GM and Lyft have discussed many possibilities for the future of ride sharing, and this is just one of them. Ride-sharing service Lyft and General Motors are launching a program in Chicago that will allow current Lyft drivers to rent GM cars, the companies said today.
The pilot program, which starts this month and is called Express Drive, will offer GM vehicles to Lyft drivers for $99 a week for up to eight weeks. The $99 will be waived to Lyft drivers in Chicago who log 65 or more rides per week.
Lyft and Maven, GM’s new car-sharing venture, will share the cost of insurance and maintenance. Maven will pay for the maintenance, according to GM spokeswoman Annalisa Bluhm.
Initially, the vehicles will be Chevrolet Equinox crossovers equipped with OnStar, GM’s connectivity system.
This is the first step taken by the two partners since GM announced in January it is investing $500 million in Lyft. They have formed a strategic alliance that eventually will offer rides through a network of autonomous vehicles.
A similar program is planned for Boston, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.