Ride-hailing service Lyft is trying to make life easier for its drivers and has partnered with Shell, car rental company Hertz and Stripe for the purpose.
On Thursday, Oct. 8, Lyft divulged that the partnerships would help fuel a better experience for its drivers by offering cheaper car rentals and discounted gasoline, along with simplified payment methods.
The company already partners with Starbucks, offering customers reward points and benefits for its drivers as well.
Lyft envisions that these efforts will help the service retain existing drivers, as well as help lure new ones.
"The partner ecosystem we've extended today is a big step forward in bringing people and communities together through better transportation. We're building the ultimate experience for fun, flexibility and empowerment where you can rent a car, fill it with discounted gas, meet new people, stop for a Starbucks coffee, and have your earnings deposited into your bank account all in the same day," notes the company.
Thanks to Hertz and Lyft teaming up, the latter's drivers would be able to take advantage of the car rental company's service in the event of an emergency. For instance, if a Lyft driver's vehicle breaks down, they will be able to rent a car from Hertz at a lower rate than normal.
The eligible Lyft drivers will be able to rent cars on demand and need not worry about any long-term lease commitments either.
A major expense for Lyft's drivers is gasoline and to bring this expense down, the ride-hailing service is pairing up with Shell to offer its drivers discounts. The Shell Fuel Rewards program will give Lyft drivers a discount that can range from 3 cents for each gallon to plenty of free tanks in a week.
The discount will be calculated on the number of rides a Lyft driver manages in a week. So, the incentive works in the manner that the more miles they notch up on rides, the more money they save on gas. The Shell Fuel Rewards program will be valid at participating stations and will kick off in Chicago, San Francisco and Boston.
Lyft is also assisting its drivers with speedier payments of their earnings through a new app dubbed Express Pay, which it has created in partnership with Stripe. Set to launch in November, Express Pay will enable a Lyft driver to get paid out once they've hit a minimum of $50 in a day. The drivers can tap the "get paid" option on the app and receive the money in their bank account automatically.
With so many benefits for drivers available, it seems Lyft's clever, yet subtle, marketing ploys to expand its service may be an effective tool in attracting more talent and retaining existing employees.
