For Immediate Release – November 24, 2020
IDOT, Lyft offer free, sober rides during holidays
Joining forces with police to extend ride-sharing credits in Sangamon County
SPRINGFIELD — If driving over the holidays is a necessity and you want to make sure you have a sober ride home, the Illinois Department of Transportation and law enforcement want you to know that your free Lyft ride is waiting. While the public is urged to avoid unnecessary travel at this time due to the coronavirus pandemic, from Nov. 25 through Jan. 1, $20 ride credits for Lyft will be available to help provide safe and sober travel options in Sangamon County if travel is required.
“We are pleased to team up with the Governors Highway Safety Association and Lyft to offer the public a safe option if they need to drive to a local destination this holiday season,” said Cynthia Watters, bureau Chief of IDOT’s Safety Programs and Engineering. “By providing an easy, accessible and judgement-free way for people to get home safely, this innovative partnership will help save lives.”
This is the third consecutive year Illinois has received a grant from GHSA and Lyft to encourage drivers to get a sober ride from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. This year, IDOT was granted $20,000 worth of $20 Lyft ride credits for use in Sangamon County.
“Lyft is dedicated to providing access to reliable and responsible rides, and we’re proud to partner with the Illinois Department of Transportation to offer Lyft as an alternative to impaired driving in Sangamon County,” said Jennifer Brandenburger, Lyft’s director of Public Policy for Community Safety. “Through our partnership with the IDOT, we hope to empower our community with the tools to protect themselves and those around them this holiday season.”
To keep the public safe during the pandemic, Lyft is requiring everyone in the vehicle to wear masks, with riders in the back seat and windows rolled down, if possible. Visit www.Lyft.com for more information.
“Everyone on the public roadways has the desire to make it to their destinations safely,” said Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow. “I encourage the public to help reduce the risks while driving by staying sober or taking advantage of the resources and ride-sharing services in our community.”
The ride credits will be distributed via the Twitter and Facebook accounts of Illinois State Police District 9, Springfield Police Department and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, as well as other Sangamon County law enforcement agencies, including the Auburn Police Department, Chatham Police Department, Grandview Police Department, Leland Grove Police Department, Rochester Police Department, Southern View Police Department and Spaulding Police Department.
Motorists should follow or friend at least one of the below agencies and watch their feeds to access the credits.
- Illinois State Police, District 9 – @ISPDistrict9
• Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office – @Sang_Sheriff
• Springfield Police Department – @Spfld_IL_Police
• Rochester Police Department – @Rochester_IL_PD
- Illinois State Police, District 9 – Facebook.com/IllinoisStatePoliceDistrict9/
• Chatham Police Department – Facebook.com/Chatham-Police-Department-193529183999166/
• Auburn Police Department – Facebook.com/AuburnIllinois/
• Grandview Police Department – Facebook.com/grandviewpolice
• Leland Grove Police Department – Facebook.com/leland.grove
• Spaulding Police Department – Facebook.com/Spauldingpolice
The Lyft ride code will be valid only for rides from Nov. 25 through Jan. 1, between 3 p.m. and 6 a.m. within Sangamon County as well as just a few miles beyond. Use of these credits is limited to the first 1,000 redemptions or when a total of $20,000 in ride costs have been expended. Possession of the ride code does not guarantee availability of the credit.
You must have the Lyft app and download the code to receive the $20 ride credit. Credits will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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