COLUMBUS – Coping with an emergency while at work can be extra stressful for anyone who has carpooled or taken public transit and cannot just jump in their own car and head home.
But a remedy is just a mouse-click away.
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s Emergency Ride Home service provides four free taxi rides home from work for commuters registered with MORPC’s RideSolutions program who need to leave work early to deal with an illness or family emergency, or those who need to stay late because of unexpected overtime.
The agency says the service is intended to reduce one major barrier to those who want to carpooling, vanpooling, walk, or bike to work or ride the bus to save money or reduce their carbon footprint.
“By removing the upfront cost of the taxi fare, RideSolutions is hoping more individuals will be encouraged to try alternative transportation options without the fear of being stranded at work,” Thea Walsh, MORPC’s director of Transportation Systems and Funding, said. “Emergencies rarely happen but the fear of being stranded is real for many commuters.”
The new program replaces the Guaranteed Ride Home service, which was not free.
MORPC has contracted with Yellow Cab of Columbus to provide this service for registered commuters in 15 counties who can redeem a voucher to cover the cost, plus tip, of a taxi ride home from work up to four times in a calendar year, Walsh said.
The service is available in Delaware, Franklin, Fairfield, Fayette, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, Ross and Union counties.