What is an Emergency Ride?

The Emergency Ride Home Program is a “safety net” in emergency situations for those Metro bus or rail riders that purchase monthly public transportation passes. Emergency Ride assistance may be used in the event of an unexpected personal/family emergency or illness where public transportation will not be available at your stop for 45 minutes or more. Please note that missing your bus/rail ride or inclement weather are not considered emergencies. The Program is available to customers with valid calendar month passes or 30-day passes and who have properly pre-registered for the program.

Here's How It Works

An emergency ride can be used to take you, the pass holder, to your car or to one emergency related destination provided that the next bus or rail car will not be arriving at your stop for 45 minutes or more. This service is only available in Metro's fixed route service area.

  • As a Metro monthly or 30-day pass holder, and as long as you are pre-registered, you can arrange for an Emergency Ride by calling the hot line at 716-855-7405 any time between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Emergency rides must be arranged prior to 5 p.m. In order to arrange for your emergency transportation, a Metro customer care staff representative will need the following information:
  • Your valid Metro Pass serial number (located underneath the date and month of the pass);
  • Your name, address and telephone number where you can be reached for confirmation of ride arrangements;
  • Detailed information on your pick-up and drop-off locations; and
  • If you are a Metro Advantage participant, verification of your place of employment.
  • When your transportation arrives, just present the driver with your valid Metro Pass (and photo identification if asked), and sign the voucher he or she will give you. There is no charge to you for the ride.

     

    You must be pre-registered to take advantage of the Emergency Ride Program.

    Pre-Registration

    To be eligible for Emergency Ride service, customers MUST be pre-registered in the Program. Please call customer care at (716) 855-7211 or send an email to: info@nfta.com and provide the following information:

    • Your Metro Pass serial number. (Located on your monthly pass.)
    • Date and place of the pass purchase.
    • Your name, address and telephone number.
    • Place of employment
    • Street address, City (town), zip code
    • Regular Metro routes used.

    Additional Information

    Emergency Ride service is not available on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday.

    Customers will be limited to two Emergency Rides per month and a total of six per calendar year. Transportation must be arranged by Metro Customer Care. Customers cannot arrange their own transportation directly with a taxi or other vendor.

    The Emergency Ride service is only available to those customers with a valid Metro monthly or 30-day passes and who are pre-registered in our system. Additional riders accompanying you must pay their own cab fare. Service is non-exclusive (other customers may board during your trip.) Metro customers will forfeit their right to Emergency Ride Home privileges if they do not use the service after it is arranged.

    Registration

    Please email info@nfta.com and provide the following information to register for the Emergency Ride Program. This information will be used to confirm your service requests:

    Name

    Home Address

    City/Town

    Zip

    Home Phone

    Cell Phone

    Serial NUmber of Current Pass

    Date Purchased (MM/DD/YY)

    Where Purchased

    Regular Metro Routes Used

    Place of Employment

    Address

    City/Town

    Zip

    Phone and ext.

    Service Terms

    Metro is offering the Emergency Ride Program to all monthly Metro pass holders (calendar month or 30 day) who purchase their monthly passes from one of our participating vendors (Tops, Dash's Markets & Budwey's), a machine at the bus or rail stations, or through their employer as part of the Metro Advantage Program.

    To be eligible for this service, customers must be pre-registered.

      Participants must pre-register for the program online at www.nfta.com, by emailing us at info@nfta.com, or by calling the Customer Care Line (716-855-7211). The individual needs to include their serial pass number when they receive their new card for each specific month.The Emergency Ride Program cannot be used by those participating in the University Pass Program.Emergency Ride Program is only valid from work to home, day care, school, or hospital in an emergency situation. The program participant will be taken to one destination only.Service or schedule failures (including missing a bus, not waiting for a scheduled bus, a bus not arriving as scheduled or inclement weather) are not considered emergency situations.Emergency Ride Program is only available in Metro's fixed route service area.Emergency Ride Program will only be provided if regular route bus service is not available to transport customers within 45 minutes of their request.Emergency Ride Program arrangements can be made Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. An emergency cannot be pre-arranged or scheduled for a later date or time.Emergency Ride Program must be arranged through Metro's Customer Care Hotline (716) 855-7405 - TDD/Relay 711 or 1-800-662-1220) prior to 5 p.m.Emergency Ride Program transportation must be arranged by Metro. Customers cannot arrange their own transportation directly with a taxi or other vendors.Emergency Ride Program is not available on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday.Customers will be limited to no more than two Emergency Rides per month and a total of six per calendar year.Riders must present their valid Metro Pass and identification and sign the voucher that he/ she will give you.This service is only available to those with a valid monthly or 30-day Metro pass. Any additional riders accompanying the Metro pass holder must pay their own cab fare.Service is non-exclusive (other customers may ride with you during the trip); however, they would be required to pay their own fare.Customers will forfeit their right to Emergency Ride Program privileges if they do not use the service after it is arranged. They must call to cancel the ride, should they find an alternate transportation.The NFTA-Metro Customer Care Department determines final approval of an emergency ride.By submitting this application, you agree that the information submitted will be entered into the NFTA-Metro Emergency Ride Program database. Emergency Ride Program privileges are non-transferable and are to be used by the Metro pass holder only. Use of this service is dependent upon approval by representative from the NFTA-Metro Customer Care Department and is not guaranteed for all situations. By submitting this application, you are also agreeing to the terms listed above.