SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Car owners can now reserve parking spots in advance through a Lyft feature announced by the ride-hailing app on Wednesday.
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Lyft's new way to find and reserve nearby parking promises quick-find locations, transparent pricing and guaranteed spot reservation. The update comes following a partnership between Lyft and the parking company SpotHero.
"Reserve yours ahead of time and it'll be waiting for you when you get there," Lyft revealed on its website.
To access the feature, San Francisco Bay Area Lyft users are instructed to open the app and tap the steering wheel icon in the bottom right corner to add their car. To book a spot, drivers will need to input their license plate number and other details.
As many residents and commuters know, parking in San Francisco is a challenge. "Last night when we drove into here I couldn't park for like an hour. I had to drive around blocks for a while," one man told KCBS Radio. Drivers who wish to use Lyft Parking have access to dozens of spots across the city at varying prices, including the Mission District, the Marina, North Beach, Union Square and West SoMa.
However, some pedestrian advocates are concerned with the development. Marta Lindsey with Walk SF told KCBS Radio easier parking means more people will drive into the city instead of taking transit. "The only upside is maybe people aren't circling as much, but I still don't think that could possibly be enough to compensate for just bringing more and more vehicles and trips into the city," she said.
Pricing will be determined by a person's parking lotcation, arrival and exit time and will include a $.99 service fee. Lyft will give drivers a designated start and end time, but this can be extended. Spot reservations are available at any time, day or night. Users do not have to drive for the ride-hailing app to use the parking feature.
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