If you work nontraditional or late-night hours, you may find that you are left with fewer commute options to get to and from work. Since the public health crisis, public transit and other commonly used travel options have become even more limited in order to encourage people to stay home, practice social distancing, and ultimately protect the safety and well-being of commuters.
While many travel options in the District of Columbia have modified operations, those employees who carpool, vanpool, use public transit, bike, or walk to work two or more days a week can qualify for a FREE and reliable ride home if/when emergencies arise. Be prepared! Register for the Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program, and rest assured that you’ll get home in the event of unexpected emergencies, or for unscheduled overtime when forced to stay late.
goDCgo has highlighted some late-night commuting solutions for employees to get to and from work during these times.
Capital Bikeshare
- With over 6,000 bikes equipped with lights, 600 stations systemwide, and 24-hour accessibility, Capital Bikeshare is a reliable and affordable safe night-riding option. If you qualify for Capital Bikeshare for All, you could get an annual membership for just $5 a year.
Carpool
- Employees can access FREE carpool matching through Commuter Connections. Whether sharing a ride with family, friends, colleagues, or someone new, carpooling is the simplest and most common way to share a ride on a continual, scheduled basis.
Carshare
- Employees can choose a monthly or annual Zipcar membership for as low as $7 per month or $70 per year; or choose a dedicated rental for weekday commutes. Zipcar has partnered with Bozzuto, the DC Housing Authority, and a long list of other local property management companies to provide special offers to DC residents. Review the property list to see if you can take advantage of this special offer as well.
- Free2Move carsharing is supporting essential workers by offering $100 in FREE credits to first responders. To sign-up directly, employees must download the app and submit their work photo ID or use their work email. Small businesses can email support@free2move-carsharing.com so Free2Move can tailor an offer to support the unique needs of your business.
Dockless Bikes, Scooters, and Mopeds
- Employees can rent dockless bikes, scooters, and mopeds to get all the way home, or to connect with another transportation option like the bus or Metrorail.
- Spin scooter company is providing FREE 30-minute rides and FREE helmets to healthcare professionals until further notice. Follow the directions to unlock this benefit.
Metro/Lyft
- Metro and Lyft have partnered to offer an After-Hours Commuter Service Program tailored for late-night workers, such as those in hospitality and healthcare, to provide an easy and convenient way to get a ride to work between midnight and 4am. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), all rides are being provided on an individual basis.
- Metro covers the first $6 of your Lyft ride when you commute to/from work within Metro's compact service area up to 40 trips per month.
- Apply by the 25th of the month and you will receive your $6 trip subsidy the first day of the following month and for the duration of the program.
Metrobus
- Although Metrobus is operating on a modified schedule, employees can ride for FREE until 11pm daily. Employees can use WMATA’s Trip Planner or goDCgo’s Interactive Map to decide what route to take home.
When traveling for essential trips, take the necessary precautions to protect your health and safety by commuting with care.
