Update at 7:05 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 5: Lyft announced that it will be launching services in Eugene today at 10 a.m., according to a press release from the ridesharing company. The press release stated that Lyft partnered with the University of Oregon athletics department and Oregon IMG Sports Marketing to arrange for The Duck to take the inaugural ride from the Eugene Hilton to Autzen Stadium.
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The popular ridesharing service Lyft filed an application on Friday afternoon for an operating license with the city of Eugene.
The Register-Guard first reported the news on Monday.
According to the report from the Register-Guard, Lyft had recently indicated they were not planning on launching services in Eugene but quickly changed course following the announcement that their ridesharing competitor Uber would begin operating in Eugene on Sept. 6.
This will mark the first time Lyft has offered services in Eugene after years of being deterred by city regulations it deemed too burdensome. Earlier this year, the Eugene City Council voted to amend these regulations to make them more suitable for ridesharing services.
Todd Kelsay, Lyft’s Pacific Northwest general manager, issued the following press statement about Lyft’s arrival to Eugene.
“Eugene is the largest city in Oregon without ridesharing,” Kelsay wrote. “With school starting up again, Lyft is working closely with the City to bring ridesharing to Eugene so that people can get where they need to go more easily, drivers can enjoy more earning opportunities, and local businesses can benefit from increased economic activity.”
Lyft has not yet announced a day they plan to start services in Eugene and their application with the city is still being reviewed for approval.
In the meantime, drivers interested in working for Lyft can attend on-boarding sessions this week at the Eugene Hilton, located at 66 E 6th Ave. The sessions will be held this Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mechanics will also be at these sessions to perform free vehicle inspections for potential drivers. More information about becoming a Lyft driver is available here.
To commemorate its Eugene launch, Lyft is offering the promotional code LYFTEUG to all new and existing Lyft users. The code gives users a $5 discount on three rides and will be redeemable as soon as Lyft starts services in Eugene.