Hurricane Dorian: Uber and Lyft Offering 'Free' Rides to Storm Shelters for Florida Residents

Rideshare services Uber and Lyft are offering "free" transport to emergency shelters in some areas effected by Hurricane Dorian, if customers know how to request them. The rides are available in certain areas of Florida right now, and are tied to the shelters that they are available for. If they exceed a certain cost, riders may have to pay a small fee.

Uber is offering two free rides to users going to or from certain shelters in Florida, up to $20 in value. According to a report by Life Hacker, customers simply need to add the promo code "DORIANRELIEF" while paying for their ride in the app. After applying the discount, the app should simply charge them for the difference.

A similar promotion is being offered by Lyft. The rideshare service will give a $15 credit on rides to and from certain shelters. Once again, users need to enter the promo code "DORIANRELIEF" in the correct field on the app.

Hopefully, not many users will need to take Uber and Lyft up on these offers, as officials have tried to organize evacuations ahead of time. The Lyft and Uber drivers who head out in the storm will also be taking a serious risk, so hopefully they will be compensated by tips and hazard pay.

A full list of the participating shelters is available on FloridaDisaster.org. The sight has a helpful guide to evacuations, curfews, road closures and other storm information. This includes a list of school closures, relevant executive orders and a directory of helpful apps. There are also guides to making evacuation plans requesting help from emergency services if necessary.

Hurricane Dorian ravaged the Caribbean islands this weekend, bringing Category 5 conditions to the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and other areas. The storm has now been downgraded to a Category 4, according to the latest report by CBS News, but it will have a serious impact on the eastern coast of Florida as it passes by.

The most accurate models still predict Dorian grazing Florida without making landfall as it heads north. The storm is moving slowly, but it may continue to weaken as it gets closer to land. By the time the eye of the storm hits land -- likely in the Carolinas -- it may be as low as a Category 3 or a Category 2.

Stay tuned for more updates on Hurricane Dorian.