Want to drive for Lyft but don't have a new enough car -- or a car at all? General Motors is here to help.
General Motors and Lyft announced Tuesday morning a new program called Express Drive that will "soon" make GM vehicle rentals -- specifically Chevy Equinox -- available to Lyft drivers in the Chicago, Illinois area.
The rental fee, which importantly includes insurance and maintenance, starts at $99 per week. However, if the driver clocks more than 65 rides per week, that fee is waved. The rental agreement is flexible and can range anywhere from one to eight weeks.
"In Chicago alone, there were 60,000 people who applied to drive on the Lyft platform, but did not have a car that qualified," the GM press release read. "Express Drive directly addresses this need for millions of Americans who do not have access to a qualifying vehicle."
Express Drive will be accessible as a part of GM's new Maven car-sharing brand.
Frankly, I am not surprised to see such a move by Lyft and GM. After all, the pairing was bound to spawn some intriguing programs. However, I am pretty shocked with how inexpensive the rentals are -- especially the fact that the cost is waved after 65 rides per week.
If you're now sitting there wondering, "Heck, why would I even buy a car now?" That's exactly the question they want you thinking. Car ownership is going the way of the polar bear. Start thinking instead of mobility costs being a monthly service fee like Netflix, Hulu or Spotify.