Those who work at Hacienda and do not use a private vehicle to commute can get a free ride home via taxi, car-sharing service, transportation network company such as Lyft or Uber, rental car, or public transportation in the case of an emergency. In fact, all permanent full-time and part-time employees who are employed within Alameda County are eligible for the county’s free Guaranteed Ride Home Program. The program reimburses employees for travel home from work if they are unable to use their usual method of travel because of an unexpected emergency.

“You can feel comfortable taking the bus, train, or ferry, carpooling, vanpooling, walking, or bicycling to work, knowing that you will have a ride home in the case of a qualifying unexpected circumstance that disrupts your commute home,” according to Alameda County officials.

A variety of emergency situations qualify for the program, including an illness, injury, or severe crisis involving the commuter or an immediate family member. Other situations covered include verified, last-minute, unscheduled overtime; a carpool or vanpool vehicle that breaks down or a driver forced to leave early or late; and a break-in, flood, or fire at the commuter’s residence. In order to participate, individual employees must register for the program in advance and follow the guidelines for reimbursement.

Employees may use the Guaranteed Ride Home Program a maximum of 10 times per calendar year for qualifying emergencies. They can be reimbursed for up to $125 per trip and up to $600 per year. Residents of Hacienda residential communities Andares, Anton Hacienda, Avalon Pleasanton, Avana Stoneridge, Avila, The Galloway, Park Hacienda, Siena, Valencia, and Verona also qualify for the program if they commute to work within Alameda County using an approved form of transportation.

The Contra Costa County Guaranteed Ride Home Program also reimburses users for a ride home during emergencies like a personal illness, sick child, or missing a carpool ride. As with other such programs, there is no cost to sign up but users must preregister in order to use the program. Participants can be reimbursed for up to six Guaranteed Ride Home trips each year. Contra Costa County’s program covers employees who work within the county as well as students who attend college in Costa Contra County and commute by walking, biking, or sharing a ride.

In Contra Costa County, qualifying emergencies include an illness, injury, or crisis involving the commuter or an immediate family member; staying at work later than usual, with a supervisor’s request, which causes the commuter to miss a carpool, vanpool or last transit ride; the user’s ridesharing vehicle broke down or the driver had to leave without the commuter; or the user’s bicycle was stolen or broke down and could not be repaired at work or on the way home. Participants can be reimbursed a maximum of six times per calendar year. The first two trips each year are reimbursed at 100% of the trip cost up to a maximum of $150 per trip. The remaining four reimbursements will be at 75% of the trip cost up to a maximum reimbursement of $100 per trip.

While both programs emphasize direct help to commuters, they benefit employers as well. The Guaranteed Ride Home program is a free transportation benefit employers can promote to all employees who get to and from work by a means other than driving alone, as Alameda County officials explain. Transportation benefits are an important draw for many existing and potential employees and makes employers more attractive, experts say.

For more information about the Alameda County Guaranteed Ride Home Program, please visit www.grh.alamedactc.org.

For more information about the Contra Costa County Guaranteed Ride Home Program, please visit www.511contracosta.org/guaranteed-ride-home.

For more information about transportation benefits available through Hacienda, please visit www.hacienda.org/amenities/employees-residents/commute-solutions.