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Rewards

Whether you commute to or from San Mateo County by transit, carpool, vanpool, bicycle, walking, or work remotely, we have a program for you.
Explore the incentives available through our STAR platform at my.commute.org and don't hesitate to reach out to support@commute.org for any queries.

Carpool

Share the ride to save time and money – and earn up to $100!

Carpools have the added benefit of accessing 101 Express Lanes for free or at a discounted rate. 

Residents, workers or college students in San Mateo County can earn up to $100 when carpooling to or from work or school.

Unlock a $25 e-gift card reward for every set of 10 verified carpool days to/from work or school, up to four times a year totaling $100.

Earn rewards by following these steps:  

  1. Register or login to  STAR at my.commute.org 
  2. Create your personal carpool group and invite fellow commuters 
  3. Log your personal carpool group trips together* 
  4. Redeem your rewards  

*When you and your carpool members log your group trips, they get verified and contribute towards rewards. Refer to the Carpool Rewards FAQ section below for more details. 

Please note: There’s a limit of $100 per person per year, or until funds are depleted. 

Sign Up on STAR

Bicycle

Ride your bike to work or college and earn up to $100!

Residents, workers or college students in San Mateo County can earn up to $100 when bicycling to or from work or school.

Unlock a $25 e-gift card reward for every set of 10 bicycle days to/from work or school, up to four times a year totaling in $100.

Earn rewards by following these steps:

  1. Register or login to STAR at my.commute.org
  2. Register with Strava and connect it to your STAR account
  3. When bicycling use Strava to track your bicycle trips, these trips will automatically be added to your STAR account and count towards your rewards*
  4. Redeem your rewards

*Bicycle commuters must start and end within San Mateo County and be tracked using the Strava app. Ensure that Strava-tracked bicycle commutes are automatically reported to STAR via the conneted app option to count towards the reward.

Please note: There’s a limit of $100 per person per year or until funds are depleted.

To learn more about how to participate in the Bicycle to Work Rewards program, watch this short video. Then, check out our resources page for helpful information about bicycling.

Bicycle Rewards Program Handout (English)
Bicycle Rewards Program Handout (Spanish)
Bicycle Rewards Program FAQ

Sign Up on STAR

Vanpool

Share the ride in a vanpool to save time and money – and earn up to $100!

Vanpools have the added benefit of accessing 101 Express Lanes for free.  

Residents, workers or college students in San Mateo County can earn up to $100 when vanpooling to or from work or school.

Unlock a $25 e-gift card reward for every set of 10 vanpool days to/from work or school, up to four times per year totaling $100. 

Earn rewards by following these steps: 

  1. Register or login to STAR at my.commute.org 
  2. Log your vanpool trips
  3. Redeem your rewards*  

*At the time of redemption, you must complete a vanpool questionaire and submit proof of vanpool ridership. Refer to the Vanpool Rewards program rules below for more details.

Please note: There’s a limit of $100 per person per year or until funds are depleted. 

Sign Up on STAR

 

STAR Store

Residents, workers. or college students in San Mateo County can accumulate points in the STAR Store by logging their sustainable commutes to or from work or school.

Step #1)  Register or login to STAR at my.commute.org

Step #2)  Log your sustainable commute trips, earn 1 point per day

Step #3)  Use your points to redeem chances to win e-gift cards, commuter mystery pack or donate to a non-profit organization*

Quarterly Promotions

Residents, workers, or college students in San Mateo County can earn chances to win prizes all year round, including $100 e-gift cards and more.

Earn chances to win by following these steps:

  1. Register or login to STAR at my.commute.org
  2. Log your sustainable commute trips, including telework days

You’re on your way to winning fantastic prizes!

Promotion schedule for 2024:

  • Winter promotion: January & February
  • Spring promotion: Commuter Challenge April & May
  • Summer promotion: July & August
  • Fall promotion: September Transit Month & October Carpool Month

Explore our 2024 Promotions Calendar for more details.

Try Transit

Try public transit as an alternative to driving alone

Commuters or students traveling to or from San Mateo County are eligible for free tickets to try SamTrans, Caltrain, or San Francisco Bay Ferry if they currently drive alone to work. To qualify:

  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Commute at least two times per week
  • Apply for tickets on a transit mode that is practical for your commute
  • Not currently using public transit

Please note that due to the limited number of tickets available, there is a limit of one Try Transit incentive per household. To request tickets, fill out a short application form and we’ll send you tickets if you qualify. Tickets are subject to availability and may have usage restrictions. To apply, choose from one of the options below:

Try Transit Application Online Form

Try Transit Application Fillable PDF Form (download, complete, and return via email)

If there’s an emergency and you need to leave work early, your ride is on us.

If you commute to work or school in San Mateo County using a sustainable mode and an illness, emergency, or other qualifying event occurs, we’ll cover the cost of getting you home. Our GRH program reimburses the cost of your ride home using any form of transportation, including public transit, ride-hailing (Uber/Lyft), car share, or taxi. If you can use public transit, we’ll give you a $5 bonus. Not every situation qualifies for GRH, so please read the program rules carefully and contact us if you have any questions.

  • Must commute to a workplace or college in San Mateo County to qualify
  • GRH reimbursements are limited to $60 per trip (max. 4 trips per calendar year)
  • Participants must have an active STAR account (Register for Free at my.commute.org)
  • GRH trips must start at your workplace or college
  • Reimbursements are made through your choice of PayPal or an e-gift card (Visa e-gift card, Uber credit, or choice of 70+ retailers)

Watch a short how-to video to learn more about the GRH program.

Steps to Get a GRH Reimbursement
GRH Program Rules
GRH Program FAQ

GRH Poster (English)
GRH Poster (Español)

Submit a GRH Reimbursement Request on STAR

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