Studies have shown that a commuters fear of being stranded at work if they or a family member become ill, or if they must work unexpected overtime, is one of the most compelling reasons commuters do not rideshare or use public transportation. The MSRC initiated a Regional Guaranteed Ride Home Program to eliminate this barrier by providing a free ride home to qualifying employees in the event of an unexpected personal emergency or unscheduled overtime. The intent is to retain current alternate mode patrons who may have had the unfortunate experience of being stranded at work, and provide the necessary safety net to attract new alternative mode commuters. The resultant reduction in single occupant vehicle (SOV) trips will reduce motor vehicle emissions within the South Coast AQMD.
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The GRH program, "Get Home on Us", was developed and made available to employers within the jurisdiction of the South Coast Air Quality Management District who had not offered a guaranteed ride home program within the prior 12 months. Employers were required to designate a representative at their worksite, sign a statement of participation, and market the program to their employees. A non-cash voucher system was developed and approved by several local taxi providers. The program offered a free taxi ride to qualified employees from participating employers in the event of a personal emergency or unexpected overtime on a day they commuted to work by bus, rail, carpool, or vanpool. The voucher was accepted by the taxi companies in lieu of cash payment, and the taxi providers were reimbursed monthly. The program was limited to four (4) trips per employee within a 12-month period, and was limited to a maximum one-way trip length of 75 miles.
The regional Guaranteed Ride Home Program (GRH), entitled "Get Home on Us", and three primary objectives: 1) to develop, implement, and administer a regional GRH program in the South Coast air basin for employers that did not offer such a program; 2) to offer employees a "safety net" that would eliminate a major barrier to using public transportation or carpool/vanpool for the work commute - the fear being stranded at work due to an emergency or other unforeseen circumstance; and 3) maximize the shift from drive alone commuting to an alternative commute mode.
The Get Home On Us program kicked off in July 2002 with a series of press releases and a direct mail campaign to targeted businesses. Presentation were made at several employer networking events, roundtable meetings, and chamber of commerce meetings. A total of 353 employers signed up for the program, dramatically exceeding the goal of 50 employers initially established for the program. In addition, the initial goal of representing 50,000 employees was also significantly exceeded; the participating employment sites represented 97,135 employees. Over the course fo the program, a total of 305 emergency calls were received. 245 resulted in in an emergency taxi ride being provided. The average taxi trip was 32.4 miles, with an average cost of $76.68 inclusive of a 10% driver gratuity.
The MSRC-funded Get Home On Us program ended on October 31, 2005. However, the program is continuing under the authority and administration of South Coast region's County Transportation Commissions. Thus, the benefits of GRH will continue to be realized within the South Coast AQMD.
Bell Cab Company
City Cab
Diversified Paratransit
Keith Communications
Los Angeles County Metro
MidValley Yellow Cab
Orange County Transportation Authority
Riverside County Transportation Commission
San Bernardino Associated Governments
Tab Communications
United Independent Taxi
Yellow Cab Company