The hub near Wellington Circle will provide Lyft drivers with resources and support.

Car transportation and rideshare company Lyft celebrated the grand opening of its first New England hub in Medford on Dec. 5.

The hub, located on Fellsway near Wellington Circle, will provide in-person support for Lyft drivers in the area and resources for its community partners, which include The RIDE – the MBTA’s accessible bus transit program – as well as Tufts University and Boston College Athletics.

Mayor Stephanie M. Burke, State Representatives Paul Donato and Sean Garballey, and members of the Medford Chamber of Commerce attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome Lyft to Medford.

Lyft selected Medford for its hub due to its proximity to Boston, the high number of drivers and riders in the city and the city’s “cool” personality, according to Tyler George, general manager of Lyft in New England. The location’s access to public transit through Wellington Station was another deciding factor.

“We wanted to be in a town that was tech and cool and kind of has a cache that fits well with this brand,” George said.

During her remarks at the ceremony, Burke described what she views as the positive impacts of Lyft on local businesses, as the service provides an additional method of transportation for Medford residents and those visiting the city. She also thanked Lyft’s drivers, a handful of whom attended the grand opening.

“This is a beautiful location… I hope it provides a safe place for the drivers to unwind from what I’m sure is a stressful job,” Burke said.

According to George, Medford is home to many of the Boston area’s 10,000-plus ride-givers, or the company’s “best drivers.”

Burke went on to note that through a state tax passed in 2016, Lyft and Uber now contribute 10 cents to municipalities for each ride in the state. As of October, Medford had received $96,500 through this surcharge from the 965,000 rides that passed through Medford over the last year. Those funds will go toward infrastructure and public safety improvements in Medford, including rapid-flashing crosswalk signs.

“You’re helping to make our streets safer, not only with the rides you give, but also the money that comes back to this community,” Burke said.

Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft have surged in popularity in the last several years, including in the Boston area, providing nearly 35 million car trips in Boston in 2017. Some studies have linked Lyft and Uber to increases in traffic and in fatal car crashes, as a result of the higher volume of cars on the road given the popularity of the services. Lyft and Uber have disputed the results of these studies.

A driver for Lyft, Paul Robinson, spoke at the ceremony to share that he was grateful to be part of a company that he believes builds community through its services and feels "like family."

“The benefit of having this hub here allows me to come here and not have to go out far and speak hand to hand with people about any issues I might have,” Robinson said.

Donato described Lyft as the transportation technology of the future.

“As legislatures, we’re thrilled that you’ve chosen Medford as the hub for what you want to do with Lyft,” he said.

Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce Maria Faretra said the company had chosen an “ideal location” for its hub.

“What I love about the City of Medford is just this: the mayor, our state reps, the Chamber and people in the community coming out to welcome a new business into our community, to give you guys a big hug from the heart to say, ‘Welcome,’” Faretra said.