Even Heroes Need A Little Help

A program that provides a safety net.

NEW PROGRAM:

If you are a full or part-time employee and use a carpool, vanpool, or ride transit to commute to work this program will help you to get home for that unexpected event. The origin of your trip must fall in the areas served by RideFinders (Richmond region) commuter assistance program. If this describes you and your commute then you can request a ride home through the ConnectingVA Ride Home Reward Program. The participation guidelines are available. It’s simple!! Not a member yet, JOIN NOW. 

ERH Program: If you are your are not eligible for the ConnectingVA Ride Home Reward Program, you may be eligible for RideFinders Emergency Ride Home Program. Currently, this program is Reimbursement Only and illness/fever is not a covered emergency. Eligible program participants may select a taxi service of their choice, Uber, Lyft, rental car, or train and must have carpooled, vanpooled, ridden the bus or biked to work at least three days a week and on the day the ERH is requested.  Clear copies of all receipts must be submitted to RideFinders for reimbursement and all usage is subject to verification by a supervisor. Please allow 14 days from receipt for the reimbursement process.

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ARCHIVE PRIOR TO COVID PANDEMIC

Emergency Ride Home Program

One of the most commonly cited concerns from commuters for not ridesharing, even though they would like to, is not having a way home from work in the event of accident or emergency. Some commuters forego the benefits of a green commute "just in case" they need their car. RideFinders offers commuters a safety net to ease worries against being stranded when ridesharing. The Emergency Ride Home (ERH) Program provides eligible, enrolled commuters who carpool, vanpool, bike or ride the bus to work at least three days a week with a ride home or to your vehicle if an emergency occurs while at work.

There is no cost to register for the program! RideFinders offers four (4) free ERH rides per year. Program usage is restricted to four (4) times per calendar year while funding is available. 

Need an emergency ride home now? Simply call RideFinders, and we'll handle all the details in getting you to your home or vehicle.  

Participation Guidelines (Prior to COVID)

To use the ERH Program, you must:

• Register for the program by downloading the application, Fax to (804) 649-2513, or call RideFinders at (804) 643-7433. Please note: ERH registration is separate from registering for RideFinders ridematching. All information provided is subject to verification upon enrollment in the ERH Program. When your registration is approved, RideFinders will send you an enrollment confirmation letter and an ERH brochure;
• Sign the general release and waiver of liability statement;
• Carpool, vanpool, bike, or ride the bus to work at least three (3) days a week;
• Have an emergency which causes you to need the service. You must have carpooled, vanpooled, ridden you bike, or ridden the bus to work on the day you request to use the service.
• RideFinders reserves the right to verify your commute mode on the day the emergency ride home is used, the right to contact your supervisor for verification, and the right to revise program guidelines as needed.

Or call RideFinders at 804-643-7433

How Does the Program Work?

Once you are registered for the ERH program and have received your confirmation letter, you may use the service.

• To use the ERH service, you must call RideFinders during operating hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., except holidays and weekends. The ERH program is not available for weekend usage. Observed holidays include but are not limited to: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
• Once the call or an online request is made for an emergency ride, RideFinders will confirm that you are registered participant of the ERH program. You must carpooled, vanpooled, ridden your bike, or ridden the bus to work on the day you request to use the program. Please do not wait until you need a ride home to register as you may not be immediately eligible.
• RideFinders does not provide gratuity to taxi drivers. You are solely responsible for tipping the taxi driver.
• The taxi or rental car company will pick you up at work. You are required to show the driver a valid photo ID and your ERH voucher.
• On your first ERH trip, RideFinders will email or fax you a voucher and survey prior to your trip. ERH vouchers are non-transferable.
• You are required to complete, sign, and date the voucher. Present the voucher to the driver to complete his/her portion of the voucher and collect the voucher back from the driver.
• After your ride, complete the survey. Return the completed voucher, reimbursement form and receipt and survey by mail, email or fax within thirty (30) business days after using the voucher.
• Once RideFinders receives and approves the first used voucher, we will mail the second voucher and survey to you within ten (10) business days. Keep your voucher and survey at work.
• If your ERH trip requires that you use Amtrak service or another 3rd party provider, you are required to complete the Emergency Ride Home Reimbursement Request Form. Mail the form and your original Amtrak or other transportation service receipt to: RideFinders, Attn: Client Services Coordinator, 1013 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

How Do I Use the Service After Hours?

RideFinders accepts requests for ERH service weekdays, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m. There will be limited availability for the ERH program for after hours usage when the RideFinders office has closed for the day. Requests made after normal operating hours of 8:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m. are on a restricted basis and are subject to next day verification by RideFinders. Approval is not guaranteed. All expense incurred by non-approved usage is the responsibility of the requestor.

The following guidelines are to be adhered to when using the service after hours. The vendor will complete the verification process:

• The following morning, you must call RideFinders to report your usage for the services to be covered. Please note: Failure to report usage will result in you being solely responsible for paying the service provider.
• A survey will be provided to you via email, fax, or email. Complete the survey and return to RideFinders via fax at (804) 649-2513, email at Jekeima.Taylor@ridefinders.com, or mail to: RideFinders, Attn: Client Services Coordinator, 1013 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

What Information is Required when Requesting an Emergency Ride Home?

• Name
• Work Phone Number
• Reason for emergency
• Origin, destination, and mode of transportation
• Supervisor's name and number for verification
• Carpool partner name(s) and phone number(s) (if applicable), van number (if applicable), or bus route (if applicable)

THE EMERGENCY RIDE HOME PROGRAM MAY BE USED FOR:

• An emergency at home such as break-in, flood, or fire
• Unexpectedly working late resulting in missing your bus or ride
• Rideshare partner leaving work early or staying late. (Rideshare partner will be called for verification.)
• Bike damage (flat tire, broken chain, etc.) when cycling while commuting from work and public transportation is not available within 30 minutes or is not in your commuting area. Inclement weather (rain/snow) does not qualify.

Falsifying information related to the reason for using the Emergency Ride Home Program, the commute mode taken on the day of the program's use, or otherwise abusing the program, will result in reimbursement for the charges incurred for the ride and restriction from using the program for one year.

THE EMERGENCY RIDE HOME PROGRAM MAY NOT BE USED FOR:

A ride to work, personal errands, pre-planned medical or dental appointments, business-related travel, intermittent stops or side trips, City/State office closures, scheduled overtime, scheduled appointments, company-wide emergencies or building closures and/or evacuations, inclement weather, natural disasters or acts of nature, 911 emergencies, termination of employment or layoffs, vehicular failures (unless it is the rideshare vehicle on the day of the emergency), work-related and/or bodily injury, ambulance service, transportation system and/or provider closures or failures. You may lose access to the program if it's used in an unauthorized or inappropriate way.

HOW OFTEN CAN I USE THE EMERGENCY RIDE HOME PROGRAM AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

The ERH program may be used up to four (4) times per calendar year. There is no co-pay! If you cancel an ERH trip after the taxi cab has been dispatched or do not show up for your trip, it will count as one of the four annual trips. There is no cost to register for the program. When a trip is taken, you must return the completed ERH voucher, reimbursement request form and receipt and survey by mail, email, or fax within thirty (30) business days in order to receive the next voucher. RideFinders will reimburse you for your taxi ride, train or rental car. RideFinders will not pay a gratuity. You are solely responsible for tipping the driver. You will need to submit the original car rental receipt and Emergency Ride Home Reimbursement Request Form to RideFinders.

DO I NEED TO REGISTER EVERY YEAR?

Yes, you will need to register each year. Registration is valid for one year only. You must renew your ERH registration by calling RideFinders at (804) 643-7433, faxing a completed form to (804) 649-2513, renewing online at www.ridefinders.com, or mailing it to: RideFinders, Attn: Client Services Coordinator, 1013 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. The Emergency Ride Home Program will be effective each year beginning January 1 and ending on December 31. Please note: ERH registration is separate from registering for RideFinders ridematching service.

VOUCHERS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE:

You may NOT give your assigned voucher to another person. Each voucher is assigned to an individual. Unused vouchers do not carry over to the next year.

REPLACEMENT VOUCHERS:

Requests for replacement vouchers due to damage or loss must be made in person at RideFinders by the participant with the proper proof of identification, driver's license or State ID. A participant whose voucher(s) has been lost must complete a lost affidavit and wll only receive replacement for the unused voucher.

SERVICE PROVIDERS:

Call RideFinders at (804) 643-7433 to notify RideFinders that you need an Emergency Ride Home. Once the emergency has been verified, you will need to arrange for a taxi cab, Uber, Lyft or other service and submit for reimbursement. If your commute takes you out of the Richmond area, you have the option of renting a vehicle or simply using the taxi service. RideFinders will assist you in contacting a car rental company to provide you with a vehicle to get home should you opt for the rental vehicle. The rental company will then call you to arrange pick up so that you can complete the necessary paperwork. Submit the original car rental receipt and Emergency Ride Home Reimbursement Request Form to RideFinders . RideFinders pays only for the car rental. RideFinders will not be responsible for any fees associated with late returns, failure to drop off at proper location, or for rental periods longer than one day. Mail the form and your car rental receipt to: RideFinders, Attn: Client Services Coordinator, 1013 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING A CAR RENTAL?

You will be solely responsible for the vehicle. You must meet minimum requirements for the car rental provider such as having a current, valid driver's license, and having a valid credit or debit card with funds for a temporary hold. Virginia State law requires that you carry liability insurance on your vehicle. Supplemental liability protection, collision damage, and deductible coverage are available at your expense.

DOES RIDEFINDERS PAY FOR THE GAS IN THE VEHICLE?

You will be responsible for the gas in the vehicle. RideFinders pays for only the car rental.

COULD I DROP THE RENTAL CAR OFF AT A PARK-N-RIDE LOT NEAR THE RENTAL COMPANY? DOES RIDEFINDERS PAY IF THERE IS A DROP-OFF FEE?

Please be sure to observe the rental return policy of the car rental company. RideFinders will not be responsible for any fees associated with late returns, failure to drop off at proper location, or for rental periods longer than one day.

RideFinders reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend or revoke participation in the Emergency Ride Home Program due to any abuse or misuse of the Program, including but not limited to falsification of registration information, falsification of information about taxi cab trips, or sharing or duplication of vouchers. Participants found to be abusing the program will not receive reimbursement and will be responsible for any costs incurred. RideFinders reserves the right to revise program guidelines as needed.