Lyft Rides Program

Get a Ride

If you work, study, or take classes at night, there’s no need to walk to your car or home alone. The USC Lyft Rides Program offers free Lyft rides to eligible members of the USC community within designated boundaries. To learn more about this service, use the LiveSafe app or visit the USC Lyft Rides Program page for full details on availability and coverage areas. The USC Lyft Rides Program is managed by USC Transportation. If you have questions regarding the USC Lyft program, please contact them via email at auxtrans@usc.edu.

Between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM, when Lyft services are unavailable, the Department of Public Safety may be able to provide an escort within the designated boundaries.

Safety tips when using Lyft

VERIFY YOUR DRIVER AND CAR:

Once you have requested a ride through the Lyft app, you can view the driver’s photo, license plate number, and the make, model and color of the car in the app. When your ride arrives, make sure the information in the app matches the arriving vehicle. Never take a ride you did not request, or get into a car that doesn’t match the details provided by the Lyft app.

GO THE EXTRA MILE:

Lyft’s Share Location feature allows you to invite friends to follow your trip in real-time. Too much effort? Call a friend and stay on the line while you’re in the car instead.

DO NOT FEEL SAFE?

If you do not feel safe getting into your assigned vehicle, you can cancel the ride. This will automatically incur a $5 cancellation fee, but Lyft has agreed to waive cancellation charges if requested through their customer service portal in the app and it is indicated that the ride was cancelled because you did not feel safe.

Here are additional Safety Tips

Verify your driver: Confirm the driver’s name, photo, and license plate number before getting into the car.

Share your location: Use the Lyft app to share your location with trusted contacts in real time.

Wear your seatbelt: Always wear your seatbelt, even for short trips.

Use the emergency assistance button: If you feel unsafe, you can use the emergency assistance button in the app to contact 911. You can also use the LiveSafe app to notify DPS if you feel unsafe.

Be a backseat rider: If you’re riding alone, sit in the backseat so you can exit safely on either side of the vehicle.

Give feedback: If you have a negative experience with a driver, you can leave a review or contact Lyft directly.

Be alert: Even though rideshare drivers have a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, it’s still important to be extra alert.

Avoid sharing personal information: Don’t share your personal information with your driver, as they could use it to stalk or harass you.