Jeffrey Schweers

Democrat staff writer

Starting Thursday, Tallahassee folks leaving their car in the parking lot of the bar will have a new option for getting home safely and without risking a DUI.

San Francisco-based Lyft today announced it will launch its ride-sharing app service at noon Thursday.

“We’re launching under current city regulations while continuing to work with the state,” Lyft spokeswoman Chelsea Harrison said.

Its biggest ride-sharing rival, Uber, also based in San Francisco, has been operating in Tallahassee since 2014. It has come under scrutiny in recent weeks for software that tries to dodge government regulations and an investigation of alleged sexual harassment of an employee by the CEO.

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When the Tallahassee City Commission approved ride-sharing regulations in July 2015, Uber praised the city ordinance as a model for other communities. Commissioners worked for months with Uber and taxi officials on the ordinance, which went into effect August 15, 2015.

The revised ordinance came after Uber threatened to pull out over a requirement to make drivers undergo background checks.

The ordinance requires Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing companies to follow insurance, inspection and permitting rules.

Lyft typically spends a month recruiting drivers before launching in a new city, Harrison said.

The company wanted to open here for awhile and is excited about coming to Tallahassee for several reasons, she said. "There are some features of the city that make it a really promising new market for us," Harrison said.

Florida's two universities and community college represent a huge potential base for both drivers and customers, she said. "College students can use the service as a way to earn money to help buy books or pay for school, but many also use Lyft as a safe ride option in order to get home from a night out with friends," she said.

Drivers come from all over the community, and include students, professors, small business owners and anyone who wants to pick up extra income, she said. The territory encompasses Leon County and surrounding communities from the Georgia line to the coast.

In related news, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, has introduced legislation creating statewide regulations for ride-sharing companies.

"We will continue working with legislators to establish a statewide framework that allows Lyft to bring ridesharing to all Florida cities," Harrison said.

Contact Schweers at jschweers@tallahassee.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffschweers.