Author Archive

Attention StarMetro riders (and would-be StarMetro riders): Our local transit service is continuing to incorporate your feedback into the new, decentralized route system and several requested changes will go into effect on January 21. If you already ride the bus, you’ll want to look in on the new Ride Guide and see if any of the adjustments will affect your trip.  And if the previous routes or schedules didn’t suit your preferences this is a good time to consider it again.

StarMetro riders save money, enjoy “me” time, and may qualify for our FREE Emergency Ride Home Program! Follow the links and get all the details today.

FSU now offers several transportation helps to make getting around (and parking) easier! Students, faculty and staff are all invited to participate in these new programs:

ZipCar allows you to rent a car by the hour. You can carpool or take the bus to get to campus and have a very affordable ride reserved to drive to your lunch meeting or dental appointment. Check it out!

ZimRide is a place to find or offer rides to class, to the game, or home for the holidays. This is a Facebook group for FSU only and, since you use your FSU ID to log in, you get to see who’s who—and save parking hassles and gas money at the same time.

FSU reCycle is a bike rental program that will loan you a fully-equipped bicycle to use for the semester, for a ridiculously low fee. You get a helmet, light kit, security lock and a little handbook of bicycle laws—everything you need to get to class or wherever safely; plus, free workout!

Remember too, using any ‘green commute’ option at least 3 days a week means you can register for Commuter Services FREE Emergency Ride Home Program. If you get sick, stranded, or stuck in a storm, members of the ERHP get a free Yellow Cab ride home.

We’ve had a lot of questions lately regarding how our Emergency Ride Home Program works. In this post we will address some of the most common questions we receive.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do I have to register ahead of time? Our arrangement with Yellow Cab is that participants give the driver our voucher, which they will accept as cash and bill to us. You must have one of our vouchers in hand in order to have the bill sent to Commuter Services.
• What if I live far away? If you live or work in our service area, your voucher will cover the cost of one emergency cab ride home, regardless of the distance.
• How many vouchers do I get? One. Each voucher is good for one emergency ride home. People rarely use more than one a year and, since our participants are so responsible, we can be flexible if an individual needs to use an additional voucher from time to time. When we receive and validate the receipt (yellow copy), another voucher will be issued.
• Can I give my voucher to someone else who needs it? No; each voucher is assigned to an individual commuter registered in our system and any bill submitted under another name will be rejected for payment. What you can do is tell your friends and co-workers about the program and how they can register, too!

Be Prepared

Log into your profile on EZ Ride periodically and do a quick search for new matches. Reach out to co-workers or neighbors and introduce yourself. If you feel comfortable, ask them if you might call on them for a ride home sometime, ‘just in case’. This is also a great way to handle ‘driver out of town’ situations; many people are happy to pool occasionally or temporarily, even if they don’t care to on a regular basis.

Keep track of your voucher; look in on it once in a while and let us know if it gets lost. It’s much better to get a replacement sent out in the mail ahead of time, than discover it missing when you need it!

Be ready for seasonal weather; carry an umbrella with you. That way, you can still walk or wait for the bus in a drizzle—and save your voucher for a thunderstorm.

We appreciate that our participants are careful and responsible in their use of the program. We don’t want to discourage anyone from using their voucher—that’s what it’s there for! We simply want to be clear on what the guidelines are so that we can offer the benefits of a quick, safe ride home to every qualified commuter who needs one.

If there’s ever a question of your health or safety, go ahead and use your voucher! Any clarifications can be sorted out after the fact.

If you have other questions, give us a call toll-free at 1-888-454-RIDE(7433).

We’ve had a lot of questions lately about when (and how often) it’s okay to use our Emergency Ride Home Program. Keeping in mind that each situation is unique and you are responsible for using your own good judgment.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many vouchers do I get? One. Each voucher is good for one emergency ride home. People rarely use more than one a year and, since our participants are so responsible, we can be flexible if an individual needs to use an additional voucher from time to time. If you find your transportation arrangement isn’t really working for you, let us know right away; we’re happy to help you find a more reliable way to travel so you won’t need to worry about too-frequent ‘emergencies’.
• Can I use my voucher to get TO work? Sorry, no. In order to keep costs reasonable, we have to limit use to work-to-home trips only (you may stop at school to pick up a sick child on the way). If you have any questions about what qualifies, please call Commuter Services at 1-888-454-RIDE(7433). Using your voucher to get to work, home from parties or other inappropriate trips will result in your bill being returned to you for payment.
• How about a doctor’s appointment? An appointment would be a scheduled disruption; if you know your usual ride isn’t going to suit you on a particular day, make a back-up arrangement ahead of time. Of course, if the situation is unexpected (you receive word that you need to meet your spouse or child at the hospital), you may use your voucher to get you there from work—and then make your own arrangements for getting home.
• What do I do when my carpool partner goes on vacation? As soon as you know, log into your EZ Ride profile and do a quick search for new matches. Reach out to those co-workers or neighbors and introduce yourself. If you feel comfortable, ask about sharing a ride for a few days; many people are happy to pool occasionally or temporarily, even if they don’t care to on a regular basis.
• What if my ride is keeping me waiting? Please try to be flexible. Honestly, pooling does sometimes involve minor inconveniences. It’s helpful if you keep a snack and a book with you for the occasional delay. If mis-matching schedules become a problem, speak up! And you may want to visit your EZ Ride profile to see if someone new is a better match.
• Is bad weather or darkness a valid reason? If a friend or roommate can pick you up and you have a safe place to wait—great. If you can’t reach anyone or you are anxious about your location or severe weather, by all means, use your voucher.
• What if my shift doesn’t end until after the buses quit running for the day? If your regular schedule means you have to make a mad dash for the last bus home, you may want to consider a carpool or vanpool instead. Set up a FREE online profile in EZRide and see if you have matches. Ask around at work, too–everyone is trying to hang on to their hard-earned cash and some of your co-workers might welcome a rider who’ll chip in for gas. If transit normally fits your schedule well and you simply get held up one night and miss the last bus, that’s an appropriate time to use your voucher.

We all like to get more for our money when it comes to driving. But there are several ideas and products out there that, rather than boosting your MPGs, will just put a drain on your wallet.

Check out this article from MSN’s “Your Money” column, “5 Mileage Boosting Myths, Exposed.”

Of course, the best way to get more MPGs is to share the ride. Browse the rest of our website for FREE ridematching and lots of other information so you can choose the options that work for you.

StarMetro’s new Nova2010 routes launch this week and I was riding along on the very first day, as a volunteer “Ambassador” on the Dogwood Route. Despite having studied the materials, I admit I was a little overwhelmed trying to assist 3 riders at once and to do so in the order that we’d be reaching their connections!

The new system is far more convenient than making unnecessary trips to the plaza downtown, but it also means there’s a learning curve for riders. So, do your homework! Visit www.NOVA2010.com and plan your new route from the comfort of your home or office. If you need help, call StarMetro at 891-5200; they have lots of extra staff on the phones this week to provide expert, step by step trip planning.

Most of the people on our bus were making the adjustment just fine—in fact, the regulars already had it down pat. A trio of friends joined us by mistake, dashing thru the drizzle to the first bus that came along; but they knew about the changes and had allowed themselves some extra time—so they were laughing at their little adventure and we got them sorted out in no time.

Our StarMetro driver was awesome! He announced every upcoming stop and which routes it connected with; and, despite having to drive this huge vehicle safely, he was consistently patient and friendly in answering specific questions.

So here are my conclusions about Nova2010: plan your trip beforehand; call if you have questions; allow a little extra time this first week; and enjoy your FREE ride (that’s right—launch week is FREE for everyone).

Oh, and don’t be shy about asking your Ambassador or Driver questions! They will be happy to help.

P.S. If you find that the new bus routes simply are not going to work for your daily commute, Commuter Services of North Florida can offer you some alternatives. Find out more.

Who doesn’t love to “try before you buy”? There’s an exciting product about to come out: Nova2010, StarMetro’s new, decentralized service. They’ve just announced that for the first week (July 11-15), you can ride absolutely free! Visit their website at nova2010.com to see all the changes, including the more direct routes and more frequent service. If you have any questions, give StarMetro a call at 850-891-5200.

Right now, Cliff Bar is holding its annual 2 Mile Challenge and will donate to the charity you choose, for each mile you ride. Get all the details at 2milechallenge.com. Make sure to catch the cool video when you click on “Get the Facts”. Some of the info there will surprise you–and motivate you!

The celebration of Earth Day continues! Friday, April 22 is Idle Free & Alternative Transportation Day. Meet us on Kleman Plaza 11am to 2pm for live entertainment and find out about easy ways you can start right now to reduce your carbon footprint. Come by our booth and say “Hi!”

Employees at the Capital Circle Office Center: Commuter Services of North Florida will be visiting CCOC for the Earth Day Celebration on Wednesday, April 20th. Be sure to look for us because we have free programs that are not only planet-friendly, they’re wallet-friendly, too!

And even if $4 a gallon doesn’t pinch for you, wouldn’t you rather spend that money on something fun this summer? Come check out all your transportation options and discover how to keep more of your money for you! Visit us at Earth Day or anytime at commuterservices.org.