Vancouver-based Spare, a transit and mobility management platform, announced a partnership with ridesharing giant Lyft to help transit agencies react to fluctuating rider demand.

Through the collaboration, transit agencies can now design and launch micro-transit and para-transit programs that link their own vehicles with Lyft’s driver network. It will allow transit agencies to scale the size of their fleets up and down depending on customer needs, providing access to what Spare CEO Kristoffer Vik Hansen calls “an overflow mechanism.”

The new tech will allow them to serve peak demand or quiet hours, which have been traditionally difficult and expensive. “This innovative integration is a game-changer for transit agencies of all sizes, empowering them to simultaneously improve rider experience and reduce costs,” said Vik Hansen in a statement.

Through the integration, riders will have access to on-demand transport, either on a transit vehicle or the Lyft network. And as users take advantage of the service, agencies will be able to tap into reporting, trip management, and performance data to optimize coverage.

It’s an expansion of a previous collaboration between Lyft and transit agencies, according to Paul Davis, director of transit partnerships at Lyft. “For years, our agency partners have leveraged the Lyft network to meet their riders’ needs by cost-effectively expanding the reach of transit, and facilitating access to more opportunities,” Davis said. “Now with this innovative partnership, agencies can easily integrate these benefits into their services.”

Spare was launched in 2016 as a carpooling startup by Vik Hansen and fellow UBC students Josh Andrews and Alexey Indeev. In 2019, the trio announced $6 million in seed funding and a pivot to its current iteration, which focuses on transit organizations. Last November, Spare raised an $18 million Series A round led by Inovia Capital and other investors. The startup has 80 employees situated in Vancouver, Toronto, Tokyo and Barcelona.