Lyft NYC pilot project gives rides to doctor appointments

Lyft has announced a new partnership with National Medtrans Network in New York City, and under that partnership will be piloting a transportation option for taking riders to non-emergency doctor appointments. Lyft has vowed to give 2,500 rides under this program per week in New York City, aiming to reduce the number of missed doctors appointments and help those in need get adequate medical care.

Getting to a medical appointment when one doesn't own a vehicle can be difficult, particularly if the medical condition makes public transportation like buses difficult. Many of the individuals who have trouble getting to such appointments are elderly, a demographic that also usually has regular medical appointments and more frequent trips.

Through Concierge, a newly announced service, those partnered with Lyft can submit a third-party web request for rides on behalf of customers. This eliminates the need for those customers to have smartphones, something that stands in the way between many elderly riders and modern platforms like Lyft.

Says Lyft, it is hoping to expand Concierge to include additional partners at some point in the future, though there are no concrete plans stated at this time. Be sure to check out the timeline below for other recent Lyft news!

SOURCE: Lyft Blog