Lyft, HART and Zipcar offer ditch-the-car challenge

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, the rideshare company Lyft and carshare company Zipcar are issuing a challenge to Hillsborough residents:

Dump your car for a month.

The partnership is offering nearly $500 in transportation credits for drivers to use the three services in lieu of a private passenger vehicle for 30 days, Oct. 8 to Nov. 6.

Drivers can register for the promotion at a special website designed for the partnership by Lyft.

“The way that people move around cities is changing faster than ever, and we are excited to challenge Tampa residents to change their everyday habits and give up their car for a month,” said Sam Cohen, General Manager for Lyft Florida.

“Lyft alone is not the overall solution to overcome transportation hurdles, but by partnering with Zipcar and HART we are able to create mobility options for Tampa residents.”

The groups are offering the promotion to 50 randomly selected applicants. Those chosen will receive $300 in Lyft credit, a $65 HART bus and TECO Line Streetcar pass and and a one month membership and $100 in ride credits for Zipcar.

“This partnership is reflective of the changing mobility landscape and how transit agencies can adopt new technology to enhance the travel experience for Tampa residents throughout the city,” said HART Interim CEO, Jeff Seward. “We are always exploring innovative methods to improve service and transport customers throughout the region more efficiently and effectively.”

HART offers traditional transit service throughout the county. Lyft is a ridesharing application that allows users to hail a ride on-demand at costs less than traditional taxi service and Zipcar offers a membership to drivers that allows them to rent cars when they need one in lieu of car ownership.

“Every day, more and more people ditch their personal cars in Tampa and instead use a range of mobility options to get around from car sharing to ride hailing,” said Smokey West, Zipcar Regional General Manager, Mid-Atlantic/Southeast.

“We’re excited to join Lyft in this fun 30-day challenge that’ll encourage even more Tampa residents to go car-free. At Zipcar, we’re big fans of any effort to make it easier to live without a personal car.”

Lyft and Zipcar are offering a similar promotion in Orlando that includes rides on SunRail and LYNX.