Lyft and Uber are in talks with the incoming Biden administration as the rideshare companies look to ramp up services for individuals in need of transportation to get COVID-19 vaccinated, according to a Jan. 12 Wall Street Journal report.
Five things to know:
1. Lyft executives met with President-elect Joe Biden's team in December to request federal funds for vaccine-related transportation, Megan Callahan, who leads Lyft's healthcare business, told the Journal.
2. In December, Lyft partnered with Anthem and Epic on a campaign to provide 60 million rides for low-income, uninsured and at-risk communities getting the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available to them.
3. Uber on Jan. 12 said it is partnering with Moderna to provide users with vaccine-safety information via its ride-sharing app. The companies plan to work with public health agencies to help those eligible for vaccine doses to schedule rides and receive reminder notifications.
4. Both Uber and Lyft have talked to public health officials across the U.S. about helping with appointment transportation, according to the report. Ms. Callahan told the publication that state and municipal officials from heavily populated areas have been asking Lyft for free rides because they lack the necessary funds.
5. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi wrote to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to advocate for the company's drivers and delivery people to be prioritized for the vaccine. He also offered to help provide rides to vaccine sites and share information via its app.