Lyft Partners with Per Scholas Dallas to Give Free Rides for Training Sessions, Site Visits, and Employment

A new partnership between ridesharing company Lyft and Per Scholas Dallas will help the nonprofit’s students reach training sessions and its recent graduates get to work with free transportation through Dec. 31.

The partnership is part of the Lyft Jobs Access Program, a new initiative aimed at closing short-term transportation gaps related to employment access and job training, according to a statement.

“Lyft’s support of Per Scholas Dallas will eliminate transportation barriers to access training and technology employers to launch careers in IT,” Stephanie Valadez, managing director at Per Scholas Dallas, said in a statement. “Through these efforts, we have expanded our impact to connect 130 individuals to family-sustaining careers in 2019, a 60 percent increase over the last two years.”

Plus, Valadez says, “graduates will be able to launch careers in technology that will support their families and enhance their neighborhoods.”

Through the program, Lyft provides rides to Per Scholas students traveling to and from training sessions as well as corporate visits. Recent Per Scholas graduates can also get rides during their first three weeks of employment until they receive their first paycheck and can pay for their own transportation, according to a statement.

“Per Scholas does outstanding work in the Dallas area to help unemployed and underemployed individuals gain the skills and credentials they need to succeed,” Aaron Fox, regional director for Lyft Texas, said in a statement. “Per Scholas creates more opportunity for their students to secure jobs and productive futures, and we look forward to providing transportation access to allow those individuals to move forward in their lives.”

We first told you about the Lyft Jobs Access Program in October when it was rolled out around the country in 35 cities, including Dallas-Fort Worth.

The program is part of a $50 million annual commitment Lyft announced in May, which is dedicated to improving the cities Lyft operates in, the company said at the launch. The program’s funding is intended for transportation infrastructure, donated transportation, and sustainability initiatives.