Lyft Will Pay You to Ditch Your Car for 30 Days

The transportation network company Lyft is pushing residents in the city of Chicago to experiment with a carless lifestyle.

1 minute read

August 1, 2018, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Marina City Chicago

Leave it parked in Marina City, get Lyft credits. | Leandro Neumann Ciuffo / flickr

Andrew J. Hawkins reports that Lyft will begin offering residents in Chicago $550 each in credits to Lyft if they ditch their cars.

Lyft is offering the deal to 100 Chicago residents, but with some strings attached: "Those who accept the challenge to put away their car keys for 30 days will get $300 in Lyft shared ride credit (for use in carpool trips only), $45 for a monthly Divvy bike-share pass, $100 in Zipcar credit, and $105 for 'L' train and bus service."

"Participants are encouraged to post about their 30-day multimodal experience on social media. And Lyft will conduct pre- and post-challenge interviews to gauge reactions," adds Hawkins.

The article includes soundbites from David Katcher, Lyft’s general manager for the Midwest, to explain the company's thinking behind this unique promotion.

Tuesday, July 31, 2018 in The Verge

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Historic homes in St. Augustine, Florida.

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs

Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

March 18, 2025 - Newsweek

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands

The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

March 17, 2025 - The Wall Street Journal

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

White bike symbol painted on green bike lane.

OKC Approves 7.2 Miles of New Bike Lanes

The city council is implementing its BikeWalkOKC plan, which recommends new bike lanes on key east-west corridors.

March 21 - Oklahoma City Free Press

Aerial view of downtown Houston, Texas skyline with low-rise housing in foreground.

Preserving Houston’s ‘Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing’

Unsubsidized, low-cost rental housing is a significant source of affordable housing for Houston households, but the supply is declining as units fall into disrepair or are redeveloped into more expensive units.

March 21 - Urban Edge

Small tree in bloom with pink flowers in front of home in Toronto, Canada.

The Most Popular Tree on Google?

Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.

March 21 - Toronto Star