Austin musicians will be getting a belated Christmas present from Lyft come Jan. 1st. In 2018, the popular car service app plans to offer free rides to local musicians to and from their shows, Daily Dotreports. The Austin Musician Rideshare program, as it’s been called, will help musicians avoid dealing with the woes of parking and hauling their gear in busy downtown Austin.
Local venues including Stubb’s, Empire Control Room and Antone’s have been listed as partners with the program, although Lyft tweeted yesterday that a complete list of venue partners is pending.
The general manager of Stubb's, Ryan Garret, said in a press release, “Lyft’s Musician Rideshare Program is a tremendous asset for local musicians. Stubb’s is thrilled to partner with Lyft on this progressive program which will positively impact the lives of local musicians and the entire Austin music scene.” Indeed, this sort of noble and magnanimous endeavor definitely won't go unnoticed. It's not like car service apps are known for being charitable. Surge prices, anyone?
The Austin Musician Rideshare comes just in time for the city’s annual Free Week (Jan. 1-7), during which Red River Cultural District venues host free shows for all ages. If your a music fan and Lyft user, you too can get in on some discounted ride action by using the code “ATXMUSIC,” which will take $5 off your ride and put it towards the program.
Your move, Uber.
