STARTUP CULTURE

St. Louis is gaining national attention for its startup scene. As a progressive and innovative city, we should encourage the use of new technology and be willing to adapt laws to accommodate new models. The City of St. Louis should embrace policies in support of innovation and position itself at the forefront of the ridesharing movement. We can leverage technology to advance our city, connect people, use existing resources more efficiently and provide more consumer choices in transportation.



COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Cities across the country with which we compete to attract top talent and industries, including Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nashville, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington D.C., and many others allow ridesharing apps like Lyft to operate safely in their cities. Ridesharing helps to combat drunk driving, reduce road congestion, make a positive impact on the environment and improve public safety for our community.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

To be a progressive city in this century, we need to have safe, reliable, affordable transportation options that service the entire metro area. Our current public transportation system does not adequately serve our city. This leaves many people at the mercy of our taxi system, a system controlled by the taxicab commission, which is comprised of many members with a vested interest in protecting the status quo. Citizens stand to benefit from innovative options and competition in the market.

SAFETY & SERVICE

Lyft already offers high quality, safe rides to millions of passengers in other cities. In addition to background checks on drivers, it employs a user-based rating system which holds drivers and passengers accountable. All participants are identified via trusted social media profiles (Facebook) and users can see a photo of each driver and their car before they arrive. Lyft uses dynamic pricing so when there are many drivers on the road, fares are reduced to attract more riders, and discourage additional drivers.

CIVIC LEADERSHIP

The on-call transportation industry changing. Now is the time for city leaders to decide if St. Louis will lead or follow. Please support ridesharing in St. Louis.