OAKLAND, Calif. — Today Mayor Libby Schaaf, TransForm and Lyft announced a groundbreaking new joint partnership designed to bring more transportation options to historically underserved Oaklanders. This unique coming-together of government, business, and the non-profit sector will invest in community-led transportation solutions, including a new free bike library, free Lyft rides for low-income residents, and new community parklets.
"We know that transportation means more than just a way to get around -- it’s a key to social and economic mobility," said Mayor Schaaf. "This exciting partnership is about undoing the wrongs of the past, building the sustainable future our city needs, and putting us on the track toward a multimodal transportation network that truly meets the needs of all Oaklanders."
“At Lyft, we believe it is our civic responsibility to make cities better places to live,” said Lyft Co-Founder and President John Zimmer. “We know that transportation is a major key to unlocking economic mobility. We also know that transportation has been inaccessible for far too many communities for far too long. We have a unique opportunity to set a new standard for transportation equity and inclusiveness.”
“Low-income residents and communities of color have been passed over time and time again by transportation investment,” said Clarrissa Cabansagan, TransForm’s New Mobility Policy Director. “We’ve worked with local partners for years to press government and tech mobility companies to serve East Oakland, and it’s finally happening. The best part is that Lyft is giving East Oaklanders the reins to determine how new mobility options will serve them.”
“The Scraper Bike Team is excited to be a partner on this program to empower black and brown residents and get more butts on bikes!” said Champ Stevenson, Jr., Founder and Executive Director of the Scraper Bike Team. “We’ll help make sure the programs and infrastructure reflect the existing community and culture here in deep East Oakland. We plan on employing folks from the community to assist with some of the equity work that will move Oakland in the direction we the people believe it needs to be moving in.”
Today Lyft is donating $700,000 toward a $1 million capacity-building grant to TransForm and their partner organizations, East Oakland Collective and Scraper Bikes, to support their work on three key initiatives that will address historic transportation inequities in Oakland:
1. Community-Driven Placemaking
TransForm will convene a network of East Oakland organizations to help guide a participatory design process for the creation of new parklets and future bike share stations in East Oakland. This innovative, community-driven process will focus on how bike share stations can improve placemaking, build community ownership, and support local businesses.
2. Mobility4All Partnership
Lyft and TransForm will fund the East Oakland Collective to pilot a free ride program for underserved populations. Qualifying residents will have access to subsidized AC Transit passes, free Lyft rides and Lyft’s $5/month Community Pass for bikes and scooters.
3. Bike Library at the Shed
Lyft and TransForm will work with Scraper Bikes to establish a free, community-run bike lending library at The Shed. A portion of the bikes will be made available for month-long lending — including bikes that serve the needs of families with young children.
TransForm promotes walkable communities with excellent transportation choices to connect people of all incomes to opportunity, keep California affordable and help solve our climate crisis. With diverse partners we engage communities in planning, run innovative programs and win policy change at the local, regional and state levels.
The Scraper Bike Team empowers urban youth living in underserved communities through self-expression and creativity. We encourage youth entrepreneurship and promote, healthy, sustainble living for all. The Scraper Bike Team uses each work of bicycle art to impact social justice and global change.
About East Oakland Collective - The East Oakland Collective (EOC) is a member-based community organizing group invested in serving the communities of deep East Oakland by working towards racial and economic equity. With programming in civic engagement and leadership, economic empowerment and homeless services and solutions, we help amplify underserved communities from the ground up. We are committed to driving impact in the landscape, politics and economic climate of deep East Oakland.
About Lyft - Lyft was founded in 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation, and is available to 95 percent of the United States population as well as select cities in Canada. Lyft is committed to effecting positive change for our cities by offsetting carbon emissions from all rides, and by promoting transportation equity through shared rides, bikeshare systems, electric scooters, and public transit partnerships.
“For far too long East Oakland has been left out of the conversation on how we plan, develop, and get around our city,” said Oakland Council Member Loren Taylor (District 6). “I am excited by today’s announcement of a new partnership between the City of Oakland, TransForm and Lyft to truly engage the East Oakland Community.”
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