LYFT EXPANDS INTO NORTHERN IRELAND WITH FREENOW AND FONACAB PARTNERSHIP

US ride-hailing giant Lyft has officially expanded into Northern Ireland through a new rollout of its Freenow app in an exclusive partnership with Belfast-based taxi firm FonaCAB.

The service is now live across key areas where FonaCAB operates, including Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Craigavon, and Banbridge.

Following a quiet soft-launch that ran for a number of weeks, the platform has now been officially launched, marking a major milestone in Lyft’s continued growth across the island of Ireland.

The northern expansion follows a busy period of acquisition in the south over the summer, during which Freenow secured Dublin taxi firm Lynk and Limerick dispatcher Swift.

Freenow already holds a dominant market position in Dublin alongside a strong presence across several major towns and cities in the Republic of Ireland. Under the new agreement, FonaCAB will act as the exclusive Freenow operator north of the border for an undisclosed period.

The partnership is primarily designed to capture demand from cross-border and international visitors. FonaCAB spokesperson Stephen Anton explained that data compiled by Lyft revealed significant interest, with numerous travellers from the Republic opening the Freenow app upon arriving in Northern Ireland to request a cab.

He said: “This is really being targeted people from the Republic of Ireland who have travelled to Northern Ireland for the day, and can turn on the app without having to download our app.”

The deal is expected to bring substantial commercial benefits to local taxi drivers and the regional economy.

Describing Freenow as a major new corporate client, Anton added: “We have around 3,000 business accounts and to us, Freenow is another account customer, but it’s a big account customer, so we’re delighted. It’s extra business we can secure for our 1,200 FonaCAB drivers and it helps the tourism and hospitality sector in Northern Ireland.”

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