The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and Lyft are teaming up to promote multimodal commuting for employees of a North Las Vegas distribution center.
The six-month pilot program, which kicked off last week, focuses on transporting employees to and from work at the sports merchandising company Fanatics’ 400,000-square-foot facility.
Fanatics employees receive Lyft rides at a reduced cost for the first and last mile of their route to work, as part of the RTC’s workforce mobility program.
“We’re excited to once again work with the RTC to provide a comprehensive transportation solution to residents,” Yacob Girma, Lyft’s Nevada general manager, said in a statement. “Lyft understands the importance of partnering with transportation agencies on critical programs designed to improve access to jobs.”
The program includes 13 RTC bus stops along six transit routes. Those routes include 111 (Eastern Avenue), 113 (Las Vegas Boulevard North), 115 (Nellis Boulevard/Stephanie Street), 203 (Spring Mountain Road/Desert Inn Road/Lamb Boulevard), 219 (Craig Road) and the Downtown and Veterans Medical Center Express (DVX).
Lyft is providing the first-/last-mile service at a reduced rate, while the RTC subsidizes $1 per trip. Fanatics will subsidize the remaining balance for each employees’ trip to and from the designated bus stops from its work site.
“This is another example of the incredible innovation that’s come to define our city,” North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee said in a statement. “When government and the private sector come together to collaborate on creative solutions, amazing things happen. I commend the RTC and Fanatics for providing safe, reliable transportation options for our North Las Vegas workforce.”
At the end of the six-month pilot, the RTC and Lyft will explore the possibility of bundled transit and shared-ride monthly passes for eligible participants.
Fanatics anticipates between 15 and 20 percent of its employees will take advantage of the opportunity. The program can be extended to other interested companies at the Northgate Distribution Center, located near Lamb Boulevard/Interstate 15 and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, an area not served by the RTC fixed-route transit system.
“As a government agency, the RTC has a responsibility to look for ways to partner with private-sector companies in an effort to provide accessible and cost-effective transportation options,” RTC General Manager Tina Quigley said in a statement. “This partnership with Lyft and Fanatics is an innovative move toward creating first-mile/last-mile connections that benefit the employees who use the service and the employer, as well as Lyft and the RTC.”