Cars driving on a road next to a bike path with cyclists riding along it
Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

Emergency Ride Home Program

Emergency Ride Home (ERH) is a free program for Dane County commuters that makes it easier to commute car-free without worrying about how you will get home in an emergency.

If you regularly walk, bike, ride the bus, or carpool to work/school, ERH provides up to six $75 Union Cab vouchers annually to use in qualifying emergencies if you are stuck at work/school without a personal vehicle.

The goal? To give commuters peace of mind in choosing affordable, healthy, and environmentally friendly commute options by ensuring there is always a backup plan.

ERH is funded by the Dane County Highway and Transportation Department and administered by RoundTrip, a free program of the Greater Madison MPO.

Who Can Join?

The Emergency Ride Home (ERH) Program is open to anyone commuting to work or school in Dane County without a personal vehicle. 

Participants must be: 

  • At least 18 years old
  • Primarily commuting by walking, biking, riding the bus, or carpooling on the days you travel to work/school

UW–Madison employees: Please use the UW Emergency Ride Home Program instead.

To get started, register for free with RoundTrip Greater Madison and enroll in ERH under "Rewards":

Register with RoundTrip

How it Works
  1. Sign Up: Create a free RoundTrip account and enroll in ERH under “Rewards.”
  2. Approval: Your enrollment is reviewed within 1-2 business days.
  3. Redeem a Ride: When an emergency occurs, log in to your RoundTrip dashboard and redeem a ride.
  4. Ride Home: Call Union Cab at (608) 242-2000 to request an ERH ride. Either print or show your voucher to the driver on your phone when they arrive.

No computer access? Request paper vouchers by calling (608) 266-7433 or emailing roundtrip@cityofmadison.com.

Where Can You Ride?

Vouchers may only be use to get from work or school to:

  • Home
  • Park-and-ride lots
  • Public transit stops
  • Healthcare facilities
  • Daycare or schools (to pick up dependents)

What's Covered

Qualifying emergency situations include: 

  • Personal or family illness
  • Unexpected departure of a carpool driver, leaving you without a way home
  • Bicycle breakdown on the way to or from work
  • Unscheduled overtime requested by a supervisor, leaving you without a way home
  • Personal crisis such as death in the family, flood, fire, or break-in at home
  • A new carpool arrangement that isn’t a good fit, leaving you without a way home

What's NOT Covered

Situations that ERH does not cover include, but are not limited to:

  • Inclement weather
  • Needing regular transportation to/from work
  • Public transit service disruptions or delays
  • Rides from home
  • Personal vehicle breakdowns
  • Missed bus or carpool due to running late
  • Trips for errands, appointments, or non-work destinations (e.g., the airport)
  • Voluntary overtime or choosing to work late
  • Multiple rides in the same day
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