VANPOOL

Vanpool Incentive Programs

Common Vanpool Questions

5 Steps to Starting a New Vanpool

Picture this: your driver picks you up every morning; you settle into a roomy, comfortable seat; you have extra time to read, snooze, visit or catch up on paperwork. Quite a way to start the day! You don't even have to worry about finding a parking space or the wear and tear on your car.

A vanpool is a group of seven to fifteen people who live more than twenty miles from work and commute together on a regular basis in a van. Some vanpools are company sponsored, while others are rented from vendors or owned by the drivers.

Traffic Solutions can help commuters join or form a vanpool.  We can match you over the telephone with drivers and/or vendors of vans in your area, or help your company set up a vanpool program at the worksite. We'll work with your vanpool to plan schedules, routes, fares as well as handle any day-to-day questions.

There are already many vanpools on the road.  Contact any of the vanpool coordinators below for more information about routes and seat availability:

updated 6/07

Vanpool Rider Rebate Program:  Give vanpooling a try and Traffic Solutions will give you a $100 rebate towards your vanpool subscription after your first 3 months of riding in the van! Visit here for more information about this new program.

Vanpool Quick Start Program: Traffic Solutions has recently launched a countywide vanpool start-up subsidy program!  We'll help you get your van on the road by paying 50% of the vanpool's lease the first month and 25% of the lease the second month.  Call 963-SAVE or click here for more information.

Common Vanpool Questions:

Q: Once I join a vanpool, what's my commitment?
A: Most vanpools operate on a month-to-month basis, and require a month's payment in advance. Passengers need to give the driver adequate notice before canceling.

Q: What is my commitment if I lease a van?  Leasing a vanpool is more like a month to month rental agreement than a traditional car lease.  You will be required to pay a monthly lease, but the money comes from vanpool fares, so you do not pay this money out of your own pocket.  Usually, vanpool coordinators start a dedicated bank account and pay the monthly lease and gas costs out of that account.  Also, remember that a portion of the lease is paid by Traffic Solutions during the first two months the van is on the road (50 % the first month and 25% the second).  Click here for more information about the Vanpool Quick Start Program.

Q: What happens when the driver is ill? Or passengers? And what about vacations?
A: Each vanpool is created with back-up drivers for such times. Passengers may also sublet their seats to folks who want to give vanpooling a try for a week or so (while you are on vacation, for example).

Q: What are the driver's basic responsibilities?
A: Drivers must pick up and deliver the passengers, arrange for van maintenance (the leasing companies pay for maintenance), collect fares, and see that the gas tank is full. No special licenses are necessary, however a certification of good health is required.

Can't find a vanpool that meets your needs? Don't despair! You can start your own vanpool and Traffic Solutions can help! Here are the steps you'll need to follow to get your vanpool on the road:

1. Contact vanpool vehicle vendors for rate quotes: VPSI Commuter Vanpools, (800) VAN-RIDE (826-7433), Enterprise Vanpool, (800) VAN-4-WORK (826-4967) or Midway Rideshare, (877) VAN-RIDE (826-7433). The vendors will need to know the distance of your commute, the vehicle size you're considering and what kind of amenities you'd like...do you want bench seats or captain-style reclining seats?

2. Estimate the monthly fares by adding fuel costs to your monthly rate quote for the vehicle and dividing by the number of paying passengers. (In most vanpools, the driver rides free, so don't count the driver as a paying passenger.)
   For example:
   Estimated Total Monthly Expenses:
   $1,300 monthly 15 passenger van lease + $400 monthly gas expenses = $1,700 per month
   Monthly Passenger Fare:
   $1,700/ 14 paying passengers = $122 per month

3. Get a group of at least 10 commuters together. Traffic Solutions can send you a free list of other commuters with a schedule like yours! Phone them up and see if they'd be interested in forming a vanpool with you.

4. Plan a meeting with your potential vanpool partners to determine the route and schedule. You may want to meet at a coffee shop during the weekend in your home town or during lunch hour near your work. Tip: When planning the route and schedule, keep it simple. In general, the fewer stops the better!

5. Determine who will perform various responsibilities. Each vanpool group needs a driver (the driver usually commutes free), at least one back up driver (preferably two), someone who will lease the vehicle, and someone who will act as treasurer. Often, one person has more than one role. For example, it is common for the primary driver to also lease the van and act as treasurer.

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