The Emergency Ride Home (ERH) service is a "safety net" for commuters working in southeastern Pennsylvania who share their ride to work (carpool, vanpool, transit) on a regular basis. In the event of an unexpected personal or family emergency or illness, unscheduled overtime, or if the regular ride home is not available for certain reasons, registered commuters are provided with a free ride to home, their car or to the place of the emergency.
- Commuters who apply and are approved through the DVRPC sign-up form;
- Commuters who apply to the Share-A-Ride (SAR) ridematch program directly; or
- Employees registered through their employer who participates in the Mobility Alternatives Program (MAP).
Employees who register for ERH must commit to sharing a ride to work at least three times a week, and the request for ERH must be made on a day when the commuter has shared a ride (is not using his/her own car). Commuters who qualify will be given detailed instructions of requirements and procedures upon registration.
Employees who register for ERH must commit to sharing a ride to work at least three (3) times a week, and the request for ERH must be made on a day when the commuter has shared a ride (is not using his/her own car). Commuters who qualify will be given detailed instructions of requirements and procedures upon registration: Sign up Form (opens in a new window).
- Once your application is accepted and filed, you're in the database and will receive an instruction form and a reimbursement form.
- If an emergency* arises, contact a local taxi or "limousine" service, rent a car or take transit to get you where you need to go.
- Make sure you obtain an official receipt from the company providing the ride!
- Send the receipt with a completed Reimbursement Form to Emergency Ride Home, within 30 days.
- Upon approval, ERH will send reimbursement in the form of a check within 45 days.
For the purposes of ERH, an emergency might include but is not limited to: sudden illness or injury of immediate family member or person for whom you have an appointed guardian; unplanned home problem that is immediately threatening (fire, flood, collapse, etc.); unplanned overtime required by supervisor which would prohibit using your regular ride home.
Please note that in some instances, depending on the location of your work site and transit schedules, it may still be faster to get to your car or to the place of emergency via transit instead of using a taxi service or rental car. If schedules are not accommodating, please use the ERH service.
Participants may only use this service two (2) times in a calendar year and may only be reimbursed up to $50 per use or no more than $100 per year.
For more information contact the Office of Commuter Services at 215-592-1800 or sharearide@dvrpc.org.