Lyft is testing monthly passes that give carpool riders big discounts

Lyft is experimenting with monthly passes for US customers who use its carpool service, following in the footsteps of ride-hailing rival Uber.

Lyft users in six major cities will be able to purchase a Lyft Line membership pass for the month of November, the company announced in a blog post on Monday. The monthly pass offers steep discounts from Lyft's standard fares for people who use the carpooling Line service.

Riders can choose between multiple options that will allow them to lock-in fares, regardless of the amount of time spent in a car on a ride or of Lyft's surge-like Prime Time pricing.

Lyft is offering two different passes:

A $20 pass offers 20 Lyft rides at a flat $2 per ride fare for the month of November.

A $29 pass offers 20 Lyft rides for no additional payment.

The passes will be available in Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., and can only be purchased until Oct. 31.

Lyft's main competitor, Uber, offered an unlimited commute card in New York City over the summer, which gives users the option to buy a one-month unlimited UberPool card for $79. Uber also offers commuters in New York the option to pay for their Pool rides using WageWorks, meaning it's paid for with pre-tax dollars.

This is the first time Lyft has tested out this program, and there's no word yet on how broadly the passes might be available in the future.

"It is very likely that Lyft will continue to testing and expanding these kinds of pass products but for now, we're just testing the month of November in these six markets," Lyft told Business Insider in an emailed statement.