With gas prices clinging to the $4 mark, cutting back on your fuel consumption can result in big savings.  And have you heard?  The Bay area has a carpool program that may come in handy… it’s called Ez-Ride.

Ez-Ride Online Matching, from Bay Area Commuter Services (BACS), helps identify potential carpool partners with whom you can share your daily commute.  Ez-Ride is fairly simple to begin and takes just a few minutes to initially complete.  You provide your home information, work information and an e-mail address.  If there are commuters who match your commute profile, you will receive an immediate list of potential carpool partners who can be contacted to make arrangements to carpool.  At any time, you can go to Ez-Ride and run your commute profile again to receive an update.

Once you are carpooling, be sure to enroll in the Emergency Ride Home Program (ERH).  The Emergency Ride Home Program is designed to take the anxiety out of leaving your car at home. You no longer have to worry about being stranded at work without a car when you have an emergency.  The Emergency Ride Home Program allows you up to eight taxi rides each year for free in case of personal illness, family emergency or unexpected overtime.

To register for ERH or to learn about other BACS programs and services go to http://www.TampaBayRideshare.org or call 800-998-RIDE.