GRH

provides a back-up plan for commuters who get

stranded at the office or who need to get home

early for an emergency.

Since

February, nearly 1,600 individuals working at 45

work sites have registered to participate in the

federally funded program, and Commute Connections

receives up to 50 new applications each week and

signs up new employers at a rate of three to five

a month, according to a spokesman.

David

Marwick, human resources manager for Marriot

hotel chain's worldwide reservations center in

Cobb County, said more than half of his work

force relies on car pools and transit to get to

and from work. "GRH is a great selling point

for us," he said. Having a guaranteed ride

home "gives them real peace of mind to know

they can get home quickly to a sick child or

after working an unexpected overtime," he

added.

According

to a recent survey by Beth Shapiro and

Associates, the need for a way home in

emergencies is the most important obstacle to

ride sharing among 47 percent of metro Atlanta

commuters, and 36 percent say they are "much

more likely" to car pool if they have access

to a guaranteed ride.

Eligible

workers include anyone who regularly car pools,

van pools, uses transit, bikes or walks to work

in the 10-county metro Atlanta region.

To

sign up, phone 1-87 RIDEFIND, or go to

www.commuteconnections.com. Applicants receive an

identification card in the mail with details on

whom to contact when they need to use the

program. Participating employers designate

administrators who determine if a stranded

employee has a valid emergency.

The

employer can choose from a list of taxi services

to provide the ride home. The employee pays with

a voucher.

In

cases where the worker lives outside a cab

company's service area, GRH users are eligible

for a free car rental.

Valid

reasons for using the service include unscheduled

overtime, illness, an emergency involving an

immediate family member, a serious problem at a

child's school or day care center, burglary or

fire at the commuter's home, or a commuter's car

pool partner leaving work early because of an

emergency.

Among

major employers now participating are Beers

Construction, BellSouth, Emory University,

Hewlett Packard and Home Depot.

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