Last update: 04/15/2008
SAFE-Ride program
The information above can be found in the following formats:
What is SAFE-Ride?
The State Agency Free Emergency (SAFE)-Ride is available to state employees in Thurston County who ride the bus, drive or ride in a carpool or vanpool, walk, or bike to work. The program is funded through the State Agency Rider (STAR) Pass and State Agency Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) programs at the Department of General Administration (GA).
Think of SAFE-Ride as your smart commuting insurance policy. If you come to work by bus, vanpool, carpool, walking or bicycling and have an emergency occur during your work hours – such as a family illness, unexpected overtime, or a missed ride – you can take a taxi home and the SAFE-Ride program will pick up the tab (excluding gratuity). SAFE-Ride will pay for up to 65 one-way miles and you may take up to eight (8) trips a year with no more than four (4) for unexpected overtime.
Who is eligible?
State employees assigned to a worksite in Thurston County are eligible for SAFE-Ride. You are eligible on any day you ride the bus, vanpool, carpool, bicycle, or walk to work.
When can I Use SAFE-Ride?
SAFE-Ride can be used for:
- Employee or family illness
- Working late unexpectedly – i.e. your supervisor informs you that day that you must work overtime
- Missed normal ride home - i.e. your carpool driver had to leave early for an emergency
- Other emergency situations that may occur during the work day
SAFE-Ride CANNOT be used for:
- Personal errands
- Pre-scheduled appointments or overtime
- Trips to the hospital in place of ambulance service
- Business related travel
- Injury while on the job
- Weather, including snow or other acts of nature
SAFE-Ride Program Criteria
- You must have come to work that day by bus, carpool, vanpool, walking, or by bicycle.
- The trip must begin from your worksite and end at home or other location (park and ride lot).
- Emergency-related interim stops are permitted ONLY if requested by you and approved by the SAFE-Ride Coordinator prior to the ride.
- If the trip includes a ferry ride, the taxi will take you only as far as the ferry terminal.
- You are allowed up to eight (8) trips per year, with no more than four (4) trips due to unexpectedly working late.
- SAFE-Ride will pay the first 65 one-way miles of your trip. You must pay the driver for any additional miles.
- Gratuities are not included and are up to the discretion of the rider. Neither GA nor your agency will reimburse for a gratuity.
- Unauthorized or inappropriate use of the program will result in termination of your SAFE-Ride privileges.
- GA has contracted with a local taxi company for this service and therefore, neither your agency nor GA are responsible for actual services provided and have no liability in the provision of such service.
If you need an emergency ride home, call your worksite SAFE-Ride Coordinator.
For more information about the program, please contact your SAFE-Ride Coordinator or Joan Cullen (360) 902-7318
