Guaranteed Ride Home

Guaranteed Ride Home (otherwise known as GRH) provides commuters who regularly (twice a week) carpool, vanpool, bike, walk or take transit to work with a FREE and reliable ride home when one of life's unexpected emergencies arise. This service is provided through Commuter Connections.

Commuters may take advantage of GRH up to four times per year to get home for unexpected emergencies such as a personal illness or a sick child. GRH can also be used for unscheduled overtime when your employer mandates that you must stay late.

GRH is designed to rescue commuters who are worried about how they'll get home when an emergency arises. Knowing there's a guaranteed ride home allows one to use commuting options like transit and carpools with peace of mind and confidence.

Best of all, the GRH service is FREE!

Some restrictions apply so be sure to read the Participation Guidelines.

Questions? Call Commuter Connections at 1-800-745-RIDE.

Source: Commuter Connections Website

SmartBenefits – Pre-tax Benefit

SmartBenefits allows you to payroll deduct your public transportation commute costs on a pre-tax basis.

Depending on your authorized deduction amount and your tax bracket, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year by participating in this program. Deductions are taken bi-weekly for 20 pay periods between September and June, and monthly benefits are assigned to a SmarTrip card (electronic transfer) for riders of Metrorail, Metrobus and over 140 participating transit companies.

With SmartBenefits® and SmarTrip®, employee participants may pay fares on numerous providers with just one card. The following area transit providers accept SmarTrip®:

• ART - Arlington Transit
• CUE - Fairfax City
• DASH - Alexandria Transit Company
• DC Circulator
• Fairfax Connector
• Loudon Commuter Bus Service
• Martz/National Coach
• Metro Bus and Rail
• PRTC Serving Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park
• Ride On - Montgomery County Transit Services Division
• TheBus - Prince George's County

The SmartBenefits® vouchers cannot be loaded onto a SmarTrip® card and they are not redeemable for cash. Employees may use SmartBenefits® vouchers on regional transit systems that have not adopted the SmarTrip® fare payment system: Virginia Railway Express (VRE), MARC Rail, and MTA commuter buses (Eyre, Dillon's, and Keller).

Enroll by completing an enrollment form and payroll deduction form. These can be downloaded here or obtained from your Departmental Transportation Coordinator. Graduate Assistants who use payroll deduction are also eligible for SmartBenefits.

For additional information, please call the Department of Transportation Services at 301-314-PARK, or visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's web site at: www.wmata.com and click on the "FARES" tab for info on Smart Benefits.

Carpool Discount

Participants in the TerpRider Carpool Program will receive 50% off the cost of their parking registration and receive several other benefits. All carpool members must make an appointment to receive the TerpRider permit. To schedule an appointment, call 301-314-7179.

• TerpRiders are eligible for preferred parking in great locations.
• TerpRiders may park in all of the lots that are assigned to each member. For example, if one rider is assigned to lot 1 and the other is assigned to lot 5, you may park in either lot.
• TerpRiders can participate in the Guaranteed Ride Home Program.
• If the carpool dissolves, you will still have your original parking lot assignment.
• Payment is managed though DOTS, so if the carpool dissolves before the end of the year, you go back to your original rate. No worries about paying for someone else's permit and then having them leave campus.

Restrictions:

To be eligible for the discount the individual permits must be of the same classification. There are Student TerpRider permits and Faculty/Staff TerpRider Permits.

More information about TerpRiders

Preferred Parking for Carpools

Every parking garage and the Paint Branch visitor lot also have designated carpool permit parking spots. You must have a carpool permit to park in these spaces. Spaces are located in the following garages:

TerpRider Permit must be hanging and parking is first come, first served. More Information about TerpRiders

Low Emissions Vehicles Discount

The Low-Emissions Vehicle discount program is part of UMD's goal to become carbon neutral. This program supports the purchase of low emissions vehicles and recognizes the role that they play in helping UMD and DOTS become more sustainable. Eligible vehicles must meet the federal standards for Smart Way Elite vehicles as established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). List of Vehicles (PDF) The source of this list of vehicles can also be found at the EPA's site:

- US EPA Certified SmartWay Elite
- Select SmartWay Elite only, then select ALL STATES from the drop-down menu.

• Please bring your state vehicle registration and insurance card for verification purposes.
• If you are a faculty/staff member who pays via payroll deduction, the adjustment will be made to your deductions automatically and your lot designation will not change.
• If you are a student, you should register for parking before the semester you are intending to park on campus. Your lot will not change, but after submitting the proper documentation your student account will be credited.

Electric Vehicles Discount

The Electric Vehicle discount program is part of UMD's goal to become carbon neutral. This program supports the purchase of electric vehicles and recognizes the role that they play in helping UMD and DOTS become more sustainable. People who park electric vehicles on campus are eligible for a 50% discount on their prevailing Campus License Plate Registration fees.

Eligible Vehicles include:

• Chevrolet Volt
• Nissan Leaf

Please bring your state vehicle registration and insurance card for verification purposes.

If you have already paid for a registration, your account will be credited. If you are a student, you will be assigned to your usual parking area according to credits/class standing and residence hall location. Faculty/staff members will receive their usual lot designation. If you are a faculty/staff member who pays via payroll deduction, the adjustment will be made to your account.

For more information about our Electric Vehicle Charging Stations please click here.

Bike Gear Discounts

Bike safety doesn't have to break your budget. DOTS offers high quality helmets, u-locks and lights in our Regents Drive Garage office.

BikeUMD

BikeUMD offers a Learn to Ride Program for adults who want a refresher on bike riding. You can also ask for a bike ambassador who will meet you where your bike is on campus. You will receive tips on fit, seat position, chain maintenance and lube, safe turning and how to fold clothes in your backpack or pannier so they come out wrinkle-free, and any other question you have about a bicycle commute. For more information, email Beverly Malone at bmalone@umd.edu. Or visit the bikeUMD home page.