The Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program provides a safety net exclusively for employees in our Transit Subsidy Programs to get home without the worry of getting stranded due to illness, unexpected overtime, or another qualifying emergency. In the event of a valid emergency, GRH ensures that employees in our Transit Subsidy Programs will be reimbursed for an alternate commute expense up to two times per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
Learn more about the program below and review the Program Overview document from Metro here.
How it Works
If an eligible employee has a qualifying emergency, they can: call an Uber/Lyft or another transportation network or carsharing company, call a taxi, or take public transit to get them from campus to their home, personal vehicle, a medical facility, daycare, or their child’s school.
Once a ride has been utilized, fill out the claim form and submit your receipt to USC Transportation. A maximum tip of 15% is allowed for reimbursement. Completed forms are sent to Metro every two weeks, as Metro must receive the completed reimbursement form within 60 days of using the emergency ride. If approved, Metro will send a reimbursement check within 10 business days.
Note: Employees must ensure they are only utilizing the program two times per fiscal year. Any further rides during the same fiscal year will not be reimbursed.
What qualifies as a valid GRH emergency?
- Personal illness/emergency
- Unexpected illness/emergency of an immediate family member
- Carpool/vanpool driver has an illness, emergency, or unexpected overtime
- Employee is required to work unscheduled overtime
What does not qualify as a valid GRH Emergency?
- Personal errands
- Non-emergency appointments/meetings/doctor visits
- Voluntary overtime or coursework
- Public transportation disruptions or delays for any reason
- Termination/layoffs
- Being sent home from work early due to scheduling issues by management
- A ride to work
- Business travel
- Inclement weather
- Any trip where alternate transportation could be arranged in advance
- On-the-job injury
- Mechanical breakdown of carpool or vanpool
- In place of a loaner/replacement vanpool vehicle
- If a vehicle is towed, impounded, or cannot be accessed because of police activity
- Early release from work due to loss of power, lighting, or network access at the worksite
- Being sent home from work early for any reason other than is specified in the rules as a valid emergency
What are valid GRH destinations?
- Home
- Personal vehicle (if parked at a Park & Ride lot or transit station)
- Medical facility (not related to an on-the-job injury)
- Daycare or school
- Interim stops will also be accepted if needed to reach final emergency destination
To request a GRH Claim Form and submit your receipts, please contact your USC Rideshare Coordinator at 213-740-8529 or email tsubsidy@usc.edu. Contact Metro GRH Program Customer Support at 951-352-8229