Lyft DV Grant

Access to reliable and affordable transportation is vital to domestic violence survivors.

Reliable transportation and transportation assistance are two of the many necessities of those affected by domestic violence and abuse. Access to reliable and affordable transportation - including transportation to attend all phases of the criminal justice process, medical appointments, shelter locations, child care, job interviews, support groups, counseling, social services, and more - is vital to survivors and, unfortunately, difficult to come by.

That’s why in summer 2019, NSA and Lyft collaborated on a project to provide transportation funds and assistance to Sheriff’s offices,agencies or shelters working with survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Lyft provided funding, in the form of Lyft ride credits or grant dollars, to each participating county. NSA provided subject matter expertise, reviewed applications and selected the Sheriff’s offices and agencies that best reflected the cooperative partnership needed to serve survivors.

Survivors of domestic violence and abuse face unique transportation challenges, many of which can be addressed through access to rideshare. Many trips need to be planned in advance, and being able to utilize services the same day is very important for time-sensitive trips, like to the DMV or social security office. Taxis may be expensive, with limited service options depending on the population and resources of the county, particularly in rural areas of the country.

While many counties may have a public transportation system, usually in the form of buses, they are likely limited in the routes offered and hours of operation. Survivors also run the risk of running into their offenders while using public transportation, which could lead to re-victimization and experiencing abuse all over again.

Sheriff’s offices and police department staff are often stretched thin, resulting in limited resources and time to dedicate to transporting survivors. Domestic violence also presents potential traffic safety issues - survivors may not be in the best state of mind to drive themselves or their children safely to appointments, and unreliable transportation services from a potentially untrusted person or service are traffic safety risks. The safety of these survivors is a concern if they feel vulnerable or victimized when they are in need of assistance.

Grantees:

Read more about the grantees in "Partners in Protection," from the Jan/Feb issue of Sheriff & Deputy magazine.