Ohio State lowered the contribution rate per ride toward discounted Lyfts from $6.50 to $4 as part of their Lyft Ride Smart program. Photo courtesy TNS.
Those $1 ride-share charges on credit cards might become more noticeable this semester for students using Ohio State’s Lyft Ride Smart program.
At the start of the academic year, Ohio State lowered the contribution rate per ride toward discounted Lyfts from $6.50 to $4. The program, which began in 2019, quickly became a popular resource amongst students, with nearly 600,000 rides redeemed in 2022-2023, according to an email from Ohio State spokesperson Dan Hedman.
“The average cost to students since [the pandemic] has decreased. The university has reduced the subsidy for 2023-2024, but continues to offer unlimited discounted rides to eligible students,” Hedman said.
Upon its initial introduction in 2019, which replaced the free, university-run Safe Ride service with the discounted ride-share program, Ohio State offered 10,000 discounted night rides per month with a $5 discount from the hours of 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
The discount was raised to $6.50 a few years ago, Hedman said, due to tax law changes and driver shortages experienced by Lyft during the pandemic, which caused surge pricing.
In 2021, rides were offered at an unlimited rate from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., with services expanding into the Short North.
Some students and parents expressed frustrations with the policy change in the wake of two violent incidents involving students in the past month, as the Ride Smart program is one of the main safety programs at the university. On Aug. 19, parents took to the Facebook group “Buckeyes for a Safe Ohio State” to voice their concerns over the price increase, with some believing the discount was removed due to the cost increase.
One parent commented, “Sad how the price has increased almost four-fold in such a short time, especially since crimes against students have also increased and this service is needed now more than ever.”
The university is working closely with the Columbus Division of Police to offer assistance regarding recent off-campus incidents, Hedman said. The university also reported that crime rates are down more than 30 percent in the University District and 25 percent on campus from the prior fiscal year.
If students choose to walk rather than take a Lyft, safety devices are offered through the Office of Student Life that can be attached to a student’s belt or backpack.
“They’re small and easy to carry,” Dave Isaacs, communications manager with the Office of Student Life, said. “When they’re pulled apart, they emit a very loud noise that will call attention to anyone in the area.”
