This is a good deal:

Any commuters who share a ride, take a bus, bicycle or walk to work, are eligible for a free taxi ride home, courtesy of the state - just because on those days they’re not contributing to the area’s traffic crunch.

Ray and Lucy Gurka drive from their home north of Raymond James Stadium each morning, arriving at the downtown YMCA at 5:30 a.m. where they work out for an hour. Afterward, she drops her husband at the county center and drives on to Tampa General hospital, where the parking fee is nominal.

She’s an RN; he works in the county’s real estate department. “It works out really well,” Ray said, and has for six years. They alternate between his Ford Ranger and her Chevy Lumina. The shiny Mustang convertible stays in the garage, for the weekends.

“It’s good, too, because in the evening, we get a chance to vent about our days, and by the time we get home, it’s pretty well past.”

Because the Gurkas share the ride, that qualifies as car-pooling. Should either of them need to leave early because of illness, a personal or family emergency, or have to stay late because of unscheduled overtime, they are eligible for the free ride home, thanks to Bay Area Commuter Services” Emergency Ride Home program.

It’s completely free, but requires enrollment (web http://www.TampaBayRideShare.org or (800) 998-RIDE.) Just certify you share a ride (or bike, walk or take the bus) at least two days a week, and you’re in the program.

Sandi Moody, executive director of BACS, a creation of the state Department of Transportation, says the free ride program has nearly 2,000 members who used the service about 500 times last year, spending and average of $34 on each ride with participating cab companies (United and Yellow).

The member is required to have a supervisor sign off on the voucher that will be presented to the cab driver, but it’s worth up to $100 per cab ride, and may be used as many as eight times a year.

Ray estimates he uses it about once a year.

Terry and Michelle Egan are in the program, too. But they’ve never called a cab.

He drives them downtown every morning - “she’s not totally conscious at that time of the day,” Terry said - and parks at the University of Tampa where she works, and he walks to his job as a research librarian with the county planning department.

She drives home at night.

They bought a Toyota Prius hybrid in 2004, and fill it with gas - “about once a month.”

Terry used to take an express bus to work - which also made him eligible for a free cab ride home. One day a strange man boarded the bus and a few minutes later tossed back a big handful of pills, washed them down with most of a bottle of whiskey, and presently slid unconscious into the aisle.

“We looked around at each other,” Terry said, and someone finally called the police on a cell phone. Paramedics saved the man’s life.

“They stopped the bus and we had to wait until another one came along to pick us up.”

But it sure broke up the day. Ever since, Terry said, when he needs a ride home - about twice a month, he estimates - he takes the bus, not the free cab.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have any adventures in my life.”