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.

The biggest game in college football this weekend is undoubtedly Saturday’s matchup between FSU and Oklahoma. As part of its College Game Day Coverage, ESPN shot a spot today that will feature the FSU reCycle Bike Rental Program. Supported with funds supplied by Commuter Services of North Florida, this program rents bikes to FSU students on a semester or yearly basis as a way to improve student mobility and reduce cars traveling to and from campus.

reCycle program creator and FSU student Sandy Simmons provided an overview of the program, and then FSU Kicker Dustin Hopkins and Punter Shawn Powell participated in the shoot. The two Seminoles football players then took the opportunity to ride two of the bikes across campus, all while being filmed by ESPN. The story should appear during ESPN’s day-long telecast from Tallahassee on Saturday.

There are a couple different ways for carpoolers to equally share the financial costs of a carpool. Some choose to take turns being the driver. Others have a consistent driver and the other members each pitch in for gas. If you fall into the second group and find it a little tricky to calculate what each person owes, here’s an app for iPhone and iPod touch that may help you out.

Carpool Cost Splitter lets you input the vehicle MPG, the current gas price, the total miles traveled, and the number of people in your pool to easily calculate what each person owes.

You can download Carpool Cost Splitter for $0.99 from the Apple iOS App Store.

Share the cost of fuel, save wear and tear on your personal vehicle and save big money. Commuter Services has heard you loud and clear! There are many of you interested in vanpooling from Crawfordville to Tallahassee. Don’t be left behind…The Rural Vanpool Program offers a 60% subsidy on operational costs! We are starting up vanpools in your area and the MORE seats filled the MORE you SAVE. If you or someone you know is interested in saving; give us a call and we will help you get started in a commuter vanpool.

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.