With GoCarma, you can earn real cash rewards for reducing your vehicle miles traveled (VMT) — simply by using sustainable commute options such as carpooling, biking, walking, teleworking, or taking transit instead of driving alone.
Your rewards are based on verified trip data recorded automatically by the GoCarma app and calculated according to the SBCTA VMT Mitigation Bank Pilot rules.
💵 How It Works
Complete your baseline period.
First, drive your usual solo commute trips for a few days so the system can measure your “baseline” distance between home and work.Start reducing your solo trips.
Once your baseline is complete, the app begins rewarding you for any verified commute that reduces solo driving — such as carpooling or teleworking.Earn incentives automatically.
Each eligible trip earns a cash amount based on the VMT you’ve reduced and your mode of travel (carpool, transit, walk, etc.). You can track your daily earnings right from your app home screen.Cash out when eligible.
Once you’ve met the ongoing eligibility requirements (such as maintaining a minimum number of commute trips), you can cash out your balance as a VISA eGift Card directly from the app.
🚗 What Trips Earn Rewards
Mode | Example | How It’s Rewarded | Earnings Per Mile |
Carpool / Vanpool | Riding with coworkers or neighbors (they must use the app too!) | Earn a portion of miles saved based on vehicle occupancy | $TBC |
Transit | Bus, rail, or park-and-ride | Earn based on total commute miles saved | $TBC |
Telework | Working from home | Earn for staying within your home all day. Miles you travel during the day are deducted. | $TBC |
Biking | Active commute trips | Earn per verified mile between home and work | $TBC |
Walking | Active commute trips | Earn per verified mile between home and work | $TBC |
Drive Alone | Solo driving | No incentives earned; counts only toward baseline | $TBC |
📈 How Earnings Are Calculated
Each trip earns VMT credits based on:
The verified distance between your home and work geofences
The mode of travel
The credit rate assigned to that mode (set by SBCTA administrators)
Then, the system converts those credits into cash value, which appears as “Earnings” in your app.
NOTE: VMT credits are calculated differently for carpool trips. Learn more about this here.
💡 Example
If your normal solo commute is 20 miles each way and you take transit three times a week, you might reduce 60 miles of solo driving. Those 60 miles are translated into VMT credits and then into real cash, available to cash out once you meet eligibility rules.
📤 When Can You Cash Out?
You’ve completed your baseline period.
You’ve met your ongoing eligibility requirement (e.g., at least 3 commute trips per month).
Your balance is above the minimum cashout threshold (e.g., $10).
You haven’t cashed out in the last 30 days.