Commuter
Who We Are
Whether you’re relocating, starting a new job, or just wanting to change your commute, the Alamo Commutes team can help rethink your trip to work. All of our services are free to residents or employees of Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe Counties, as well as a portion of Kendall County.
What We Do
Based on your commute route and needs, we can help you select and plan an affordable, sustainable, and convenient commute to work.
Why Us
We are the only organization in the Alamo Area that works with residents to develop free, custom commutes.
What are the benefits?
Save Money
The average 20 mile round-trip commute costs $216 per month, and $2,592 per year – even more if you drive a larger vehicle, or have a longer commute. Carpooling with just one other person reduces that cost by half; a VIA Metropolitan Transit monthly bus pass costs 1/5 that; and walking is free!
Stop Fighting Traffic
The Texas Transportation Institute found that in 2015, the average urban commuter wasted 42 hours every year stuck in traffic jams – a full-time work week. Instead, ride the bus, carpool, walk or bike and use your morning and afternoon commute to catch up on the “Three R’s” – read, relax, and rest.
Improve Your Health and Well Being
Research shows that your daily commute may be causing your anxiety levels to increase, your risk of depression to rise, and your blood pressure to spike. Using public transit, ridesharing, and walking or biking are less stressful than driving in congested city traffic.
Reduce Air Pollution
In 2018, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Bexar County “nonattainment”, meaning that air pollution has passed federal standards. Gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles produce tailpipe emissions, contributing to poor air quality.
Transportation Options
Bike to work, meetings, and anywhere else you can think of!
FAQs
Here are some bicycle safety tips to remember:
- Be Prepared
- Wear a helmet. Helmets dramatically reduce the risk of head injury in a bicycle accident.
- Be Predictable
- Ride where drivers expect you. Do not ride on sidewalks.
- Follow all traffic laws. Bicyclists are required to obey all traffic signals and regulatory signs (including stop signs).
- Never ride against traffic. It increases the possibility and severity of a crash.
- Be Visible
- Use signals. When making turns, use hand signals. When passing, use your bell or call out.
- Be Aware
- Beware of parked cars. Ride at least five feet away from parked vehicles, and watch for people exiting—doors can open at any time.
- Be careful at intersections. Watch for crossing vehicle traffic at intersections, even if you have the right-of-way.
- Be alert. Scan the road for possible obstructions including potholes, rocks, and railroad tracks. Always know your surroundings.
You can map your bike route on Google Maps, using the City of San Antonio's interactive bike map or the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's iMap depicting bicycle data and facilities, including the level of traffic stress on roadways. You can also ride on the City of San Antonio’s extensive greenway trails system.
Alamo Area MPO "iMap"
Explore dozens of geographic data layers assembled by the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to plan your trip.
You can use your personal bicycle for trips, or opt for an annual bike share membership through Swell Cycle. There are also many dockless scooter options, including Bird and Razor.
Bike Rental:
SA Bike Share
Find and pay for bike share rentals.
Dockless Scooters:
Strava
A social network connecting runners and cyclists, and ride stats.
SA Bike Share
Find and pay for bike share rentals.
Alamo Commutes App
Earn rewards for your bike trips.
Learn the "Rules of the Road" by attending a Street Skills class at the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Street Skills are an off-bike, informal class where participants can learn how to bike safely and avoid common crash scenarios.
After creating your Alamo Commutes profile, you can start recording your trips on the Alamo Commutes app or website. You can also sync Alamo Commutes to the Fitbit, Garmin, Strava, or UnderArmour app to automatically track your rides.
I biking because...
I love my helmet hair.
My legs are toned!
It saves money.
It's flexible for my schedule.
Ride the bus to work, meetings, while running errands, or to special events. #VIAMovesMe!
FAQ
VIA Metropolitan Transit provides bus service to most portions of Bexar County. VIA offers regular and reduced bus fare rates for one-way trips, as well as weekly and monthly passes. Purchase your fare on the VIA Online Store, the VIA Go Mobile app, or in person at a VIA Transit Center, and some retail locations.
- You can plan your bus route using the VIA Trip Planner, Google Maps, or an app such as Moovit or Transit.
- Park your car for free and carpool, vanpool, or take the bus at a VIA Park & Ride. Find the Park & Ride closest to your house then plug in that address as your origin to plan your bus trip.
- Visit the VIA Metropolitan Transit website for more information on other services including VIA Trans, VIVA routes, special event service, and how to ride with a bike.
Alamo Regional Transit (ART) provides public transportation bus service to residents in Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, McMullen, and Wilson Counties. You can schedule your ride by calling 1(866) 889-7433 or using their online form.
Yes, VIA Metropolitan Transit provides VIATrans, a paratransit service for customers who cannot utilize regular bus service because of a disability. Learn more on their website.
I to ride the bus because...
I don't have to pay for parking.
I spend my time relaxing and reading emails.
It's so cheap!
Free wifi.
Be a smart car commuter. Instead of driving alone, share the ride in a carpool, vanpool, carshare, or rideshare.
FAQ
Carpooling is when riders share a car trip. For example, carpooling to work with a colleague or to lunch with a friend. A vanpool is a larger carpool with 5-15 riders sharing a vehicle.
Use the Alamo Commutes website or mobile app to find a free carpool match and earn rewards for recording your sustainable trips.
After contacting your carpool match, set up an informal meet and greet to discuss how to operate your carpool. You may want to discuss the following:
- Personal Information
- The exchange of contact information, including cell phone numbers.
- Any personal preferences, like eating or smoking in the car.
- Trip Planning
- Who will be driving and who will be riding along.
- Any scheduling anomalies (“I take Fridays off” or “I drive myself on Tuesdays”).
- Whether you will have a meeting point or pick up arrangement.
- How long you’re willing to wait for the other person.
- The Cost Split
- The IRS defines the 2018-2019 rate of mileage reimbursement as .535 cents per mile, accounting for the costs of fuel, insurance, and vehicle mileage. This is a more comprehensive measure than simply the cost of gas.
VIA Metropolitan Transit coordinates vanpool arrangements and provides rental vans. A vanpool costs an individual rider between $44-129 per month based on the size of the van and the average mileage. For questions on the VIA Vanpool program, visit their website or call (210) 362-2555.
Carsharing is a short-term car rental, typically for less than a day. Ridesharing is conducted through Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber or Lyft. Carsharing and ridesharing can support a car-lite or car-free lifestyle by providing access to personal vehicle transportation.
Carshare services, such as Zipcar, provide members on-demand vehicle access for hourly, daily, or annual rates. Currently only Zipcar services the San Antonio metropolitan area with locations at Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Visit the Zipcar website for more information.
Use a ride-hail service such as a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to make short trips that cannot be completed by an alternative mode of transportation. Better yet, use UberPool or Lyft Line to reduce the cost of your trip and share the ride with other users.
I being a smart car commuter because...
I like having a friend on my daily commute.
We split costs so it’s cheaper.
I don’t drive so traffic is less stressful.
It’s more flexible than taking the bus.
Balance professional and personal needs, and spend less time sitting in traffic, with flexible scheduling.
FAQ
- Telecommuting
- Telecommuting is a work arrangement where the employee works away from the office, such as at their home.
- Compressed Work Week
- Compressed work week employees work the traditional 40 hour work week in a shorter number of days. For example, an employee may work four 10 hour days.
- Flex-Time
- A flex-time schedule allows employees to arrive and depart work outside of the core business hours, typically 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For example, an employee may work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Consider your job responsibilities.
- Before meeting with your supervisor, consider the feasibility of a flexible scheduling arrangement within your job responsibilities. For example, if you conduct numerous in-person meetings, telecommuting may not be a viable option.
- Review your employee handbook.
- Review your company guidelines to see if your employer already has guidelines for flexible scheduling arrangements.
- Develop your flex schedule.
- If you determine that flexible scheduling works for both you and your employer, develop an arrangement to present to your supervisor.
- Present your arrangement.
- Present your flexible scheduling arrangement to your supervisor and be prepared to address their concerns. Offer to implement your flexible scheduling arrangement on a trial basis to see how it affects your professional duties.
- Employees need to remotely access the server.
- Online services, such as Go To My PC, allow telecommuters to access their office computer and company fileserver from a remote location.
- Meet virtually.
- Virtual online conferences, by phone or video, eliminate the need for in-person meetings. Popular paid solutions include Go To Meeting, WebEx, and Adobe Connect. Alternatively, Google Hangouts and Skype are free options.
I flexible scheduling because...
I can work in my pajamas.
I can avoid rush hour traffic.
I can balance other personal needs.
It’s more productive for me.
Walking is human-powered transportation! Put your feet to work.
FAQ
Here are some walking safety tips to remember:
- Be Predictable
- Cross the street at marked crosswalks and intersections. Remember, jaywalking is illegal and unsafe.
- Obey all traffic signs and signals. Use pedestrian push buttons and begin crossing the street on the “Walk” signal. If there aren’t any pedestrian crossing lights, wait until it is safe to cross.
- Be Visible
- Make yourself visible by wearing bright or reflective clothing. Consider carrying a flashlight or blinking light at night.
- Make eye contact and wait for cars to stop. Assume drivers can’t see you. Even cars that appear to be slowing down may not stop. Watch out for trucks and buses backing out of parking spaces and driveways.
- Be Aware
- Remove your headphones and put away distracting devices when crossing the street.
- Look both ways before crossing. Always check that the intersection is clear and that drivers and cyclists see you before stepping onto the crosswalk or road.
For City of San Antonio residents, report infrastructure concerns to the 311 Office. Contact 311 by calling 311, using the 311SA app, tweeting @SA311, or visiting their website.
Alamo Commutes and the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization provide free walkability audits for communities and work sites through the Walkable Community Workshop program. Walkability audits identify barriers to walkability, including incomplete sidewalks, high speeds or traffic volumes.
I walking because...
It’s an efficient way to exercise.
I experience my city from another perspective.
It’s so cheap!
I never have to find parking.
Emergency Ride Home
If you’ve taken alternative transportation to work and you have an emergency, Alamo Commutes will cover the cost of your ride home.
FAQ
In order to be eligible for the Emergency Ride Home reimbursement, users must meet these requirements:
- You must live or work in Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, or Kendall County.
- You must have an up-to-date Alamo Commutes profile on the website or mobile app. Your home and work address must be accurate so that we can cross-reference your ERH trip receipt with your user profile.
- You must have recorded three (3) smart commute trips on the Alamo Commutes platform in the last seven days. A round-trip commute (from home to work and back) counts as two trips. If you have a regular smart commute, you can automatically record your trips on the Alamo Commutes app or website.
- Qualifying commute modes include:
- Bicycle, scooter or other non-vehicular conveyance
- Carpool and vanpool
- Public transit
- Walking
- You are eligible for an Emergency Ride Home reimbursement if you are a full-time, part-time or contract worker, and if you meet the other conditions. College students also qualify.
- If you do not meet the above requirements, the Emergency Ride Home voucher will not appear as a reward in the Alamo Commutes Rewards section.
Qualifying emergencies may include:
- Personal or family emergency (e.g., break-in at home, home maintenance emergency, child suspended from school)
- Personal or family illness
- Unscheduled overtime
- Typical commuting mode becomes unexpectedly unavailable (e.g., vanpool vehicle breaks down)
- Transportation to a hospital or doctor’s office following an on-the-job injury
Circumstances that would not qualify may include:
- Pre-arranged appointments, such as visits to the doctor or dentist
- Work-related travel, such as rides to the airport or business meetings across town
- Rides to work
- Transit delays
- Overtime that occurs regularly or scheduled in advance
- A ride home after drinking
1) Take Your Trip
When an emergency arises, select the transportation mode you'd like to use to get home.Your reimbursement covers the cost of a taxi or other ride for hire trip, rented vehicle (such as carshare, scooter or bicycle), or transit. If you've selected rideshare, call or text the cab or other ride-for-hire company of your choice (such as Uber or Lyft) to arrange for a ride. If it is related to your emergency, an intermediate stop (such as at a daycare or school to pick up a sick child) is allowed before going home or to where you’ve left your car.
You'll pay for the ride up front. Make sure you get a receipt showing the ride service company name, date, time, charges, and origin and destination addresses, and driver’s name or ID number. Tips are NOT included in their imbursement.
2) Request Reimbursement
No more than seven days after your emergency ride home, request a reimbursement form through the “Rewards” section of the Alamo Commutes website or mobile app (select Emergency Ride Home from the "More" tab).
DO NOT request a rebate form before an emergency trip is taken, because the form will expire in one week. The reimbursement request form will be sent to you within 24 hours of download. Email the completed form and your receipt to aampo@alamoareampo.org or mail it to 825 South Saint Mary's Street, San Antonio, TX, 78205.
In cases where a ride home costs more than $50 the employee may either pay the difference or submit more than one reimbursement request voucher for the same ride.
3) Receive Reimbursement
Following positive verification that you have met the conditions mentioned above, the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO) will send you a reimbursement check for up to $50 per voucher.