Michigan Rideshare Overview

Mission
To offer commuter transportation to the general public and encourage people to utilize carpools, vanpools, and transit for work related commute. (Program is not funded at this time.)

Vision
Educate, recruit, and retain individuals to share rides in order to reduce vehicle miles traveled on Michigan roadways.

Program Overview
Rideshare a free service that matches commuters or students for carpooling based on their home and work or school locations. Services available include carpooling and vanpooling. Download a rideshare program brochure here.

Carpooling is a convenient way for people who live and work near each other to reduce their commuting costs. Carpools are flexible and can be designed for most any persons needs. Tips for a successful carpool can be found here.

Michivan is a statewide vanpool program sponsored by the Michigan Department of Transportation designed to help organize and develop vanpools. With Michivan, vanpools can have 7-15 participants including one driver. Michivan provides vanpools with vans through a monthly leasing program, which includes insurance, vehicle registration, and maintenance. Download a Michivan Program brochure here. To estimate your savings by joining a vanpool, go to the savings calculator.

Guaranteed Ride Home Program
The Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) is a free service provided by Rideshare. If a registered carpooler or vanpooler needs an unexpected ride home for specified emergencies, unexpected overtime, sickness, personal or family emergencies, or vanpool breakdown; the carpooler or vanpooler will be offered reimbursement for their ride home. Up to $35 is allowed for each reimbursement; reimbursement requests are limited to 4 times a year. You can download a GRH Brochure here.

Commuter Choice
Commuter Choice is the name given to benefits that employers can offer employees to encourage them to commute to work by methods other than driving alone. Under the Internal Revenue Code these benefits are tax-free to the employee and the the employer does not pay payroll taxes on the amount of benefits given. To learn more about these tax incentives, click here to view the commuter choice brochure.

Rideshare Benefits
Ridesharing will save an employee hard earned money each year. Ridesharing will also reduce wear and tear on personal vehicles, thus reducing maintenance costs and vehicle depreciation. Ridesharing also benefits the employer by reducing the need for parking and reducing employee absenteeism and tardiness. There are also several tax benefits available to employers that sponsor vanpools.

Application
To participate in the Rideshare Program, download the application and return it to the CUPPAD office.

Contact

CUPPAD is the Local Rideshare Office (LRO) for the Central Upper Peninsula, encompassing Alger, Delta, Dickinson, Marquette, Menominee, and Schoolcraft Counties. Our goal is to provide options to rural, long-distance commutes and those seeking to reduce commuting costs by sharing expenses. To locate other LROs please go to the Michigan Rideshare Office Locator Map.

For more information regarding Rideshare in the Central Upper Peninsula, please contact CUPPAD or email cuppad@chartermi.net.

Questions? Phone: 906-786-9234 or toll free at 877-956-POOL