US firm makes money off Zimbabwe concept

United States transport sharing company Lyft plans to go international in 2015 and is currently involved in conversations with governments around the world.

Lyft is a peer to peer ride sharing Service Company offering customers a cheap alternative to taxis through a mobile phone application, helping the unemployed and underemployed earn a living.

Lyft co-founder Logan Green told a group of touring journalists last Friday that the concept to start the company was taken from Zimbabwe where car sharing is common (Zimbabweans call them "lifts").

He said despite the lack of a public transport system, people in Zimbabwe were able to get around efficiently thanks to a vibrant ride sharing movement.

Every car and mini-bus (which they call kombis) was full. He said after the Zimbabwe trip, together with John Zimmer, they started Zimride in 2007, which focused on ride-sharing for longer trips often between US cities.

The group said Lyft is still on a growth path with the service offered in about 60 cities across the country. But Lyft is growing fast as well. Despite being focused on domestic markets, Lyft has seen rapid growth, recording 6 percent growth every week.