From Harford County government:
Buddy Alves, Maryland Transit Administration’s Senior Marketing Specialist and Commuter Choice MD Coordinator, will be the guest speaker at the November 30, 2010 meeting of the Harford County Transportation Management Association (TMA). The meeting will take place from 9:00–10:00 AM in Room 130/31 of the Higher Education and Applied Technology (HEAT) Center, 1201 Technology Drive in Aberdeen. Mr Alves and Pat Fielder, Harford County Rideshare Coordinator, will discuss the newly expanded Greater Baltimore/Washington Guaranteed Ride Home Program during this session.
With new funding from the Maryland Department of Transportation, Guaranteed Ride Home, previously available to workers in the Washington, D.C. region has been expanded to the Baltimore region and St. Mary’s County. Workers in counties included in the program who commute by mass transit, van pool, car pool, bicycle or walking are eligible for a free ride home in the event of an emergency. Expansion of the program to Anne Arundel and Harford counties means thousands of workers relocating to Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground through the Base Realignment and Closure process will be eligible for the benefit.
Guaranteed Ride Home provides regular commuters with a free ride home in the event of a mid-day emergency. “One of the main reasons people do not take mass transit or join carpools is because they’re worried about getting home quickly when family members get sick or there is a personal emergency,” said Pat Fielder, Harford County Rideshare Coordinator. “We have heard this concern from BRAC workers, and are delighted that the State of Maryland has stepped up to help by extending the Guaranteed Ride Home Program to Harford County commuters who use mass transit cars and vanpools to get to work,” she added.
Guaranteed Ride Home eliminates that worry by offering regular commuters (at least twice a week) a ride home up to four times per year. To obtain a ride, commuters contact Harford Commuter Assistance, who connects them with Commuter Connections, administrators of the program. This free service matches them with a ride which could be a taxi or rental car, depending on the commuter’s home location. To be eligible, commuters must register in advance and must renew their registration annually.
“Guaranteed Ride Home allows you peace of mind,” said Nicholas Ramfos, Director of Commuter Connections. “It’s like an insurance policy in the event you experience an unexpected personal or family emergency or unscheduled overtime.”
Guaranteed Ride Home provides a safety net that lets you rideshare without the worry of getting stranded at work. It offers a free taxi ride or rental car ride home in case of illness, emergency, or if you have to work late due to unexpected overtime. You can always rideshare with confidence—there’s a ride home when you need one.
Members of the Transportation Management Association are advocates for convenient, effective and efficient transportation to meet the needs of Harford County citizens, businesses, and government. The TMA meeting is open and free to the public. For more information, contact Pat Fielder, Rideshare Coordinator, Harford County Department of Community Services, at 410-638-3069.
The Harford County Department of Community Services was established in 1979 via Executive Order and works daily to meet the needs of our seniors, youth, persons with disabilities and those struggling to overcome addiction. The Department works with federal, state, local and private agencies to ensure our county continues to evolve and remains dedicated to providing the best possible services for our citizens and community.
