Skip to main content
ABOUTTwitter

Using Translation

The County of San Mateo has added a translation feature developed by Google Translate to assist web visitors in understanding information on this website in a variety of foreign languages. Please be aware that Google Translate, a free third party service which the County does not control, provides automated computer translations that may not give you an exact translation. The County cannot guarantee the accuracy of translations through Google Translate so translations should not be considered exact and only used as a rough guide. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. The County disclaims and will not accept any liability for damages or losses of any kind caused by the use of the Google Translate feature.

Shift: Employee Commute Benefits

Shift is San Mateo County’s Employee Commuter Benefits Program. We provide flexible resources and incentives to help County employees cut commute costs, reduce commute stress, engage in healthier habits, and minimize their contribution to traffic congestion, local air pollution, and climate change by avoiding the need to drive to work alone.

Over the past 20 years we’ve helped thousands of County employees commute car-free, avoiding millions of pounds of pollutants from being emitted into the air, and millions of miles of vehicle travel on Bay Area roads.

If you need help figuring out how to best use our programs, planning how to get to work without a car, finding a carpool or vanpool, or if you just have some feedback to give, please reach out!

(628) 258-3147

commute@smcgov.org

Shift operates a host of programs that aim to assist employees no matter how they choose to travel. 

County employees may use Commute OR the Transit Subsidy, but not both.

Commute Cash: County employees who walk, bike, or carpool to work can earn $2 for each day that they do so. That money (up to about $500 per year), is added directly to employee paychecks. Commute to work, log your trips at least once a month, and earn cash rewards!

Instructions for receiving Commute Cash here.

Transit Subsidy: County employees who take the bus, train, ferry, or other mass transit, or who travel by vanpool, paratransit, or bike and scooter share to work can receive up to $150 per month to help cover their costs. That money may be spent on transit related products only.

Instructions for receiving the Transit Subsidy here.

In addition to Commute Cash or the Transit Subsidy, County employees may use as many of the following programs as they’d like.

Free Clipper Cards

Employees can receive a free clipper card! To request one, please reach us at commute@smcgov.org, or (628) 258-3147.

Free Bike Lockers

Bike lockers are a great way to keep your ride safe and dry while you’re at work. They’re free, and one can be yours for as long as you work for the County.

To request a bike locker please reach us at commute@smcgov.org, or (628) 258-3147.

Bike lockers can be currently found at:

o 800 N. Humboldt St, San Mateo
o County Center Campus, 400 Middlefield Road, Redwood City
o Tower Road Campus (50 Tower Road and 222 Paul Scannell Dr), San Mateo
o 450 Harbor Blvd, Belmont
o 2500 Middlefield Road, Redwood City
o North Courts, 1050 Mission Road, So. San Francisco

Priority Carpool and Vanpool Parking

Vehicles used for carpooling and vanpooling get better parking spots!

To apply for a priority carpool/vanpool spot, have all drivers fill out this form.

Once all drivers have completed the form, let us know by contacting us at commute@smcgov.org, or (628) 258-3147.

To be eligible, carpools and vanpools must consist of at least two County employees.

AN EMERGENCY RIDE HOME PROGRAM

The Emergency Ride Home program assists County employees in getting home during or at the end of the workday when an emergency arises, if they didn’t drive alone to work, by reimbursing Taxi/Lyft/Uber expenses.

Eligible reimbursements might include:

  • Sudden illness of self or immediate family members or carpool partner.
  • Personal or family emergency.
  • Dependent care or daycare emergency.
  • Supervisor-approved, unscheduled overtime.
  • Carpool/vanpool emergency resulting in loss of ride home.
  • Bicycle theft or breakdown.

Please check out this PDF for program details.

PRE-TAX PARKING AT TRANSIT STATIONS

Employees that park at transit stations can pay for parking passes at using pre-tax deductions.

Carpool ride match finder

Looking for somebody to ride with?  Bay Area 511 has a lot of great resources for you. We highly recommend you check out their Merge Service, where you can find other people traveling to and from similar destinations.  If that don’t seem appealing, you can always contact us and we’ll see if we have existing carpools going to your facility which might work for you.

Free shuttles

Our friends at commute.org run free shuttles throughout the County. Learn more about them here.

County owned EV Charging Stations

Information about County owned EV chargers, including how to get connected, can be found here.

Bay Area 511

511 is your phone and web source for traffic, transit, carpool, vanpool, and bicycling information anywhere in the nine-county Bay Area.

Clipper Card

Clipper Card is a reloadable all-in-one transit fare card. The card can hold transit passes, cash value, parking value, or any combination.

commute.org

Commute.org supports the use of alternatives to driving alone to decrease congestion, improve the environment, and enhance quality of life.