Employees at select Smart Commute workplaces located in the City of Hamilton, City of Toronto, Durham Region and York Region, and in the Greater City of Sudbury are eligible for Emergency Ride Home (ERH) reimbursement. If you have an unforeseen emergency and you use a sustainable method to commute to work, you can request reimbursement for the cost of your emergency trip home (up to $75 or prescribed limit). Ensure you retain all emergency transportation receipts as they will need to be submitted as part of the reimbursement claim.

For more information and reimbursement claims, please contact your local Smart Commute office (See About > Our Service Area) .

Emergency Ride Home Terms and Conditions

  1. Any commuter at an eligible Smart Commute workplace located in the City of Hamilton, City of Toronto, Durham Region and York Region, and in the Greater City of Sudbury can access ERH if they used a sustainable mode of commuting on the day they require a ride home. Sustainable modes of commuting include transit, carpooling, vanpooling, cycling, walking, or any other alternative to single-occupant vehicle travel. If you are unsure if your workplace is participating, please contact your local Smart Commute office.
  2. Registration with the Smart Commute tool/app is required to participate in the ERH program and prior to submitting a reimbursement claim.
  3. Commuters may use ERH for any distance, routing and stops they prefer, but will only be reimbursed to a maximum of $75 per ride, which may include a tip of up to 20 per cent inclusive. Commuters are responsible for initial payment of all costs, and are responsible for costs exceeding the maximum. Note: Smart Commute Durham will not cover the cost of a tip. The Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill maximum reimbursement varies based on the individual workplace’s service level agreement.
  4. Commuters may use ERH for unplanned reasons. Smart Commute reserves the right to track individual usage and verify the reason for rides. A ride home will qualify for ERH coverage in the following situations:
    • Personal or family illness, accident, injury or emergency situation.
    • Unscheduled overtime, approved by a supervisor.
    • Unplanned absence of a carpooling partner due to their having to leave early or stay late unexpectedly.
  5. ERH does not cover a ride to work, except for the following situations:
    • Bicycle accident or breakdown (e.g., flat tire).
  6. There are no limits on the number of rides commuters can claim per year, but Smart Commute reserves the right to track individual usage and verify multiple rides for individual commuters within a single year.
  7. Situations where travel could have been arranged in advance do not qualify for ERH coverage. Other situations that do not qualify for ERH include, but are not limited to:
    • Pre-planned overtime known to commuters.
    • Overtime performed without a supervisor request.
    • Pre-planned medical or personal appointments.
    • Pre-planned or known absence of a carpool partner.
    • Business travel.
    • Personal errands.
    • Missed transit connections.
    • Transit delays or cancellations.
    • Weather-related emergencies.
    • Natural disasters.
    • Building closures.
    • Power outages.
    • Public Health emergencies.
  8. ERH claims must be submitted no more than 2 months after the day of the ride and within the same calendar year is encouraged.
  9. There are no limits on the type of transportation commuters can choose for an emergency ride. Commuters may use multiple methods during the ride home, such as ride-hailing (e.g. taxi, ride through app) followed by a public transit trip. Personal mileage claims are not eligible for reimbursement; this includes trips by car and bicycle.
  10. Commuters must submit claims through the Smart Commute tool/app.
  11. When requesting reimbursement, commuters must submit the following:
    • Company name.
    • Name, e-mail address and phone number.
    • Mailing address for reimbursement.
    • Supervisor name and work phone number.
    • Date and time of emergency ride home.
    • Reason for emergency ride home.
    • Origin and destination.
    • Type of ride vendor(s) used.
    • Total requested reimbursement (to $75 maximum).
    • Original ride receipt(s).
    • TMA or Region that employer is a member of
    • Checkbox / signature certification, which the commuter uses to verify the information is accurate and honest, and to agree to terms and conditions.
  12. All submissions are subject to approval by the authorizing organization and not guaranteed for full reimbursement.

Updated August 2022