Car Pooling To Suffolk

When public transportation isn’t convenient, many Suffolk employees seek out car pools as a way to save money and protect the environment. Car poolers can enjoy faster commute times by using High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, including the Southeast Expressway HOV Lane and the I-93 North Carpool Lane. The Fast Lane carpool program offers discounts to motorists who travel with three or more people in their passenger vehicles while traveling on the Mass Turnpike.

Can Suffolk help me find a car pool?

The University has partnered with MassRIDES, the statewide travel options organization, to provide free carpool-matching services for Suffolk students, faculty, and staff.  MassRIDES makes it easy to find a carpool that fits your needs.

Will I carpool with other Suffolk employees or people from other companies?

Through the University’s membership in MassRIDES employees may find others living near their home who are interested in forming a car pool.  MassRIDES will provide you with a list of commuters with similar commutes as yours, but they will not necessarily be other Suffolk employees or students.  Go to the MassRIDES web site http://www.commute.com/ for more information on the car pool and van pool matching system.

If I carpool, where will I park?

The University has designated two free spaces in the garage at the Stahl Building (73 Tremont Street) for faculty and staff who participate in a carpool.  To be eligible for these spaces, employees must ride or drive to work with at least two other people (who do not have to be Suffolk employees) and must sign an affidavit verifying that they carpool.  Spaces are assigned on a first come, first served basis.  If more than two groups are interested in carpooling, the spaces will be offered on a monthly rotation.  To inquire about a carpool space, contact Edwin Dillaby at edillaby@suffolk.edu.

If I get involved in a carpool and use the Suffolk designated parking space, will we have to use the same person’s car each time?

No.  Every Suffolk employee in a carpool can have his/her own registered vehicle assigned to the space.

If I am called home for an emergency, how do I get home if I am in a carpool?

Suffolk participates in the MassRIDES’ Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program.  This program is open to those commuting by transit, carpool, vanpool, bike, or on foot at least two times a week.  The program guarantees a ride home to those enrolled and will reimburse you to take a train, taxi, or rental car home in a emergency.  Employees must enroll in the program prior to an emergency use.  To enroll in the program download the ERH Program Registration Form or call Human Resources at 8415 for the form.

Mass Rides defines an emergency as an unexpected personal illness/emergency, unexpected family illness/emergency, unscheduled overtime at the supervisor’s request, carpool driver emergency.  An employee needing to take transit, taxi or rental car home, to the child’s school or day care, a medical facility or to his/her vehicle (if parked at a transit station, park and ride lot) will be reimbursed for the cost by Mass Rides.  Mass Rides approves up to four such trips per year.

The employee must pay for the trip, but will be reimbursed.  To be reimbursed, the employee must bring the receipt to the Suffolk ERH Coordinator (Human Resources Office).  The employee must complete a Trip Summary form available from Human Resources and submit the form and the receipt to MassRides within two weeks.  Mass Rides will reimburse for the cost of the trip less taxi gratuity, rental car taxes, insurance and fuel costs. 

Mass Rides does have some rules for the mode of transportation which will be reimbursed.  Mass Rides reimburses for public transit if it is available within 30 minutes of the emergency; for taxi if the trip is less than 20 miles away, any time if the employee is too ill to drive or take transit, all trips after 5:00 pm; or for rental car if the trip is more than 20 miles away and if it is before 5:00 pm.

Go to MassRIDES’ Web site at http://www.commute.com/ and click on “ERH Program” for more information.

Edwin Dillaby (edillaby@suffolk.edu) is the coordinator of Suffolk’s ERH Program.