Emergency Ride Home Program: FAQ

What is the Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program?

The ERH program is an opportunity for employers in the greater Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area and outlying communities of Cottage Grove, McKenzie Bridge, Junction City, Veneta, Elmira, Coburg, and Oakridge to offer a free taxi ride home in case of an emergency for their employees who commute to work by carpooling, vanpooling, riding the bus, walking, or bicycling.

Who is offering the ERH program, and how is it funded?

point2point solutions, the region’s Transportation Options program housed at Lane Transit District (LTD), is offering local employers and employees the ERH program. The program is funded by regional jurisdictions and state and federal funds.

What is point2point solutions?

point2point solutions is the region’s Transportation Options program that is overseen by a committee of staff from local jurisdictions acting in response to increased traffic congestion, environmental risk factors, and the mobility challenges facing our region. Partner agencies include: the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield, Lane County, Lane Council of Governments, City of Coburg, Lane Transit District, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Why is the regional Emergency Ride Home program offered?

One of the main reasons many people drive alone to work is the security of having a car available to them in case of an unexpected emergency. By providing a FREE Emergency Ride Home, we can increase the number of employees in our community who will either carpool, vanpool, take a bus, ride a bike, or walk to work. The Emergency Ride Home program helps manage the demand placed upon our road system by reducing congestion and increasing parking availability.

How does the ERH program work?

Each registered employer designates an ERH administrator. When a registered employee has an emergency, the administrator will issue a taxi voucher for the employee’s ride home. The taxi provider will then bill point2point solutions, and point2point solutions will pay for the entire trip. Additionally, each ERH trip will be allowed a 15-minute intermediate stop that is directly related to the emergency. For example, an employee may need to pick up their ill child at daycare or stop by the local pharmacy.

The maximum number of ERH trips per eligible employee is four (4) per year.

Some taxi providers are wheelchair accessible.

What is considered an emergency?

• The employee or a family member suffers an illness, injury, or other emergency
• The employee’s home or property is damaged by fire, burglary, or similar emergency
• The employee’s carpool/vanpool driver has an emergency

Who is eligible?

Any business in the greater Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area and outlying communities of Cottage Grove, McKenzie Bridge, Junction City, Veneta, Elmira, Coburg, and Oakridge.

Any employee who works for a registered employer, commutes to work by means other than driving alone, and is registered in point2point solutions ERH program.

How do I register?

Any employer interested in the program can register here or call point2point solutions at 682-6213.

An employee must work for a registered employer in order to be eligible for this program. The employee also must register in the regional ERH database managed by point2point solutions by either registering online or calling point2point solutions at 682-6213.