Verizon partners with Lyft to preload app on select Android phones

Verizon announced a partnership with on-demand transportation company Lyft on Thursday that will give Lyft drivers who are also Verizon customers discounts and perks, while also preloading the Lyft app onto select Verizon Android phones.

The move should be a boon for Lyft in the highly competitive on-demand transport market, which is currently dominated by Uber. By leveraging Verizon’s customer base, Lyft could potentially turn those users into Lyft customers. On Verizon’s end, offering perks such as discounted bills and family plans to Lyft drivers could potentially attract thousands more customers.

Neither Lyft nor Verizon disclosed the full terms of the partnership.

Lyft’s vice president of partnerships described Verizon as the “perfect partner,” saying the two companies “share a vision of a more efficient, connected future.” Verizon’s region president, Russ Preite, said the two companies “have a shared commitment” and that the partnership is a “natural fit.”

The partnership is expected to kick in Monday.

Twitter: @traceylien