vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the crisis, Lyft has activated more than 500 LyftUp partners, including public health entities, local governments, and community health organizations, to provide free ride credits and free delivery of essential goods for vulnerable communities as well as to essential workers.
“We want to increase access to transportation for those who need it, particularly to meet their essential needs during this time,” said Bob Metcalf, Lyft’s New England regional director.
“By activating LyftUp, we’re able to partner with the city of Lynn and GLSS to fill mobility needs and increase access to essential services for the Lynn community.”
The initiative aims to ensure that vulnerable populations are able to access essential services, such as rides to and from grocery stores and pharmacies, in a reliable and affordable way during the pandemic.
Though GLSS and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) — which provides The Ride — severed their relationship earlier this year, Jarrell-Marcinelli said the service is still available to Lynn residents.
“Individuals within Lynn still have access to The Ride,” she said, adding that residents can still call the same number for The Ride they called before.
“There is more than one vendor for The Ride,” she said. “GLSS was just one of them.”
The Ride transports many seniors and others with disabilities to essential services, such as supermarkets and doctors’ offices.
LyftUp will provide an adjunct to that service for the short term, Jarrell-Marcinelli said.
“Lyft had approached the city sometime (earlier this year) to provide transportation resources to the community. Lyft had Identified different communities hard-hit by COVID, and reached out to those cities. Lynn was one of them. They wanted to know how they could connect people to these services, and came to us.”
Jarrell-Marcinelli said that since GLSS provides a variety of services and supports promoting consumer health and well-being and overall community liveability, the LyftUp initiative was a logical partnership for both GLSS and the city of Lynn.
“Access to reliable and affordable transportation for our residents, particularly our seniors, has always been a priority for me,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee. “The access that Greater Lynn Senior Services and Lyft are teaming up to provide will help meet the crucial mobility needs of our seniors.”
The way it works is simple. By using a code in the Lyft app, residents will get access to a free transportation credit up to $50, which can be redeemed for rides to and from grocery stores, pharmacies, medical providers, employment appointments, or other essential services through Aug. 31.
Jarrell-Marcinelli said that even after Aug. 31, if customers have leftover Lyft codes, they can be used for rides. Beyond that, she was not sure what arrangements would be made.
To inquire about a Lyft code, residents can call GLSS at 781-599-0110 and ask for an options counselor.
