Commuter Services of South Central Pennsylvania this week announced it has expanded its free Emergency Ride Home Program to cover all enrolled commuters.

Commuter Services will reimburse qualified emergency rides home for workers who use commute options (transit, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling or walking to work), rather than driving alone.

To qualify, the worker must:use a commuting option at least twice a week, register in the confidential Commuter Services RideMatch database, have a qualified emergency, live or work in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry or York counties.

“Commuters consider their ability to get home in an emergency as one of the biggest barriers to using a commuting option, like carpools or transit,” said Brandy Heilman, director of the Commuter Services program.

“Emergency ride home programs are similar to homeowners’ insurance,” Heilman said. “You hope you never have to use it, but it is reassuring to know it’s there if you need it.”

Until today, Commuter Services offered the free emergency ride home program only if the employer as well as the employee were registered.

“Across the nation, emergency rides have shown to be important to allow people to use commuting options,” Heilman said. “Now, all commuters have to do is register in the commuter database at www.PaCommuterServices.com , or complete and submit a paper application.”

The rider or the participating employer decides how the commuter is transported, for example by taxi or by a co-worker. Reimbursement is based on the receipted fare or the equivalent of the IRS rate for mileage reimbursement – 48.5 cents per mile for 2007.

If the employer is enrolled, the employer pays for any emergency rides home and is reimbursed by Commuter Services. If the employer isn’t participating, the employee pays for the ride, and then is reimbursed by the program. A reimbursement form is available on line.

Qualified emergencies include unexpected personal illness/emergency, an unexpected immediate family illness/emergency, a carpool driver’s emergency, or unscheduled overtime at the supervisor’s request.

Commuters can choose from appropriate destinations that best serve their emergency needs, such as home, their vehicle (if parked at a transit station or park ‘n ride lot), a child’s school or daycare, or a medical facility. The trip can include more than one stop, for example taking the commuter to a child’s school, a doctor’s office, and then home.

Commuter Services promotes alternatives to commuting alone to commuters and employers in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties, where there are an estimated 823,00 commuters.

Visit the Emergency Ride Home page on the Commuter Services of South Central Pennsylvania website for more information.

9/7/2007