Commute Rewards - County Rewards
Many counties offer great incentive programs to encourage commuters to not drive alone. See what benefits are available below - be sure to check for counties where you live and work.
| Guaranteed Ride Home | |
| What: | A free taxi ride or rental car in case of an emergency (illness, family crisis, unscheduled overtime) |
| Who is eligible: | Employees in Contra Costa County who use any alternative to driving alone to work (public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking) on the day of the emergency; the employer is required to pre-register in the program |
| Contact: | 511 Contra Costa, (510) 215-3035 or www.511contracosta.org |
| Vanpool Passengers | |
| What: | 50% off your vanpool fare for the first 3 months |
| Who is eligible: | New vanpool riders who live OR work in Contra Costa County (and who have not been in a registered vanpool for 6 months) |
| Contact: | 511 Contra Costa at the City of San Ramon, (925) 973-2650 or www.511contracosta.org |
| Vanpool Drivers | |
| What: | Start a new vanpool, keep it on the road for one year, and receive $1000.00! |
| Who is eligible: | Drivers of new vanpools originating OR headed to Contra Costa County |
| Contact: | 511 Contra Costa at the City of San Ramon, (925) 973-2650 or www.511contracosta.org |
| 511 Contra Costa Pledge Form | |
| What: | Online pledge form and $50 random monthly drawing |
| Who is eligible: | Commuters who live, work, or attend college in Contra Costa County, and pledge to participate in three (3) emission-reduction strategies. |
| Contact: | 925-969-0841 x 204 or www.511contracosta.org |
| Guaranteed Ride Home | |
| What: | A free taxi or rental car ride home in case of an emergency (illness, family crisis, unscheduled overtime) |
| Who is eligible: | Employees who work in Alameda County, and who use any alternative to driving alone to work (public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking) on the day of the emergency. Even if you use alternatives infrequently, your free taxi ride or rental car voucher is good on the day of your alternative commute. The program is restricted to employees working for companies with 75 or more employees; both the employer and employee must pre-register in the program. |
| Contact: | Alameda County CMA, Guaranteed Ride Home, c/o Nelson\Nygaard (510) 433-0320 or www.grh.accma.ca.gov |
| Guaranteed Ride Home - ACE Rail | |
| What: | A ride home in case of an emergency during the hours of 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Who is eligible: | Monthly pass holders of ACE Rail train tickets |
| Contact: | Denise Jefferson, ACE Rail, (800) 411-RAIL, or www.acerail.com |
| Marin County (TAM) Vanpool Incentive Program | |
| What: | Up to $3,600 (paid quarterly) over 24 months to new vanpools in Marin County. |
| Who is eligible: | Employer or individually-based vanpools that have an origin/destination in Marin County. (Must be new vanpools formed after February 1, 2009.) Vanpools must meet all eligibility requirements and successfully complete the required consecutive months of operation. |
| Contact: | 511 Rideshare at 510-273-3616 or 510-273-3642 or 511.org |
| Electric Bicycle Loan | |
| What: | Use of electric bicycles for everyday work, commute and personal trip purposes |
| Who is eligible: | Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito County public agencies and Monterey County businesses |
| Contact: | Commute Alternatives or (831) 422-POOL |
| Emergency Guaranteed Ride Home | |
| What: | Reimburse commuters who use alternative modes of transportation at least once a week for the expense of taking a cab or renting a car to get home |
| Who is eligible: | Commuters working or living in Monterey County (must be registered with the program) |
| Contact: | Commute Alternatives or (831) 422-POOL |
| Emergency Ride Home Program | |
| What: | A free taxi ride or rental car ride home in case of an emergency (illness, family crisis, unscheduled overtime) |
| Who is eligible: | Employees in Napa County who use any alternative to driving alone to work (public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking) on the day of the emergency; the employer and employee are required to pre-register in the program |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511 or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
| Vanpool Passengers | |
| What: | $100 in free gas cards for the first two months as a new back-up driver (driving five times each month) |
| Who is eligible: | New back-up drivers of vanpools driving to, from or through Napa county |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511 or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
| Vanpool Start-Up Incentive | |
| What: | $100 in free gas cards per empty seat for the first month, decreasing in increments of $25 |
| Who is eligible: | New vanpools with at least 70% occupancy, driving to, from or through Napa county. |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511 or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
San Francisco County Incentives
| Vanpool Incentive | |
| What: | Preferred vanpool parking is available in specific designated areas of downtown San Francisco (first-come-first-served). Vanpools with permits may park free at any 60-minute or longer meter in these designated areas. Get more information and/or apply. |
| Who is eligible: | Vanpools with SF vanpool parking permit. Minivans and full-size vans must have a minimum of seven passengers. |
| Contact: | vanpool@rideshare.511.org or call 511 and say "Rideshare." |
| Emergency Ride Home | |
| What: | A free taxi ride or rental car in case of an emergency (illness, family crisis, unscheduled overtime). |
| Who is eligible: | Employees in San Francisco who use alternative transportation, such as carpooling, vanpooling, public transit, bicycling and walking. An employee who takes a ride must be a permanent part-time or full-time employee of a registered employer at a San Francisco worksite. |
| Contact: | Adeline Canez, (415) 355-3729 or go to www.sferh.org |
| City Garages with Carpool Rates | |
| What: | Many City-owned/operated parking lots have discounted parking available for carpools. Rates vary by lot. Check individual locations for details. |
| Who is eligible: | Check individual lots for details. |
| Contact: | Some details are online or contact the lot directly. Click here. |
| Carpool Parking Permit | |
| What: | San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) provides carpool parking permits to employers with more than two-hundred employees and located in a residential neighborhood. |
| Who is eligible: | Employers approved by the Director of SFMTA, and willing to designate an onsite administrator/employee to organize the program. Employees must travel to work in groups of three (or more) and in passenger commuter vehicles. Permit holders must work within a half mile radius of the carpool permit parking area. For a list of employers currently offering this discount, go to: http://www.sfmta.com/cms/pperm/13442.html#carpool |
| Contact: | SFMTA Residential Permit Parking Office: (415) 701-3000 |
| Guaranteed Ride Home | |
| What: | A free taxicab home in case of emergency (illness, family crises, or unscheduled overtime) |
| Who is eligible: | Commuters working in San Mateo County who use any alternative to driving alone to work (public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking) on the day of the emergency, and whose employers are pre-registered in the program |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or alliance@commute.org www.commute.org |
| Carpool Incentive | |
| What: | A $60 gas card for people who carpool. |
| Who is eligible: | Commuters driving to, from or through San Mateo County who form a new carpool with two or more people over the age of 18. Also eligible are new carpool members who are added to an existing two-person carpool. |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or alliance@commute.org www.commute.org |
| Vanpool Passengers | |
| What: | 50% off your vanpool fare for the first 3 months |
| Who is eligible: | New riders in vanpools driving to, from or through San Mateo County |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or alliance@commute.org www.commute.org |
| Vanpool Drivers | |
| What: | Start a new vanpool, keep it on the road for six months, and receive $500 |
| Who is eligible: | Drivers of new vanpools driving to, from or through San Mateo County |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or alliance@commute.org www.commute.org |
| Bicycle Parking | |
| What: | Receive a 50% funding match for the cost of purchasing and installing basic bike racks and high security bike lockers, up to a maximum of $500 per unit. |
| Who is eligible: | All employers within San Mateo County |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or send an email to alliance@commute.org |
| FREE Transit | |
| What: | Free coupons to try public transit |
| Who is eligible: | Commuters who travel to, from and through San Mateo County and would like to try public transit (Caltrain, BART, etc.) |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or alliance@commute.org www.commute.org |
| Downtown Dasher | |
| What: | Free lunchtime taxi service |
| Who is eligible: | Employees working in the East of 101 business park in South San Francisco |
| Contact: | Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, (650) 588-8170 or alliance@commute.org www.commute.org |
| Eco Pass Transit Program | |
| What: | Annual transit pass for use on South Bay transit systems; this includes a Guaranteed Ride Home in case of an emergency |
| Who is eligible: | Full-time employees of participating Santa Clara employers (who purchase these passes) |
| Contact: | The Santa Clara VTA, ecopass@vta.org |
| Guaranteed Ride Home (ACE Rail) | |
| What: | A ride home in case of an emergency during the hours of 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Who is eligible: | Monthly pass holders of ACE Rail train tickets |
| Contact: | Denise Jefferson, ACE Rail, (800) 411-RAIL, or www.acerail.com |
| Shoreline Amphitheater | |
| What: | Preferential Parking |
| Who is eligible: | Carpools with four or more people, arriving at least one hour before showtime |
| Contact: | Shoreline Amphitheatre www.shoreline-amd.com/traffic.asp |
| Commute Solutions | |
| What: | FREE personalized trip planning and help with your commute |
| Who is eligible: | People who live or work in Santa Cruz County |
| Contact: | Commute Solutions, a service of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (831) 429-POOL or www.CommuteSolutions.org |
| Emergency Ride Home Program | |
| What: | RideSurance: Your safety net for green commuting. Get a free taxi, rental car or bus ride home in case of an emergency (illness, family crisis, unscheduled overtime). |
| Who is eligible: | People who live or work in Santa Cruz County, use any alternative to driving alone to work (public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking) on the day of the emergency, and pre-register for RideSurance. Small co-pay for rides taken. |
| Contact: | Commute Solutions, a service of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (831) 429-POOL or www.CommuteSolutions.org |
| Cash for Carpools | |
| What: | Start a new carpool, make 12 round trips, and each person receives a $25 gas card and entry into a drawing for $600 in gas. |
| Who is eligible: | New carpoolers who previously drove alone. |
| Contact: | Commute Solutions, a service of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (831) 429-POOL or www.CommuteSolutions.org |
| Emergency Ride Home Program | |
| What: | A free taxi ride or rental car ride home in case of an emergency (illness, family crisis, unscheduled overtime) |
| Who is eligible: | Employees in Solano County who use any alternative to driving alone to work (public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking) on the day of the emergency; the employer and employee are required to pre-register in the program |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511 or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
| Vanpool Passengers | |
| What: | $100 in free gas cards for the first two months as a new back-up driver (driving five times each month) |
| Who is eligible: | New back-up drivers of vanpools driving to, from or through Solano county |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511 or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
| Vanpool Start-Up Incentive | |
| What: | $100 in free gas cards per empty seat for the first month, decreasing in increments of $25 |
| Who is eligible: | New vanpools with at least 70% occupancy, driving to, from or through Solano county |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
| Bike Commuters | |
| What: | 60% off the cost of a new bike, up to $100 per person |
| Who is eligible: | Any Solano resident or employee over the age of 18 who agrees to program rules and guidelines |
| Contact: | Solano Napa Commuter Information, 511 or www.solanolinks.com/commuterinfo |
| Guaranteed Ride Home | |
| What: | A taxi ride home in case of an emergency |
| Who is eligible: | Any commuter who works in Santa Rosa, and uses a commute alternative on the day of the emergency. The employee must be registered in the "Take a Free Ride" program, or their employer must be registered with the City of Santa Rosa's Trip Reduction Program |
| Contact: | Department of Transit and Parking, City of Santa Rosa, (707) 543-3325 |
| Carpool incentives | |
| What: | Free parking in downtown garages, and eligibility for monthly prize drawings |
| Who is eligible: | Any commuter who works in downtown Santa Rosa, and shares the ride with one other person. The employee must be registered in the "Take a Free Ride" program, or their employer must be registered with the City of Santa Rosa's Trip Reduction Program |
| Contact: | Department of Transit and Parking, City of Santa Rosa, (707) 543-3325 |
| Reduced transit passes | |
| What: | $10 monthly CityPass or Sonoma County Transit Pass |
| Who is eligible: | Any commuter who works in Santa Rosa and is registered in the "Take a Free Ride" program, or their employer is registered with the City of Santa Rosa's Trip Reduction Program |
| Contact: | Department of Transit and Parking, City of Santa Rosa, (707) 543-3325 |
