Portland offering discounted Uber, Lyft, taxi rides for New Year's Eve
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Portland Bureau of Transportation is offering discounts for rideshare and taxi rides, along with free public transit service during New Year’s Eve celebrations, the bureau announced Friday.
The discounted rides are part of PBOT’s Safe Ride Home Program, offering coupons for $20 off taxi fare or up to $10 off Lyft or Uber rides during the holiday while supplies last. The discounts are valid on rides originating in Portland between 7 p.m. December 31 and 4 a.m. January 1, 2025.
The bureau offers Safe Rides Home to curb impaired driving, which is a contributing factor in the city’s traffic deaths, according to the latest Portland Vision Zero Action Plan Update.
According to PBOT, 69% of deadly crashes in Portland between 2017 and 2021 involved alcohol and or drug impairment.
During that period, 430 people died or suffered life-altering injuries due to impairment, PBOT said, noting in these crashes, 79% of drivers were impaired.
How to get the discounts
For taxi rides, participants can get a paper coupon offering the $20 discount around Portland locations hosting New Year’s Eve celebrations. Portlanders can look to Safe Ride Home flyers or ask staff for a coupon and present it to a Broadway Cab, Flat Cab, PDX Yellow Cab or Radio Cab taxi drivers.
Digital coupons offering $10 off Lyft and Uber rides can be downloaded on Dec. 31.
Additionally, the city is offering free transit rides including TriMet bus and MAX rides starting at 8 p.m. until 3 a.m., along with free fares for Portland Streetcar from 8 p.m. until midnight and free C-TRAN bus rides after 6 p.m.
PBOT’s Safe Ride Home program began in 2017, and offers travel options for Portlanders celebrating New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, the Brewers Festival, and Halloween.
In past events, the Safe Ride Home program has helped more than 3,300 Portlanders get home safely, PBOT said.
The program is funded by taxi permit fees and the 50-cent fee charged for all Lyft and Uber rides in the city.