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CARE Program FAQs

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1. Am I eligible to participate in the CARE Program?

You are eligible to participate if 1) you both work and live in the 12-county AACOG region; 2) you commute to your job an average of 3 times per week or more by carpooling, vanpooling, bus riding, cycling, or walking; and 3) you have recorded your trips and kept your home, work, and email address up-to-date on NuRide.com. The AACOG region includes Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson Counties.

2. Do I qualify for an emergency ride home rebate?

If you meet the three eligibility criteria for program participation and have an emergency, and if you have not already used 4 coupons within the previous 12 months, you may qualify for reimbursement of up to $50 for cab fare. If you work more than 12 miles from your home, you may apply for reimbursement of up to $50 for either a cab or a rental vehicle fee, provided you have not already used 4 coupons within the previous 12 months. AACOG will not reimburse tips provided to drivers nor the cost of gasoline or other costs associated with renting a vehicle.

3. What counts as an “emergency” for getting a cab or rental car reimbursement?

Types of trips for which you may be reimbursed are:
-- You have a personal or family illness or injury while you are at work
-- You learn there’s a fire or break-in at your home while you are at work
-- You are stranded at work due to your carpool/vanpool driver's illness or emergency
-- Your supervisor is requiring that you work overtime on short notice

Examples of situations for which related trips will NOT be considered reimbursable are:
-- Your origin (beginning point) is not the address of your place of employment
-- Your destination (ending point) is not your home, place you’ve left your car, or a medical facility
-- You have left work to run personal errands or go to the airport for a scheduled trip
-- You go to a meeting or a previously arranged appointment
-- You experience a weather-related event such as a rain storm
-- You experience transportation system delays
-- The vehicle in which you’ve come to work or your bicycle has broken down
-- Your building has closed (e.g., due to a power outage)
-- You have chosen to work overtime
-- You are fired from your job

4. How does the CARE Program work?

The CARE Program reimburses those eligible to participate who qualify for a ride home rebate from work in case of emergency up to $50 for a cab fare, or, in some cases, for a vehicle rental fee. People who are eligible will see a rebate coupon, or reimbursement form, in the “My Rewards” section of Nuride.com, which they can submit to AACOG’s Commute Solutions Program to request reimbursement, along with an original receipt for a cab ride or vehicle rental.

5. What do I do when I need a ride home in an emergency?

If you are eligible and qualified, simply call a cab of your choice and arrange to get a ride home. Make sure you ask the driver for a receipt showing the cab company’s name, date and time of your trip, the addresses where you were picked up and dropped off (origin and destination), the driver’s name or ID number, and the cab fare amount.

If you work more than 12 miles from where you live you have an additional option to arrange to take a rental car home, but do be aware that obtaining a rental car may take longer to arrange because you must be picked up and taken to a rental facility to complete paperwork and get a car, you will be responsible for paying for fuel, and you will need to return the car within the allotted time period to avoid additional fees. Upon returning the car, make sure you obtain a receipt that shows the rental agency’s name, the address at which you were picked up to be taken to the rental facility, the date and time of your rental and return, and the basic rental fee.

6. How do I apply for an emergency ride home rebate?

After you've taken an emergency ride, request a rebate coupon through the “My Rewards” section of Nuride.com. The rebate coupon will be emailed to you within 24-hours, and you may print it out. Make a copy of your receipt for your records and submit the original along with a completed rebate form (or “coupon”). Please keep in mind that your rebate form and the postmark on the envelope containing your rebate request must be dated within one week of your emergency ride home. Please submit the rebate coupon and your receipt to: AACOG - Commute Solutions/CARE Program, 8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700, San Antonio, TX 78217. Pending approval, a rebate check for up to $50 per coupon should be mailed to you within a month after we receive the request.

7. How often can I get an emergency ride home rebate?

Depending on availability of program funding, you may redeem up to four rebate coupons within a twelve-month period. The coupons may be used for four separate rides; however, if you work a long distance from your home you may use more than one coupon for a cab ride home, and in that case you’d get fewer separate rides home within a year’s time. Please be aware that once you request a coupon through Nuride.com, it may be 24 hours before you may request another.

8. What if I live far away from where I work, and a $50 rebate will not cover my cab ride?

Provided that you both live and work in the Alamo region (which includes Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson Counties), you have two possible options:

1) If you have not already used 3 other rebate coupons in the past 12-months, you may print and use an additional coupon to cover your expenses for a single ride. Please note that you may have to wait 24 hours before you can print your second coupon through NuRide.com, so plan accordingly, remembering that your reimbursement form and the postmark on your rebate request must be dated within one week of your emergency ride home.

2) If you work more than 12 miles from where you live, and provided you are a licensed driver, you may arrange to rent a car to go home from an agency (such as Enterprise) that will pick you up at work. If you rent from a company that has a contract with the State of Texas, your rental fee should be lower than $50 for 24 hours or less. Please keep in mind that making arrangements to rent a car will usually take longer than arranging for a cab, and you will also be responsible for returning the car, paying for gas, and for whatever fees are in addition to the basic rental fee (which should be no more than $37.50 with a rental agency that has a contract with the State of Texas). In addition, many car rental agencies do not deliver vehicles to where you are, and those that do may do so only during regular business hours.

9. What if I’m taking a cab and I need to make a stop before going home?

If you need to make a stop that is related to your emergency, such as your child’s school or a pharmacy, your wait time will be included in the fare reimbursed, up to $50.

10. What if I’ve left my car somewhere other than home when I carpool, take the bus, or bicycle to work and an emergency arises?

If you have driven to where you meet your carpool/vanpool partners, to where you take the bus, or where you begin riding your bike, your car may qualify as an alternative destination to your home. In addition, you may be reimbursed for a ride to a medical facility, if your emergency is such that you need urgent care.

11. I still have unexpired taxi vouchers that I received through the CARE Program in 2011. Are they still good?

Yes. We will honor all unexpired CARE Program vouchers. Please continue to use your vouchers until they expire.

12. I used all the CARE vouchers that were issued to me in 2011. Can I go ahead and apply for reimbursement for a ride home now?

Since you were only allowed to use four vouchers per year, you will not be able to apply for reimbursement until after the expiration date that appeared on those vouchers. For example, if the expiration date on your vouchers was November 30, 2012, you would not be able to apply for reimbursement for a ride that was taken before December 1, 2012.

13. What if my question is not answered among these Frequently Asked Questions?

For more information, email the CARE program or call (210) 362-5213.