New Lyft Program Puts a 'Geofence' Around Busy Streets

Transportation network company Lyft launched a new program in Sn Francisco last week that sets up a "geofence" to block pick up and drop offs on sections of busy streets.

Michael Toren reports that the first application of the geofencing technology has been implemented on Valencia Street in the Mission. The geofence requires drivers to move a certain number of its pick ups and drop offs on a specific section of busy street to a side street.

The prospect of TNCs limiting their operations along busy corridors is a new twist in an emerging and ongoing discussion about how space is allocated to cars—for instance, as ride hailing and Internet delivery services gain in popularity, some cities are rethinking the allocation of curb space to off-street parking. With this geofencing program, however, we see the other side of the same coin—ride hailing stepping aside to make priority for other modes of transportation.

Hat tip to Katie Pyzyk for sharing the article.