Mayor Scott announced a new program called “Let’s Ride to Work.” This program partners with the rideshare company Lyft and offers newly hired employees free rides to work. The program will last for the first four weeks of employment to give some relief to new hires until they receive their first paycheck. For those eligible for the program, it could be a gamechanger to help boost employment opportunities.
The “Let’s Ride to Work” program launched in April and already has some buzz around it. The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) will invest $267,000 in the program. It’s funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which helps Americans come back after being negatively impacted by COVID-19. If eligible for the program, employees can be eligible for up to 40 free rides in their first month of work.
Eligibility requirements for Free Rides to Work
- Newly hired
- Referred by a partner organization
- Work at least 32 hours per week
- Have transportation needs
- Negatively impacted by COVID-19
It is a not-so-well-kept secret that Baltimore’s public transportation is a joke. The bus and train lines do not reach the full city, which leaves many residents without the option to use public transport. Plans to extend the public transportation system are in the works, but years down the line. People who are searching for jobs need solutions now. This is a fantastic option to help people in their job search. The mayor’s office hopes that this initiative will help people choose better jobs. Many job seekers are turning down jobs because they just can’t make the commute. Hopefully, now more people will take jobs regardless of the commute.
There are an expected 300 residents who should qualify, and more if this seduces out-of-state employees to move to the city. The program has only been open for a week, and they already have their first participant.
