Car Free-Living Program FAQs

(UPDATED February 2024)

Q: Who can participate in the program?
A: Leaseholders who entered into a lease for their current Parkmerced apartment after May 2016 are eligible to participate in the program.

Q: If I have a car, can I still participate in the program?
A: Yes. (Don’t be surprised if you don’t even need your car once you’re in the program!)

Q: Must I have a Zipcar account, Clipper card, Uber account, or Rinse account to join the Car-Free Living Program?
A: Yes. You need an active account in good standing with at least one of the Car-Free Living program partners: Clipper, Zipcar, Rinse, and/or Uber.

Q: Can the $100 CFL Credits be divided between leaseholders in the same apartment?
A: Yes. The $100 monthly CFL Credit allocation is automatically distributed evenly between all leaseholders in the same apartment. If they choose, a participant can transfer any amount of their portion to another participant within the same household.

Q: If my share of CFL Credits, or a portion thereof, is transferred to another participant within the same household, can I initiate a transfer of the funds back?
A: No. Once a participant has transferred their share of CFL Credits, or a portion thereof, to another participant in their household, it is permanent until the participant who received the CFL Credits initiates a transfer to return the credits to the originating participant.

Q: How do I allocate my CFL credits?
A: Allocations are set by each participant on their dedicated account page within the CFL Portal. Allocations to Uber must be in $10 increments. Allocations to Zipcar must be in $25 increments. Allocations to Rinse must be all $100. Allocations to Clipper can be any value.

Q: What happens if the cost of an Uber trip is more than what I have available in CFL Credits?
A: CFL credits can be used on a single trip or across multiple trips. If a trip exceeds the amount a participant has available in CFL Credits, their CFL credits will be zeroed out and the cost remaining will be deducted from a secondary form of payment on file with Uber (e.g., a credit card). You must have an active secondary form of payment on your Uber account to use your credits.

Q: When and how frequently can I change my allocation?
A: CFL Credits are only distributed on the first business day of each month. To receive CFL credits on a given month’s distribution, a participant must set their allocations by the 26th of the preceding month. Participants can modify their allocations at any time and as frequently as they desire. After initial allocations are set, they will roll over each month until a participant modifies them.

Q: Once CFL credits are distributed, do they expire?
A: CFL credits allocated to Uber expire after 30 days if not used. CFL credits allocated to Clipper roll over month-to-month and do not expire—however, Clipper has a $300 cash value limit that can be stored on a Clipper Card. Zipcar coupon codes issued expire after one year if they are unredeemed. Once a Zipcar coupon is redeemed, it must be used within 30 days.

Q: What happens if I lose my Clipper card?
A: If a Clipper card is lost, the allocation remains on the card. We suggest residents register their Clipper card online. This way, if a card is lost or stolen it can be reported instantly and the value on the card will be retained. If a new Clipper card is issued, be sure to update the card number on the CFL Portal by the 26th of the month.

Q: Can I use my monthly Uber credit for UberEATS?
A: The Car-Free Living program’s Uber credits are for rides only, not UberEATS.

Have another question? Send us a message at residentservices@parkmerced.com and a representative will reach out to you within 48 hours.

Have another question? Send us a message at mobility@parkmerced.com and a representative will reach out to you within 48 hours.