Hertz is ending a popular car-rental program that had given scores of Uber and Lyft drivers across the Twin Cities a lifeline to continue driving for a living when their own vehicles broke down.
“Since we are ending ride share operations in the Twin Cities, Hertz is terminating their program and has reached out to drivers to ask them to start returning vehicles,” said Uber spokesman Josh Gold in an email Monday.
Uber said it is pulling out of the Twin Cities and Lyft said it is pulling out of Minneapolis on May 1 when a new Minneapolis ordinance goes into effect requiring a minimum wage for drivers. The rideshare companies say the wage is too high for them to operate.
Twin Cities drivers who rented their rideshare vehicles are now receiving emails from Hertz saying they need to return the cars to Hertz’s car rental lots in St. Paul and Brooklyn Center by a certain date.
“Hertz has elected to close down the Lyft Express Drive operation in the Twin Cities as a result of the ordinance,” Lyft said in a statement.
Lyft said drivers’ return date will depend upon the individual but would be no later than April 24.
Several rideshare drivers reached Monday said that they were not aware the Hertz rental program was ending.
Uber driver Mauricio Castaneda didn’t find out until Monday morning when he took his rented 2021 Chevy Monte Carlo into Hertz in St. Paul for an unrelated vehicle inspection.