NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Lyft and NBA superstar LeBron James have teamed up to offer free bike-share services to teens and young adults through the YMCA.
One-year bike-share memberships will be offered by Lyft and distributed in collaboration with the YMCA for ages 16-20. The program will begin in New York in the spring and continue later in the year in Chicago and the San Francisco Bay area. The membership includes pedal and e-bikes up to 45 minutes per ride.
James, through his empowerment group Uninterrupted, will partner with Lyft to offer the program.
"Growing up, a bike changed everything for me," James said. "It was more than a way to go see my friends or play basketball — it was a way of life. A bike opened doors, allowed me to get to safe places after school, and gave me access to opportunities I never would have known. I'm proud that Uninterrupted can join Lyft in bringing that access to kids and people in communities across the country."
According to Lyft, nearly 4.5 million Americans do not have access to affordable and reliable transportation.
"With LeBron as our inspiration, we want to demonstrate how transportation can be a spark that helps young people reach their full potential," said John Zimmer, Lyft co-founder and president. "The future of transportation is exciting, and we feel a deep responsibility to help make transportation accessible to all."
The program is part of the new LyftUp initiative to expand transportation access to those who need it most. Throughout the year, the YMCA will be a partner in the Lyft app, offering riders the opportunity to round off their ride payment to donate the difference to the YMCA to support efforts to expand bike-share access.
