Additional Rider Resources
Explore our additional resources by using the navigation. Click on the titles to learn more and access each resource.
Guaranteed Ride Home
Guaranteed Ride Home is Metro Transit's free program that gets you home from work or school if you have a family emergency or have to work late unexpectedly. You can use Guaranteed Ride Home for an emergency taxi, car-share, on-demand ride-share, rental car or transit trip.
How does it work?
Complete a free online registration. Registered participants can request reimbursements up to four times per year or $100 in value, whichever comes first, for eligible trips with valid documentation.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for Guaranteed Ride Home you must:
- Ride the bus, METRO or Northstar, or carpool, vanpool, bicycle or walk to work or school at least three times per week.
- Pre-register for the program.
- Have an email address and internet access.
What type of trips are eligible?
- Unexpected overtime that forces you to miss your bus, train, carpool or vanpool.
- You become ill and need to leave work or school early.
- An immediate family member becomes ill and needs to be picked up early from daycare, school or work.
- Your carpool or vanpool driver unexpectedly needs to leave work early or stay late.
How do I get started?
Register using the link below. It’s easy and free. You’ll create an account with your commute information.
To use your ride home on a bus or train, a Go-To Card or pass is required. Use your Go-To Card or pass to pay for the ride. Within a week of the trip, log on to your account and fill out an online reimbursement request. We’ll credit your balance with the amount you paid.
To use your ride home for a taxi, car-share, transportation network company (Uber, Lyft, etc.) or car rental trip, contact the provider of your choice. A Go-To Card is not required for taxi reimbursement. Pay for the ride and be sure to get a signed and dated receipt that has the service provider's name and contact information printed on it. Within 10 days of your ride, fill out an online reimbursement request. Print the request form and submit it by mail along with your receipt -- late submissions and submissions from unlicensed taxis will be declined. You receive your reimbursement check by mail within 21 days after we receive the request form.
Register or log in to your account, then click Guaranteed Ride Home under Features and Tools
Our Shared Expectations and Responsibilities
SouthWest Transit is committed to an “Expect the Best” service level in the transit and coach travel provided to our communities and riders. The Expectations set out below are intended to clarify what “Expect the Best” means to the SouthWest Transit Riders, Staff, and Commission. However, as every Rider knows, excellent service delivery requires more than just dedicated staff and employees. Even when service is on time and clean, Riders make the difference between whether a trip is merely tolerable or truly pleasant and stress free. To this end, the Rider Advisory Committee, SouthWest Transit Staff, and SouthWest Transit Commissioners ask the Riders to support this “Expect the Best” partnership by honoring the Rider Responsibilities to the same high degree that SouthWest Transit is devoted to delivering and exceeding Rider daily expectations for safe, reliable, affordable, and comfortable service.
Transit Link & SmartLink Transit
Transit Link (Hennepin County) and SmartLink Transit (Carver County) are dial-a-ride minibus or van service for the general public, intended to serve areas where regular transit route service is not available.
These are both shared ride, curb-to-curb service, with limited assistance. Rides need to be reserved in advance.
Link & Learn about transit-oriented groups:
- American Public Transit Association (APTA)
- Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA)
- Suburban Transit Association (STA)
- Transit for Livable Communities
- Commuter Services
For more information on Transit Link, call 651-602-LINK (5465) or visit the Transit Link website.