Vanpool 101 Vanpool Works for Transit Caryn Souza, Director, RideshareNation and Associate Director Community Transportation Association of America, Washington,

Vanpool 101Vanpool Works for Transit

Caryn Souza, Director, RideshareNation and Associate Director Community Transportation

Association of America, Washington, DC

What is Vanpooling?

• A form of public transportation

• Enhances community mobility

• Sustainable

• Scalable and have simplicity

• Economical

• Efficient use of investment

• Natural fit to transit

What do vanpools look like?

• Group of commuters traveling together

• Depending upon the vehicle size: 6 to 15 passengers

• Primarily travel between home and work destinations

• Decisions on travel criteria decided collectively 1. Routing 2. Departure 3. Arrivals 4. Meeting points

What do Vanpools Look Like?

• Most common vans used are mini-vans and 12-15 passenger vans

• Drivers of vanpools are volunteers not an employee of the transit company

• Drivers make the same commute as the passengers

• Costs of the vanpool split among the riders:

insurance, fuel, maintenance, parking and replacement

Transit Agencies are a Natural Fit to Operate Vanpool Programs

Already know how to:1. identify passengers

2. schedule routes

3. train drivers

4. maintain vehicles

5. market your services

Transit Agencies Benefit by Offering Vanpool Service

• Vanpools can be put in place faster than a new bus route

• Vanpool routing is flexible and customized as it’s determined primarily by the riders

• Vanpools can take riders to the closest transit stop, particularly when origins are located away from the transit system hub

Transit Agencies Benefit by Offering Vanpool Service

• Vanpool service broadens a transit agencies hours of operation• Vanpools are able to reach areas not well

served by fixed route public transit• Vanpools can provide access to jobs in rural,

suburban and urban areas• Vanpools attract a new rider base to a transit

agency’s service

Transit Agencies Benefit by Offering Vanpool Service

• Provides an economical transportation option for both the agency and the riders• Can help a transit agency respond to state to local

requirements, such as reducing congestion on roads• Can further enhance a transit agency’s public

image• By recording the ridership numbers an urban

transit system may qualify for additional federal funding• Provide responsive customer service

Financial Benefits to Transit Agencies of Vanpool Programs

• Wholly or mostly self-sustaining as vanpool riders split the cost of the vanpool

• Actual operating expenses are generally cost neutral:1. Operated in-house, the transit agency covers

administrative costs (less than a peak hour commuter service)

2. Operated through a third-party, administrative costs factored into the riders fees.

Financial Benefits to Transit Agencies of Vanpool Programs

• Vanpools are far less expensive to purchase than full-size buses• Vans can be rented/leased and fold the costs into

the rider’s fees• Economical way to respond to need for long

distance or low-density service areas• Adding vanpool revenue miles to a transit

agencies other revenue miles can help boost the fare box recovery ratio• Only operate when there are riders

Driver Recruitment and Incentives

• Primary driver does not pay the monthly vanpool fee• Primary driver keeps vehicle at home and has monthly driving

privileges• Lower insurance premium on personal vehicle• Earn cash (gift card) for driving a vanpool for a minimum of

three months• Free Bus Pass (First Mile/last Mile): First time riders are

eligible to receive a free one-month bus pass

Park and Ride Facilities

• A common location where commuters can park their cars and easily transfer to a vanpool to finish the ride to work• Central meeting points that provide typically, free parking for

ride sharers• Dedicated parking facilities at convenient locations offering easy

freeway access 

• Privately owned parking lots such as churches, malls and

restaurants 

Vanpool Rider Recruitment

• Post a "Riders Wanted" magnetic sign on outside of the van

• Post notices on company bulletin boards

• Advertise in the workplace newsletter or Web site

• Advertise in the classifieds of your local newspaper

• Distribute a memo to fellow employees about your vanpool

• Post on Ridesharing webpage

How Riders Benefit from Vanpool Service

• Split the cost and responsibility of the trip among the passengers

• Saves wear and tear on private vehicles

• Cost-effective option for long distance travel, such as trips 15 miles or more

• Commuter Tax Benefit, allows riders and potentially employers to save on federal taxes using their commute pre-tax dollars.

Rewards of Operating a Vanpool Program

• Support from the private sector • Advocacy with elected officials• Enhanced positive public image• Transit-branded vanpool• Responsive customer service• Qualify for additional section 5307 funding• Preserve the environment

How Employers Benefit from Supporting Vanpool Programs

• Expanding company recruitment by offering transit benefits and incentives to people needing commute options

• Reducing employee absenteeism and turnover as reliable and flexible commute options improve productivity and retention.

• Reducing time and spent to train new employees

How Employers Benefit from Supporting Vanpool Programs

• Saving on parking management costs

• Promoting the employer as an employee-oriented business

• Employer can sponsor a van including ad space, serve as a rolling billboard (wrapped van)

• Subsidize or fully pay for employees participation through commuter benefit program to reduce the employee and employer overall tax liability

Designing and Implementing a Vanpool Solution

Considerations:1. Who are the riders that your currently not serving?

2. What are the community needs?

3. How can vanpools complement existing transit service?

4. Are you looking to reach destinations not currently served?

5. What research needs to be done to understand your community’s interest in vanpooling?

Vanpool Models

Internally operated program where the transit agency:1. Owns, maintains and insures vehicles

2. Markets and forms vanpools

3. Determines driver eligibility and recruits drivers

4. Provides driver training

5. Assists in recruiting riders

6. Processes National Transit Database (NTD) – if applicable

7. Provides rider subsidies (if applicable)

Vanpool Models

Third-Party Operation where the administrator:1. Owns, maintains and insures vehicles

2. Markets and Forms vanpools

3. Provides driver training

4. Assists in recruiting riders

5. Processes NTD data (if applicable)

New Vanpool Opportunity

CTAA’s partnership with Enterprise Rideshare

• Expert technical assistance form CTAA

• Operational expertise & infrastructure from Enterprise Rideshare

• Industry leading selection of flexible vehicle options (mini to large vans)

• Customized turn-key vanpool programs that fit your needs

• Opportunities to alleviate program start-up funding constraints

• Free Custom Zimride ride-matching network for your community

Vanpool Model

HybridThe transit agency and third part operator split the responsibilities for developing and maintaining the vanpool program

Employer –Sponsored Vanpool Model

• Employer administers the transit benefit program

• Employer subsidizes the vanpool

• Employer may purchase the equipment

• Any associated costs are deductible as a business expense

• This model allows for some or all of these supports

Innovative Vanpool Coordination

• Transit agencies can collaborate with other businesses to provide transit service to a business hub. 

• Transit agencies can develop an express route and local circulator to transport workers to the work site which can simplify the commute for employees, eliminating the need to make bus transfers.

Transit Agency Vanpool

Employer Sponsore

dVanpool

Private Enterpris

eVanpool

FuelMaintenanceRepairsDirect SubsidyInsuranceVehiclesAdministration

Transit Agency can count riders for funding

Employers can get reliable attendance

Innovative Vanpool Coordination

• When commuting patterns begin to change, and workers needed better alternatives to reach a work site, employers can partner with the transit agency to expand options for commuters traveling mid-day, late at night, and during weekend hours.

• For existing work sites that are applying for LEED certification, documenting the number of employees who switch from driving alone to work to using an alternative mode such as vanpooling, can add LEED points.

Reasons to Integrate Vanpools into Transit Service

1. Offering this flexible service demonstrates the top priority as a public mobility agency is to implement service that best responds to customers’ needs

2. Rewards of providing good customer service – including increased community support and a positive public image – are immeasurable

3. Vanpools are a valuable service the builds support from a new market that changes the image of transit in a community

Reasons to Integrate Vanpools into Transit Service

• Vanpools programs build support from a new base as the employers perspective sees this service as responsive and reliable and ultimately helps with the recruitment and retention of employees

• Vanpools change the image of transit which builds support from elected officials, the legislature and positive community based contacts.

Reasons to Integrate Vanpools into Transit Service

• Transit agencies are set up to accommodate vanpool service within their transit program

• Vanpools are easier to set up than traditional DOT/FTA programs

• Vanpools can be used for local share/match

• Vanpools are public transportation