The MTA’s congestion pricing plan is officially set to take effect this weekend, January 5, 2025, meaning commuters will have to shell out extra cash when entering Manhattan’s Central Business District. But those using ridesharing services will be hit with extra charges as well.
While the majority of vehicles will be charged once per day under the program, rideshares and taxis will be charged per trip–$0.75 for taxis and $1.50 for Ubers and Lyfts. As a response to this, Lyft is helping riders ease into the transition gently.
Through the rest of January, riders who take Lyft and ride into, out of, or through the Manhattan Central Business District–beginning below 61st Street–and are charged the $1.50 congestion fee will receive a $1.50 ride credit to use on a future ride.
New Yorkers all around the city rely on rideshare for everything from their run of the mill commute to job interviews and doctors’ appointments, though unfortunately rides in NYC are among the most expensive in the country. Therefore, Lyft’s New Year’s resolution is to bring down ride costs in NYC and make rideshare in NYC more affordable.
The best part: there’s no work to be done on your part. The credit will automatically be applied to a rider’s Lyft account if they qualify. And, because Lyft operates Citi Bike, the credit can be used for both rideshare and bike rides. The credit is eligible for one week following the completion of the initial ride.