Commute With Confidence
Reduce the stress of your commute with our supplemental transportation services. This program is designed to support you when an emergency arises no matter how you travel.
Select your service
Bicycle Roadside Assistance
The Bicycle Roadside Assistance program supports Harvard bike commuters with roadside assistance if an emergency arises.
- Full-time, benefits-eligible Harvard faculty and staff bike commuters in Cambridge and Allston.
- Faculty and staff on the Longwood campus and students are not eligible.
- The service is available Monday - Friday from 7:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. by texting (857) 847-6366
- Free of charge only for emergency maintenance
- Individuals can request up to four (4) roadside assistance requests per calendar year
Quick fixes to get your bike back on the road, such as:
- Flat tires
- Chain issues
- Braking issues
- A stuck or damaged lock
- Anything keeping you from getting home safely
- Non-emergency maintenance and up-keep
- If your bike needs new parts (e.g., a new tire, chain, brake pads, etc.) you can choose to pay NEMO separately for those parts
- The above expenses are eligible for reimbursement through the bike benefit program
Bicycle commuters who experience mechanical issues on their commute to or from campus, whether on campus or within the NEMO service area.
If your bike is unrepairable, you may use the Guaranteed Ride Home program to commute home.
Guaranteed Ride Home
The Guaranteed Ride Home Program supports Harvard green commuters with a free ride if an unexpected emergency arises.
Steps To Follow If An Emergency Arises (Cambridge/Allston employees)
- Arrange for emergency transportation beginning at your workplace
- Take the trip and pay for the emergency ride - make sure to save the receipt
- Submit for reimbursement within 30 days of the trip
- Transit, biking, walking and carpool commuters can submit their trip on the Jawnt portal
- Your request will be reviewed within 5 business days. If approved, you will receive reimbursement within an additional 5 days.
Need more help? Review this tutorial for detailed steps.
The University reserves the right to cancel or deny reimbursement claims or confirm an emergency trip with your supervisor with or without cause at any time.
- Full-time benefits-eligible employees and postdocs paid directly by Harvard who walk, bike, take transit, carpool, or vanpool to work
- Harvard Longwood employees should use the Longwood Collective Emergency Ride Home Program
- Individuals can submit up to four (4) reimbursement requests per calendar year
- Reimbursements are capped at $100 per trip
- Tips are not reimbursable
- Unexpected personal illness/emergency
- Unexpected family illness/emergency
- Carpool or vanpool leaves due to an illness/emergency
- Unexpected mandatory overtime
- Rides to work
- Personal errands or pre-planned appointments
- Scheduled overtime
- Weather-related events
- Transit system delays/closures
- Vehicle failure (see MAP below)
- Home
- Park & Ride lot or transit station where vehicle is parked
- Child's school or daycare
- Medical facility
- Interim stops are accepted if they are part of the emergency (e.g. child's school then home)
- Taxi/Ride Hail - Typically the quickest and most convenient option
- Transit - If timely service is provided between origin/destination
- Co-worker/friend - Get a ride from an individual and they will be reimbursed for the mileage at the federal mileage rate
- Rental Car - If the trip is more than 20 miles and time allows for rental process
- Zipcar - Reserve a Zipcar and return it to the originating location the following day
Motorist Assistance Program
The Motorist Assistance Program (MAP) supports any vehicle parked on campus with roadside assistance if an emergency arises.
- All faculty, staff, students, and visitors who are parked on campus
- The service is available 24-hours, 7 days a week (including holidays), by calling (617) 496-HELP (4357).
- Free of charge for emergency services
- Change a flat tire
- Charge a dead battery
- Locked out of the vehicle
- Out of gas
- Tow services
- Vehicle must be parked in a Cambridge/Allston Harvard parking facility.
When an approved mechanic is dispatched to your location, you will be responsible for meeting them at the parking facility and bringing them to your vehicle.