I 

l&EPA 

j 

1'1\ 

l 

United States Air and Radiation 

Environmental Protection Transportation and Air Quality 

Agency 

EPA420-S-01-010 

September 2001 

lvanpool Programs: 1 Implementing Commuter 

Benefits Under the 

Commuter Choice 

Leadership Initiative 

COMMUTER CHOICE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE 

The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits 

Vanpool Programs 

Implementing Commuter Benefits under the 

Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative 

• A vanpool is a group of people who are coming to the same workplace from the same 

community, riding together in a van. Vanpools typically carry from seven to fifteen passengers, and operate weekdays, traveling between one or two common pick-up locations 

(typically a park-and-ride lot where a rider may leave his/her car, or a transit station) 

and the place of work. 

• Vanpool programs can be administered in a variety of ways, allowing the employer to be 

fully involved or simply promote it from the sidelines. 

• Employers can help employees form vanpools through rideshare matching. Rideshare 

matching helps potential vanpoolers locate others nearby with similar schedules. 

Regional rideshare services in most areas allow interested employees to register directly 

for no cost. Employers can direct their employees to these free services. Rideshare 

agencies can also help organize vanpools directly with employees. 

• Employee benefits from vanpooling include cost-sharing, less wear and tear on vehicles, 

time savings in regions with HOV lanes, and the ability to talk, eat, sleep, or read while 

commuting. Vanpool participants report saving up to $3,000 a year on gas, car maintenance, and wear and tear as well as reduced commute stress and time. The primary employer advantage is the need for fewer parking spaces; other advantages include less employee 

stress and improved productivity. 

• Vanpools make sense in many locations, and are particularly well suited for areas with limited mass transit and long distance commutes. Metropolitan areas with high-occupancy 

vehicle (HOV) lanes are also particularly well suited for vanpools since the lanes provide 

vanpools with substantial time savings over driving alone. 

• Providing vanpool benefits is one of the primary benefits under the Commuter Choice 

Leadership Initiative (CCLI). Employers must offer at least one of three primary benefits to 

their employees in order to participate in the CCLI (the other two are parking cash out and 

telecommuting). Under this option, the employer agrees to provide at least $32.50 per 

month in transit or vanpool benefits for any employee (or the full monthly commuting 

expense if it is less than $32.50 per month). 
COMMUTER CHOICE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE 

The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits 

This document is one in a series of Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative briefing papers designed to help 

employers implement commuter benefits. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) have 

established a voluntary National Standard of Excellence for employer-provided commuter benefits. 

Commuter benefits help American workers get to and from work in ways that cut air pollution and global 

warming pollution, improve public health, improve employee recruiting and retention, improve employee 

job satisfaction, and reduce expenses and taxes for employers and employees. Participants in the Commuter 

Choice Leadership Initiative (CCLI) agree to meet the National Standard of Excellence, and qualify as 

Commuter Choice5

M Employers. CCLI participants agree to: 

• Centralize commute options information so that it is easy for employees to access and use; 

• Promote the availability of commuter benefits to employees; 

• Provide access to a guaranteed ride home program; 

• Provide one or more of the following primary commuter benefits: 

./ Vanpool or transit benefits of at least $32.50 per month 

./ Parking cash out of at least $32.50 per month 

./ Telecommuting program that averages six percent of daily work force 

./ Other option proposed by employer and agreed to by EPA 

• Provide three or more of the following additional commuter benefits: 

,/ Ridesharing/carpool matching ,/ Employee commuting awards programs 

,/ Pre-tax transit/vanpool benefits ,/ Discounts/coupons for bicycles and walking shoes 

,/ Shuttles from transit station ,/ Compressed work schedules 

,/ Parking at park-and-ride lots ,/ Telecommuting 

,/ Provision of real-time transit information ,/ Lunchtime shuttle 

,/ Preferred parking for ridesharers ,/ Proximate commute (working closer to home) 

,/ Reduced parking costs for ridesharers ,/ Incentives to encourage employees to live closer to work 

,/ Employer-sponsored vanpool or subscription bus ,/ On-site amenities (dry cleaning, etc.) 

programs ,/ Concierge services 

,/ Employer assisted vanpools ,/ Active membership in a Transportation Management 

,/ Secured bicycle parking, showers, and lockers Association (TMA) or similar organization 

,/ Electric bicycle recharging stations ,/ Other options proposed by employer 

• Exceed a minimum benchmark of either 14 percent of employees who do not drive alone to work or an 

average vehicle ridership (the number of vehicles divided by the total number of employees) of 1.12. 

Please see the CCLI Agreement and Agreement Particulars documents for specific information about 

employer participation requirements. 
COMMUTER CHOICE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE 

The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits 

Disclaimer 

EPA provides this briefing as a service to employers participating in the CCLI. Information about private 

service providers is intended for informational purposes and does not imply endorsement by EPA or the 

federal government. 

The information presented here does not constitute official tax guidance or a ruling by the U.S. Government. 

Taxpayers are urged to consult with the Internal Revenue Service of the U.S. Department of Treasury or a tax 

professional for specific guidance related to the Federal tax law. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

PT;ble of.Cont;nts . ---·- -·--·---·--w·; 

l __ . ---·----....:;-'--·----------· ---~~··•·"··-C . .! 

VANPOOL PROGRAMS: A SUMMARY .............. 1 

El\.'.lPLOYER BENEFITS •.•.•.••....................•.•..•.•.... 1 

COST SAVINGS .............................................................................. 2 

REDUCED NEED FOR PARKING ................................................ 2 

TAX CONSIDERATIONS .•..................................... 2 

El.\.1PLOYEE BENEFITS •...............•...•....•.•.•....•...... 3 

WHENVANPOOLPROGRAMSMAKES 

SENSE ••.••.....•.•.•.•...••.•.•............•.••.•.•.•.•.....................• 4 

REGIONS WITH HOV LANES ................................................ ..4 

LONG COMMUTES, OUTER SUBURBS, AND LIMITED 

MASS TRANSIT ......................................................................... .4 

LOWER INCOME WORKERS AND HIGH PRICED 

HOUSING ................................................................................... .4 

REGIONS WITH EXISTING VANPOOL AGENCIES .............. 5 

IMPLE.MENTATION ISSUES AND COSTS ........ 5 

VANPOOL PROGRAMS: FOUR MODELS ............................... 5 

INSURANCE ISSUES ................................................................. 6 

GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION .............•..•.•....... 7 

EMPLOYER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS •.••.•. 8 

QUESTION: HOW DIFFICULT-AND COSTLY-IS IT TO 

ADMINISTER A PROGRAM? .................................................... 8 

QUESTION: WHAT AMOUNT OF THE EMPLOYEE 

FARES SHOULD THE EMPLOYER PROVIDE? ..................... 8 

QUESTION: HOW IS VANPOOL FARE DETERMINED? ....... 9 

QUESTION: WHAT KIND OF COMMITMENT SHOULD 

I REQUEST PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE? ................................. 9 

QUESTION: DOES A VANPOOL NEED TO PROVIDE 

DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE? ..................................................... 9 

QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF 

THE DRIVER? HOW IS THE DRIVER SELECTED? .............. 9 

QUESTION: WHAT DO I DO WITH EMPTY SEATS 

ONVANS? .................................................................................... 9 

QUESTION: WHAT HAPPENS IF THE REGULAR 

DRIVER IS NOT AVAILABLE TO DRIVE? .............................. 9 

QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO 

PROMOTE VANPOOL PROGRAMS? ..................................... ! 0 

EMPLOYER CASE STUDIES ............................. 10 

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - UNITED STATES 

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION ............................................... 10 

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - THE BOEING COMPANY ..... 11 

CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND - GEICO DIRECT ................. 11 

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - UNIVERSITY OF 

CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO ................................................ 12 

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - CARAVAN FOR 

COMMUTERS ........................................................................... 13 

SERVICES THAT SUPPORT 

IMPLEMENTATION .............•............................... 14 

RIDESHARE ORGANIZATIONS ............................................. 14 

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND TRANSIT AGENCIES ........ 14 

GUARANTEED RIDE HOME PROGRAMS .......................... .15 

ASSOCIATIONS AND CONTACTS .•....•............. 15 

INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSES .................................... 15 

EMISSIONS AND TRANSPORTATION 

BENEFITS ............................................................... 16 

REFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS ..•..•....•.... 16 

APPENDIX: COMMUTER RIDESHARE 

PROGRAMS ......................•..•...........................•.•..• 18 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Vanpooling brings together seven to fifteen commuters together in one vehicle, typically a van. 

One person usually drives and maintains the van, 

while riders split the expenses. In some cases, 

companies own and operate the vanpool, offering 

employees the chance to ride at a reduced rate as 

a work benefit. 

The primary benefits of vanpooling depend on 

the market segment. In areas with high occupancy vehicle lanes, vanpools allow commuters to 

bypass traffic jams, providing potentially significant time savings. For long-distance commuters, 

vanpools provide a relaxing way to travel, since 

the passengers have time to read, work, or sleep. 

For employers facing a parking shortage, vanpooling can reduce the cost of building additional 

parking facilities. 

There are three primary types of vanpool programs: 

• Owner/operators are individuals who 

buy/lease a vehicle for vanpooling. Riders 

generally meet at a central location and pay 

the owner a set monthly fee. Affordable insurance and adequate coverage are major issues 

with this group. 

• Employers can buy or lease vehicles for use 

by their employees. The employer (or a group 

of employers) organizes the vanpool riders 

and insures and maintains the vehicles. The 

employer may charge a fee to ride in the van, 

and/or subsidize the service. 

• Third-party vanpool providers are private 

organizations (either for-profit or non-profit) 

that operate vanpool services for commuters, 

companies, and government agencies. A vanpool vendor leases the vanpool vehicle for a 

monthly fee that includes the vehicle operating cost, insurance, and maintenance. The 

vendor can contract directly with one or more 

employees. The group of users typically pays 

the monthly lease fee. These operators man1 

age approximately 5,000 vans across the U.S. 

VanPool Services, Inc (VPSI) is the predominant provider, with approximately 3,500 vehicles across 60 cities. 

In many regions, rideshare organizations assist 

employers with recruiting riders, locating parkand-ride lots, and other planning and implementation issues. A list of regional rideshare organizations is available in the Appendix. 

Employers may provide their employees with 

tax-free vanpool benefits, or an employee pre-tax 

deduction program for vanpool expenses. 

Employers benefit from giving pre-tax or tax-free 

benefits because those amounts are not subject to 

payroll taxes (see separate briefing paper on 

Commuter Tax Benefits). 

A business can benefit in several ways by offering vanpool services or benefits. Employers can 

boost employee morale and satisfaction, while 

decreasing business costs through reductions in 

payroll taxes and parking needs. 

Employees view commuter benefits extremely 

favorably. Vanpool programs can: 

• Lower employee commute stress and the cost 

of commuting for employees; 

• Provide additional choices to employees; 

• Heighten employee appreciation of employer; 

and 

• Help make benefits plans more employeefriendly and environmentally friendly. 

These positive attributes, in tum, can improve 

employee morale and make an organization a 

more desirable place to work, which can: 

• Reduce employee absenteeism 

• Reduce employee turnover 

• Support recruiting and retention goals 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Employees who vanpool generally see it as a 

major benefit. 

Cost Savings 

On the most basic level, an employer can offer a 

pre-tax benefit of up to $65 a month for an 

employee to use towards a vanpool program. In 

this case, offering vanpool benefits can be a low 

cost way to provide employees with an additional 

benefit. A vanpool option provides the employer 

with lower corporate income and payroll taxes, 

since the employer may deduct the cost of the 

providing the benefit and the amount reserved by 

an employee on a pre-tax basis from income. 

Employees also pay less in income taxes and 

social security taxes. 

An employer interested in establishing a company vanpool program, through leasing or purchasing vans, will see added costs from the van payments. However, vanpool user fees, if charged, 

typically cover these costs. Again, a percentage of 

the user fee can be deducted from pre-tax salary, 

producing the san1e reductions in corporate costs 

and payroll taxes as providing a monthly transit 

benefit. Employers who subsidize vanpool 

expenses for their employees can also realize a 

cost savings in that any amount up to $65 is not 

subject to payroll taxes. 

Reduced Need for Parking 

Reducing the number of employees driving to 

work can reduce the demand for employee parking. Parking is expensive to build or lease, particularly in urban areas. As a result, vanpools and 

employer-provided vanpool benefits often provide a low-cost way to avoid the large expense 

associated with securing additional parking. 

Employers can save a substantial amount of 

money in reducing the number of parking spaces 

required; one study estimates that annual per2 

space costs vary between $250 and $2,100. 1 In 

fact, 3M in Minneapolis, the acknowledged 

"father of vanpooling," started its program in the 

1970s in response to a parking shortage, not the 

energy crisis. (US DOT, 1993) 

Unlike parking, which is a long-term decision 

(leases are typically negotiated on an infrequent 

basis, and the decision to construct new parking 

has long-term implications) vanpool benefits can 

be adjusted immediately. 

Tax provisions that allow vanpool benefits to be 

taken as a tax-free fringe benefit offer substantial 

financial savings to both employers and employees.2 Vanpool benefits may be provided tax-free 

to employees up to $65 per month, or $780 per 

year. Tax benefits accrue to businesses and 

employees whether the employer pays for the 

benefits or the employee pays for it through a 

pre-tax salary deduction, as shown in Table 1. 

According to tax law, a vanpool is considered a 

"commuter highway vehicle," and must meet the 

following criteria to qualify as a qualified transportation fringe benefit: 1) seats at least six adults 

(not including the driver); and 2) at least 80 percent of the mileage use can reasonably be expected to be for transporting employees between their 

homes and workplace, with employees occupying 

at least one-half of the vehicle's seats (not including the driver's). 

' Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Online TDM 

Encyclopedia, available at www.vtpi.org/tdm. Costs 

are based on land, construction, and operations costs 

for suburban and urban locations, and for surface, 

structured, and underground parking. 

2 Employers should review with their tax advisor the 

tax implications for themselves and their employees. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Many states provide further tax incentives and/or 

subsidies promoting employer established vanpool 

programs. New Jersey offers a statewide Vanpool 

Sponsorship Program that provides a financial 

incentive for vanpooling in areas where public 

transportation is not available. Each vanpool 

group is eligible for $150 per month of sponsorship support. In Washington state, tax credits are 

given to employers who participate in commute 

trip reduction programs. The credit is equal to one 

half of the financial incentive paid to each participating employee. (Winters and Cleland, undated). 

In Oregon, employers can get a tax credit for purchasing vehicles for vanpooling. Under the 

Business Energy Tax Credit, an employer can 

receive a tax credit of 35 percent of eligible project costs, taken over a period of five years. 

Vanpools can result in substantial benefits for 

employees, including increased comfort, reduced 

stress, and time savings. A reduction in commuting costs is also a major benefit to employees. 

Although many commuters don't realize it, permile costs for driving alone are generally far 

higher than for vanpooling. 

According to the American Automobile 

Association, it costs an average of 35.5 cents per 

mile to drive a car: this includes gasoline, oil, 

maintenance, tires, and depreciation. 3 

If an employee has 40-mile round-trip commute 

at 35.5 cents per mile: 

3 AAA, 2000. This figure reflects the AAA-estimated 

costs of gas/oil (6.9 cents/mile), maintenance (3.6 

cents/mile), tires ( 1. 7 cents/mile), and depreciation 

(23.3 cents/mile if under 15,000 miles annually). 

Because ownership costs do not decline with driving 

less, those costs are not included in this estimate 

3 

• The daily commute cost would be $14.20; 

• The monthly commute cost would be $298; 

• The annual commute cost would be $3,578. 

This estimate covers only variable costs and 

excludes fixed costs such as insurance.4 If vanpooling allows the employee to own one less car, 

the cost savings are substantially higher. 

RIDES for Bay Area Commuters estimates that 

the cost per mile to a vanpool rider is an average 

of five to nine cents per mile depending on length 

of the roundtrip. In the above example, with a 40 

mile round-trip commute and a per-mile cost of 

seven cents: 

• The daily commute cost would be $2.80; 

• The monthly commute cost would be $61.10; 

• The annual commute cost would be $739.20, 

over $2,800 less than driving. 

Vanpool passengers may also be eligible to receive 

additional benefits depending on the city and state 

in which they live. For example, Contra Costa 

County, California offers a $1,000 bonus to groups 

that can keep a vanpool running for a year. 

Massachusetts provides discounts on personal auto 

insurance to vanpoolers. Every month, each qualified passenger on the van receives a pass signifying vanpool participation for that month. By collecting 11 consecutive monthly passes during a 

policy year, a vanpool passenger can claim a ten 

percent discount on property damage and collision 

coverage (up to $75) at the beginning of a policy 

year. Massachusetts also offers free license plates 

and registration to vanpools. 

4 The above calculations do not include the costs of 

parking if not provided by the employer. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Table 1: Tax Savings for Employers and Employees 

Option Employer Tax Benefit Employee Tax Benefit 

Employers give their employees up to Employer receives tax deduction - Employee receives up to $65/month 

$65/month to commute via vanpools. Employer can deduct cost of benefit tax-free. The employee does not pay 

from corporate income for purposes any taxes on the value of the benefit. 

of calculating corporate income taxes. 

Employers allow employees to use Employer saves on payroll taxes (at Employee saves on income tax and 

pre-tax payroll taxes - The amount of income income to pay for vanpooling. least 7.65% savings) - No payroll 

taxes are paid on the income that is set aside for vanpooling (up to 

$65/month) is no longer treated as set aside by the employee. 

~: ~::;OL- PROGRMf~--~ -

1 

Vanpool programs can be established or sponsored by any employer with a commuting workforce. Typically the programs are most cost effective and beneficial for companies employing over 

50 workers where some of the employees travel 

upwards often miles one way from residence to 

the workplace (Winters, Cleland, undated). Some 

rideshare organizations recommend that only 

employees with commutes over 20 miles oneway will benefit from vanpooling. 

Regions with HOV Lanes 

In areas with high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, 

vanpools are especially valuable for their ability to 

bypass congestion, saving commuters significant 

time. Depending on the length of the commute and 

the amount of congestion bypassed, using the HOV 

lanes may save 15 to 30 minutes each way. 

Long Commutes, Outer Suburbs, and Limited 

~lass Transit 

Employees with long commutes (20 miles or 

more each way) are the most likely to be interested in vanpools as a way to reduce the stress of 

long-distance commuting. By vanpooling, these 

employees can put their time commuting to use 

reading, catching up on sleep, or simply relaxing. 

For employees in areas where mass transit is limited, sharing rides is the major alternative to driving alone. If many of these employees live near 

each other or along a particular corridor, vanpools 

4 

taxable salary 

become an easy and effective solution. Through 

cooperation with other nearby businesses, 

employers can virtually establish a transit system 

for their employees. 

Some employers have found that instituting a 

vanpool program in conjunction with a move to a 

suburban location has assisted with retaining 

employees who might otherwise be put off by the 

long commute. 

Lower Income Workers and High Priced Housing 

Vanpools can work particularly well for employers with a large percentage of lower income 

workers. In resort towns, for example, the cost of 

living may be too high for many workers to live 

close to work, resulting in a limited pool of workers nearby. Vanpools can solve problems for both 

employers and employees. 

For example, businesses in the western Florida 

gulf coast resort communities of Destin and 

South Walton had difficulty attracting and retaining service employees, especially during the 

tourist season. Restaurants, hotels, and stores 

along the coast needed workers, but potential 

employees could not afford the area's increasingly 

high-cost housing. Many workers who do accept 

positions have commutes of an hour or more. 

Workers also tended to lack reliable transportation. Turnover and absenteeism were high. 

Area businesses formed a task force and decided 

that a vanpool system would offer a good compromise between reliability and flexibility at a 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

reasonable cost. Organizers also recognized that 

vanpools would improve parking availability, 

solving a problem caused by the growth of 

tourism along the popular beaches of northwest 

Florida-the increasing number of vehicles streaming though the area during the summer season. 

(Association for Commuter Transportation, 1997) 

Regions with Existing Vanpool Agencies 

Many regions and urban centers around the 

nation already have successful third-party vanpool providers. The third-party provider can help 

interested employers develop a program tailored 

to their needs. 

Vanpooling is often well suited for large employers, since they will be most likely to have a sufficient number of employees to form vanpools. 

Smaller employers, however, may be able to join 

together through a business association or regional vanpool agency to develop vanpools. 

Employees at small businesses also may be able 

to fill slots in existing vanpools serving larger 

employers located nearby. 

Administrative issues generally pose only a shortlived challenge during the early stages of program implementation, but may be a potentially 

significant perceived barrier. Employers can, 

however, seek assistance in many of these issues 

from rideshare organizations. 

Costs will vary depending on which of the three 

vanpool models an employer implements, but a 

vanpool program can often be provided at relatively low cost and with relatively little administrative burden, whether the employer or employee 

pays. If the company runs the program, incoming 

lease funds and/or tax credits can actually lower a 

company's total tax bill. 

5 

Vanpool Programs: Four Models 

The monthly cost of a vanpool will vary depending on the choice of vendor, the choice of vehicle, 

the number of riders, and the total miles a group 

travels daily. One of the most important choices is 

selecting the form ofvanpool program. The following sections review the primary choices and 

related costs and issues. 

Employer-Purchased Vans 

A company buys vans and administers the entire 

program, covering costs by collecting fares from 

riders. This option offers the greatest control over 

program policies. The biggest investment is buying the vans. Overall costs can be lower than 

those of any other type of vanpool program, 

allowing for savings to be passed on to riders in 

lower fares, and increasing ridership. However, 

many employers have moved away from this 

option because of the financial and time obligations of running the program. 

Employer-Leased Vans 

A company leases vans and administers either the 

entire program, some of the program, or none of 

the program, depending on the terms of the lease. 

Employer-leased vans are the next step down on 

the involvement scale from owning the vehicles. 

Costs will be higher to cover finance charges and 

overhead expenses of the vendor. However, leases 

help avoid having a fleet of depreciated vans if 

vanpool ridership declines. In many cases the leasing entity is responsible for maintenance and 

upkeep of the vans, which again reduces employer 

responsibility and costs. The increased cost is generally minimal. The lease cost for a van is typically 

about $1,200 a month, not including gas. Leases 

are generally based on monthly mileage. 

Employee-Leased Vans 

An employee group leases a van from a third-party 

vanpool vendor and pays fares directly to the vendor. The employer helps by promoting the van 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

and referring employees; rideshare organizations 

can also perform these functions. Employee 

monthly leased vans are popular among employers 

because all financial and legal obligations are 

between the employees and the van vendor. 

However, such arrangements may entail monthly 

administrative fees. 

In theory the employer is not required to get 

involved. However, if the employer supports the 

vanpool program through promotions, employee 

referrals and even fare subsidies, it is more likely 

to see-and keep-vans on the road. 

Owner-Operator Vans 

An employee buys a van and administers all 

aspects of van operation, including maintenance 

and insurance, entirely on his or her own. 

Employer involvement is virtually nonexistent. 

Rideshare organizations can sometimes provide 

support and assistance. 

Costs to the employer will vary in relation to vanpool type. A number of regions have seen 

increasing demand for vanpool programs over the 

last few years. The Puget Sound Region has seen 

a 60 percent increase in vanpooling since 1995. 

(WSDOT, 2000) 

l11s11rauce Issues 

It is important that vanpools be covered by adequate insurance, and that employers ensure that 

their policies are appropriate to the type of vanpool. The two types of insurance are described 

briefly below. 

Employer-Sponsored Pools 

There are many levels of employer involvement 

in rideshare programs, and the type of coverage 

needed necessarily depends on the scope of 

employer involvement. For employer-facilitated 

programs in which an employer encourages the 

formation of carpools and vanpools by providing 

6 

nominal incentives and the means for employees 

to vanpool, liability exposure should be remote. 

Insurers do not normally provide policies specifically covering this type of activity, and many 

employers feel that their comprehensive general 

liability policies should provide adequate coverage. 

On the other hand, for companies that own, lease, 

operate, and maintain vanpools for their employees, 

fleet insurance is essential. For especially large 

companies, a group of van pools may compose a 

small part of an overall fleet insurance program. 

Coverage should be less expensive in this case. 

Third-Party Providers 

Companies or individuals that lease a van from a 

third party can usually obtain insurance coverage 

through the lessor. VPSI, for example, offers 

comprehensive coverage with no deductible as an 

optional part of its package to lessees. Thus, the 

monthly cost to riders in a VPSI vanpool includes 

the cost of insuring the vehicle. 

VPSI screens potential drivers' records, and rather 

than charging a higher rate for drivers who 

appear to be bad risks, VPSI simply will not 

approve such individuals as drivers. The portion 

of the total lease cost attributable exclusively to 

insurance costs is difficult to determine. Any 

large company with an existing fleet policy will 

likely be able to obtain insurance for leased or 

owned vanpools at rates below what would normally be paid for a commercial policy (Leibson 

and Penner, 1994).5 

5 For a comprehensive guide to insurance and liability 

coverage for vanpool programs, see the Legal Research 

Digest, "Successful Risk Management for Rideshare 

and Carpool-Matching Programs," available at 

www.nationalacademies.org/trb/publications/tcrp/tcrp _lr 

d_02.pdf 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Rideshare Matching 

One of the most important needs in setting up a 

vanpool program is matching potential vanpool 

riders. Many regions have rideshare programs 

whose main function is to match potential carand vanpoolers with rideshare partners. 

Depending on the size of the employer, rideshare 

organizations can specifically match only 

employees of that company, or employees of several companies located near each other. See the 

Appendix for a list of regional rideshare organizations. 

An employer interested in starting a vanpool program has numerous options. The company must 

decide how much it wants to be involved in the 

vanpool program. Employers may also wish to 

speak with a representative of a regional 

rideshare organization to determine the type of 

assistance and support available. 

This section will help walk the employer through 

some guiding principles that will aid in the production of a successful vanpool program 

(USDOT, 1993). 

1) Select a Vanpool Program Coordinator 

The vanpool coordinator may be responsible for 

handling some or all program details. Even if the 

vanpool program is run by a third party vendor, an 

employer still must be familiar enough with vanpool 

operation to deal with any problems that may arise. 

2) Organize a Vanpool Committee 

The committee addresses company issues surrounding the vanpool. The extent to which the 

committee will deal with issues of finance, the 

van fleet, insurance, liability and others will 

depend on the type of program offered. By having a mix of people from different departments, 

the committee can best advertise and supply 

7 

information surrounding the program to the entire 

workforce. The committee addresses questions 

such as: 

• What would motivate people to vanpool? 

• How much are people willing to pay? 

• How much do we wish to spend? 

• What will be the best schedules? 

• Will we offer a vanpool benefit or subsidy? 

3) Identify clusters of potential vanpool riders 

This can be done through office e-mails, posting 

"vanpool riders wanted" flyers, or tapping human 

resources for home address and zip code information. Rideshare organizations and third party vendors 

can typically produce density maps showing locations of all employers and best commuting routes. 

4) Market the Vanpool Program 

Contact potential riders to determine the interest 

in vanpooling. If response rate is seemingly positive, implementation can continue. 

5) Decide What Type of Program to Offer 

As described in Implementation Issues and Costs, 

there are different ways to organize and fund a 

vanpool program. Which one is best for a company 

depends on the level of involvement a company 

is most comfortable with. All else being equal, 

increased involvement increases time and money 

investments, but reduces total operating costs. 

6) Buy or Lease a Vanpool Van 

The type of program the employer implements 

will determine the next step. If an employer 

chooses to buy vans, it is important to ensure 

vanpool vehicles meet current specifications. 

Specs will vary from region to region. If the company has established a lease agreement, the vendor will usually be knowledgeable in the regional 

requirements. Employers should consider 
CCLI· Vanpool Programs 

not only specs required by state and federal law, 

but also those that make vanpooling more comfortable and appealing to employees.6 

7) Secure 111sura11ce Coverage 

An employer must have adequate insurance for 

the vanpool. The method of obtaining insurance 

varies with vanpool type (i.e., leased or owned) 

and by state. Van vendors typically provide insurance coverage for companies that lease vanpools. 

Otherwise, a company will either need to selfinsure or obtain coverage from an insurer specializing in vanpool risks. 

8) Prepare Writtell Policy alld Procedure 

Mallual 

The manual should answer every question that an 

employee could ask about a vanpool program. 

Each employer manual will be different, as there 

are literally hundreds of questions and policy 

variations that a company can address. Some 

examples include: 

• Fare structure 

• Payment periods 

• Cancellation notice 

• Wait time at stops 

• Hours of operation 

• Van ridership policy (could include eating and 

drinking policy, perfume, music, cell phone 

use, etc.) 

9) Select Driver, Alternate Driver, and 

Complete Driver Qualification 

States have different requirements enforced by 

law surrounding vanpool drivers. These should be 

researched before drivers are chosen. Employers 

may be involved with reviewing driving records, 

6 There are a number of state and federal assistance 

programs surrounding the lease and purchase of commuter vehicles. It is to the employer's benefit to examine these options before purchase or lease. 

8 

medical exams, and in the case of large fleets, 

even driver training. Many potential drivers may 

not have driven vans before, and driver training 

can familiarize them with handling requirements 

of large vehicles. 

10) Begin Vanpool Service 

As with many programs, the employers may wish 

to begin vanpool service on a trial basis before 

implementing a permanent program. The vanpool 

coordinator should also monitor the program to 

ensure that it is adequately advertised, that drivers 

and passengers are aware of their responsibilities, 

and to deal with any problems that may arise. 

• :~.-,<~.;;;.;.:·.::::.:;::.:;·..:.;·~ ::r~·+:.:;:.::.:;.p:~, •c•".'::'.'":"'•'~. ;~~ :'.'"'•••;::~ ;:-:"" ~-::·~ ~:::···-.:;-~~ ;-:~··:-;~;":"·~::,·:··. ,:·",'." •• •-: ~>ft 

l\1rJiPYER,. QUESTIONS ANO ANSWERS~; ·,.._ • H ·;: • :Mr~• , • . .···.·:·.:.::.~:::::; .. :~;:~.~-~.:,;.,,,,~.:~,,:;,::/.:.~-.:~~ .. ·~~ ,,J 

The following questions might commonly be 

asked by an employer (e.g., a human resources 

administrator or business manager) interested in 

considering a vanpool program. 

Question: How difficult -and costly-is it to 

administer a program? 

Costs and involvement will vary greatly depending on the type of program selected by a company. The primary costs are upfront start-up costs. 

After the vans are purchased or leased the company will see relatively low out-of-pocket costs. 

Rider fares should be calculated at a level that 

will cover monthly maintenance and supply costs. 

If an employer is allowing for a pre-tax deduction 

of fares from an employee's salary, savings can 

be seen in payroll taxes. 

Cost reductions can also be realized through 

employee parking space reductions. 

Question: What amount of the employee fares 

should the employer provide? 

An employer may subsidize any amount. The 

federal tax-free benefit for vanpool benefits, however, is currently limited to $65 per month. As 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

a result, the employee and employer must pay 

taxes on the value of the benefit that exceeds the 

$65 statutory limit. For example, ifthe employer 

provides the employee $75 per month to put 

towards vanpool fares, $65 is a tax-free fringe 

benefit, and the excess - $10 - must be included 

in the employee's wages for income and employment tax purposes. 

Question: How is vanpool fare determined? 

Costs are determined by adding up all the costs 

involved with the program, then dividing by the 

number of riders (not including the driver, who 

generally rides for free). Costs include both those 

that are fixed (vehicle purchase price less depreciation, insurance, registration, and license fees or 

your monthly leasing cost) as well as operating 

costs (maintenance and fuel). 

In order to attract riders, many companies do not 

set fares equal to costs, but subsidize a portion of 

employee fares. Subsidies, if any, will be based 

on what a company can afford, what employees 

are willing to pay, what a company hopes to gain 

in revenues, as well as the savings seen on parking and other drive-alone expenses. 

Question: What kind of commitment should I 

request participants to make? 

Commitments will vary depending on the type of 

program an employer is implementing. Typically 

a 30 day notice prior to cancellation will give the 

company ample time to restructure program 

needs. 

Question: Does a vanpool need to provide doorto-door service? 

No. Each vanpool group sets up its own rules. 

Some vans will provide door-to-door service. 

Most typically set and schedule a number of convenient pick-up points. 

9 

Question: What are the responsibilities of the 

driver? How is the driver selected? 

The driver is responsible for operating the vehicle, making scheduled stops, and arranging for 

the vehicle maintenance, fueling and fare collection. In return, drivers typically ride for free, and 

may also be given a set number of miles per 

month that they can use the vehicle for personal 

business. The driver is usually the person who 

comes forward and agrees to take responsibility 

for the vanpool, in exchange for getting to ride 

free. Drivers should be screened for their driving 

history and safety record; in addition, some states 

require medical exams. 

Question: What do I do with empty seats on vans? 

Empty seats typically mean less revenue. There 

may be periods where a rider may quit the program and a replacement cannot be found. 

One option is to simply raise fares for the other 

riders. Typically this is a last resort. Increasing 

the fare to compensate for having one less rider 

will avoid any program cost increase to the 

employer, but may discourage other riders from 

continuing in the vanpool. 

Some states, including California, Oregon and 

Washington, have short-term subsidy programs 

that will cover the cost the empty seat for an 

established period of time. This gives the vanpool 

coordinator a chance to find a replacement. If 

there are other employers in the vicinity it may be 

possible to expand the market pool by establishing a cross-employer program. 

Question: What happens if the regular driver is 

not available to drive? 

Each vanpool needs to have backup drivers to fill 

in when the regular driver is not able to drive due 

to vacations, sick leave, or travel/overtime commitments for work. If no driver is available for 

the van for a particular day, vanpool riders 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

typically coordinate carpools. Some vanpools 

have a number of drivers who rotate driving 

responsibilities; fares for these people are then 

discounted based on the number of days each person drives. 

Q11estio11: Wltat are tlte best ways to promote 

va11pool programs? 

An employer has numerous options to inform 

employees about the benefits surrounding vanpools. Some of the more frequent methods 

include but are not limited to the following: 

• Company orientation meetings for new 

employees; 

• Vanpool Committee meeting announcements; 

• Advertisements in places seen frequently by 

employees (cafeteria, garage, elevators, etc); 

• Distribution of program brochures (highlighting monetary benefits); 

• Company newsletters; 

• Voicemail or e-mail broadcast; 

• Special promotional days (example: a "Pool 

Day" to encourage vanpooling); 

• Company website. 

l'E~lPLO-YER CASE STWIES ~ 

L.-.~--·-- ··----=--~ ~·· ---· ~ 

The following five case studies of employer vanpool 

programs illustrate some of the issues and potential 

choices in implementing a vanpool program. 

Sa11 Antonio, Texas - United States Automobile 

Associatioll 

USAA, an insurance and financial services firm ' has run an extensive vanpool program since 

1977. The program, which began with five vans 

at the firm's San Antonio headquarters, now has 

approximately 130 vans at five locations throughout the country. Ridership is currently at 1,020 

employees. In San Antonio, there are approximately 825 participants in a total workforce of 

15,000 (approximately five percent). 

10 

All vans are owned and maintained by USAA. 

USAA owns two sizes of van: "maxi-vans," with 

a capacity of 15 passengers, and "mini-vans," 

with a capacity of seven passengers. Drivers are 

responsible for routine maintenance (fluid 

changes and tire pressure), but USAA personnel 

perform other maintenance. 

Van drivers are selected from the regular workforce. Each van has a regular and a back-up driver responsible for daily operation. Potential vanpool drivers must submit their driving record, 

take a drug test, and participate in a one-on-one 

driver training program. They are also encouraged to take refresher courses every few years via 

computer. Drivers must sign a Vanpool Program 

Participation Agreement. There is generally a 

waiting list to participate in vanpools as either a 

driver or passenger. Vanpools have reserved parking nearest the entrance. Although one of the 

perks of being a driver is use of the van during 

evenings and weekends, drivers must pay USAA 

the going IRS mileage reimbursement rate, and 

may not use the vans to transport anyone other 

than immediate family members. Drivers receive 

a fuel card from USAA to cover the cost of gas; 

other maintenance needs are the responsibility of 

USAA fleet managers. 

Most vanpools have two or three pick-up locations, most often churches or retail centers. 

USAA has formal agreements with landowners to 

use their parking areas for vanpool passenger 

parking. In some cases, passengers can pay a premium and be picked up at their homes. Although 

most vans are scheduled to depart USAA at 5: 15 

PM, drivers will call up to latecomers to determine if they are on their way, and wait up to 15 

minutes. The company also offers a guaranteed 

ride home program to vanpool participants. 

The program costs approximately $500,000 annually. The lowest passenger fares are $21 every 

two weeks. Drivers do not have to pay. Fares are 

based on operating expenses, and vary by zone; 

all passengers within a zone pay the same fare, 

regardless of ridership on their particular van. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Payments can be deducted directly from employees' paychecks. USAA vanpools in different cities 

charge different fares. Fares are reassessed on an 

as-needed basis. 

The program is publicized annually, especially 

during the ozone season between May and 

October. Publicity events include a vanpool fair, 

media events, commercials on the in-house television system, and article in company newspapers. The vanpool program distributes information regarding potential cost savings for participation in the vanpool, which is estimated at $5,200 

to $7, 100 per year. There are no parking cost savings, as USAA provides free parking to employees. However, the state of Texas allows a ten percent insurance discount to vanpool participants. 

The USAA vanpool program recently had their 

best safety record ever: two minor accidents in 

1.7 million miles driven. USAA's driver training 

emphasizes safety and defensive driving, and 

although the USAA phone number is on the side 

of the vans, USAA receives very few complaints 

about drivers. (Longo, 2001) 

Spokane, Washington - The Boeing Company 

The Spokane plant of aircraft manufacturer 

Boeing employs 600 people, 160 of who use the 

company's 12 vanpools to commute. The vanpool 

program has been in existence for ten years. 

Boeing does not subsidize the vanpool program 

directly; however, Boeing gives all employees 

who do not drive to work alone a $25 monthly 

subsidy. 

The 14-passenger vans are owned by the Spokane 

Transit Agency (STA). STA sets a fee for monthly 

usage, which is divided among the passengers; 

the more riders a vanpool has, the lower the cost 

per rider. The highest fare is approximately $45 

per month; these riders travel over 80 miles oneway. There are no parking fees at the Spokane 

facility. Both drivers and passengers pay for the 

van pool. 

11 

When a group of employees requests a new vanpool, STA checks the potential driver's license, 

driving record for the past three years, and insurability. (Although maintenance and insurance are 

handled by STA, drivers must carry insurance in 

their own names as evidence that they are insurable.) Drivers must also watch a driver training 

video and pass a short test. Drivers are not permitted to use the vehicles during evenings and 

weekends. Drivers are responsible for filling the 

gas tanks and keeping the vans clean, as well as 

providing off-street parking. Vans have more than 

one driver. 

Passengers are picked up at centralized points, 

usually park-and-ride lots or retail parking lots. 

Vanpools can have no more than three pick-up 

points; most have two. Passengers can be picked 

up or dropped off at their homes only if they live 

on the route. 

For safety reasons, vanpools have reserved parking at the facility. Previously vans parked in regular spaces next to employee cars, but now they 

have larger, reserved spaces. 

Beverly R. Johnson, Human Resources 

Generalist, described the program as "grass 

roots." Although Washington State has a commute trip reduction law that mandates the facility 

to have a trip reduction program, the program 

was in place before that requirement. Most publicity is through word of mouth, although there 

are also bulletin boards with information on commuting. New vanpools are formed when employees request an additional route, or when the waiting list for one vanpool is large enough to accommodate a second vanpool. Waiting lists are maintained by the drivers. 

Chevy Chase, Maryland - GEICO Direct 

GEICO Direct, an automobile insurance company, has a Transit Incentive Program that includes 

operation of seven vanpools. Approximately 70 to 

75 employees ride vanpools. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

The 15-seat vans are owned by GEICO and driven by employees. When employees request permission to become a driver, they must allow 

GEICO to check their Motor Vehicle Record, a 

driving record that reveals whether they have had 

tickets or accidents. Although technically spouses 

are not supposed to drive the vans, they must 

have a Motor Vehicle Record check as well, on 

the chance that they may drive the van in an 

emergency. Generally, however, drivers are not 

allowed to use the vans for personal travel on 

evenings or weekends. The only exception is for 

errands performed along their usual route. Each 

vanpool is required to have at least one back-up 

driver; most have several. 

Vanpool drivers are responsible for keeping the 

van's tank full and cleaning the vehicle. Any 

other maintenance work, including routine oil 

changes, is performed by GEICO's fleet maintenance personnel. Drivers are expected to report 

any maintenance needs to the fleet manager. 

Vanpool drivers pick up their passengers at a central point, usually a park-and-ride or other commuter lot. In several cases, there is an agreement 

with a shopping center owner that passengers can 

park in one area of the lot. Although the vanpool 

does not pay the shopping center for all-day use, 

the incentive for the shopping center is that many 

passengers will shop there on their way home 

from work. 

Van pool passengers pay a rate of 5 .1 cents per 

mile. For the longest-distance commuters, this 

works out to approximately $35 to $40 every two 

weeks. Fees are deducted directly from the 

employee's paycheck on a post-tax basis. Vanpool 

drivers do not have to pay. Although this is more 

expensive than GEICO's parking, which costs 

employees $10 per month, the main incentive for 

vanpoolers is to use the HOV lanes on congested 

Interstate 270. In addition, vanpools receive free 

preferential parking, closest to the building. 

According to Margie Robertson, TRIP 

12 

Coordinator, GEICO subsidizes the vanpool program, but exact figures were not available. 

Several years ago, GEICO had nine vanpools. 

According to Ms. Robertson, this number fell to 

seven with a major workforce relocation to 

Fredericksburg. In addition, with so many 

employees gone from the Chevy Chase facility, 

the previously severe parking crunch was 

reduced. Also, the widespread use of flextime 

makes it more difficult to coordinate vanpools. 

However, many employees still prefer to avoid 

traffic and wear-and-tear on their cars through the 

vanpools. Ms. Robertson noted that she had previously commuted by both carpool and Metro 

(the region's heavy rail service), but found carpools too unreliable and Metro too expensive. 

(Robertson, 2001) 

San Diego, California - University of California 

at San Diego 

The University of California at San Diego 

(UCSD) has run a vanpool program since 1978. 

Faculty, staff, and students who work at UCSD 

are all eligible. The program currently has 21 

vans and a ridership of 310. 

UCSD's Department of Parking and 

Transportation owns the 21 IS-passenger vans 

and seven spares. A UCSD employee takes care 

of regular maintenance and cleaning; drivers are 

responsible for filling the tank and reporting any 

potential problems. The university is self-insured. 

Employees volunteer to drive; they must obtain a 

copy of their driving record from the DMV (for a 

$5 fee), as well as pass a 40-minute physical 

(paid for by UCSD). Potential drivers also take a 

two-hour driving class from a UCSD DMV 

instructors. There are generally three to five drivers per van. Drivers are not allowed to use the 

van for personal errands. They are covered by 

UCSD insurance when driving to and from campus. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Vanpool fees range from $54 to $108 per month, 

with most routes costing between $60 and $70. 

Fares are based on distance; the longest route is 

over 70 miles one-way. Drivers do not have to 

pay; if driving duties are shared during the 

month, the drivers work out the savings between 

themselves. Also, students receive a $30 discount 

if they pay for the vanpool on a quarterly basis. 

For regular employees (not students), up to $65 

can be paid on a pre-tax basis. According to 

Penny Baxter, Vanpool Coordinator, the program 

is financially self-sufficient. Vanpool fees are not 

much higher than parking fees, which range from 

$38 per month for students to $100 per month for 

reserved faculty spaces. 

Passengers are picked up in the morning and 

dropped off in the evening at designated points. 

Many of these are in retail areas, park-and-ride lots, 

or churches. Ms. Baxter mentioned that churches 

are generally very cooperative, since their lots are 

generally full only once per week. Agreements with 

the retailers are usually very informal. 

One difficulty in administering the program is 

that most vanpool passengers have different destinations. Not only is the campus relatively spread 

out, but some employees work off-campus. 

Therefore, most vanpools have three or four 

drop-points within the campus. However, the situation presents another problem: the difficulty of 

reserving spaces. Ms. Baxter mentioned an incident in which there were two reserved vanpool 

spaces at one campus building with an acute 

parking shortage. One vanpool driver went on 

vacation and the back-up driver, who worked in 

another building, parked at that building instead. 

The office received a number of angry phone 

calls asking why there was a vacant but reserved 

space. As a result, vanpools do not have reserved 

spaces, and have to compete with other drivers 

for the limited parking. 

Ms. Baxter pointed to three reasons why the program is not more popular, despite the on-campus 

parking shortage, increasing congestion, and HOV 

13 

lane time savings. First, the dispersed nature of the 

campus means that many people would not be able 

to walk to their office once they arrive on campus. 

Second, university management does not seem to 

be very supportive. Ms. Baxter mentioned an 

example in which a van driver had to quit the program because her new employer, a highly placed 

university official, refused to allow her to leave at 

the same time every day. Third, a number of 

employees have adopted flex-time schedules, and 

all but one of the vanpools keeps a regular 8 AM 

to 4:30 PM schedule. 

The program is publicized through e-mail, flyers, 

new employee orientation, and the vans themselves, which bear the department's name and 

web site. There is also a program in which potential riders can ride for three days free on a trial 

basis. While Ms. Baxter did not have figures 

available on the number of people who had tried 

this option, she said that everyone who has tried 

it has become a regular rider. She also said that 

she would be willing to assist potential riders in 

convincing insurance companies to lower 

employee rates for driving less. 

Boston, Massachusetts - CARAVAN for 

Commuters 

CARAVAN for Commuters is a rideshare organization that serves the state of Massachusetts, primarily the Boston area. They coordinate approximately 150 vanpools in the state. CARAVAN 

assists employers in establishing vanpools. 

According to Susan O'Brien, Operations 

Manager, CARAVAN generally requires employer involvement only for the initial stages of vanpool formation. CARAVAN uses employee names 

and addresses to create a map showing the distribution of where employees live, and publicizes 

the potential vanpool among employees. 

Depending on the size of the company and the 

willingness of the employer, CARAVAN can also 

expand vanpool matching to other employers. 

Ms. O'Brien noted that some companies, primarily 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

in the high-tech field, request that only their own 

employees ride on a vanpool, out of concern that 

proprietary information might be divulged. 

CARAVAN then meets with potential vanpoolers 

to discuss logistics and payment. CARAVAN 

works with two third party vanpool providers, 

and allows the group to decide which one to use. 

The vanpool driver signs the lease. 

CARAVAN's ongoing support ofvanpools 

includes recruiting new riders, locating parking (a 

difficult task in congested downtown Boston), 

and distributing the insurance cards that allow 

riders to receive discounted auto insurance. 

One example ofa CARAVAN-organized vanpool 

runs from South Yarmouth to Boston. The route 

is 85 miles one-way, or a two-hour drive. Helene 

Murdock, a vanpool rider for over 14 years, 

became the coordinator for her vanpool several 

years ago. 

She reported that her contacts with CARAVAN 

have been very positive. For example, when the 

vanpool ridership dropped several years ago to 

only nine riders, CARAVAN assisted in recruiting 

new riders. Even though the vanpool is currently 

full at 14 riders, Ms. Murdock receives a weekly 

mailing from CARAVAN listing all new prospective riders who live in the area and keep similar 

schedules. Similarly, when VPSI, the vanpool 

provider, expressed concern about vandalism 

incidents in the previous van parking location, 

CARAVAN helped Ms. Murdock locate a new 

parking space near her office. Had the parking 

space been further away, the vanpool would have 

had to alter their drop-off protocol. 

Ms. Murdock said that the group's monthly fees 

are just over $1,381 per month. This includes the 

lease fees, gas, cellular phone fees of $55, and a 

$2 snack fee. Another rider figures the cost per 

passenger and distributes bills, which are paid 

directly to her. She maintains a separate checking 

account exclusively for tracking vanpool expenses. Van pool fees are divided on the basis of num14 

ber of days each person is a passenger in the van. 

Because six riders rotate driving duties, those six 

persons pay lower monthly fees. 

As CARAVAN suggests, the South Yarmouth 

vanpool maintains written rules covering such 

topics as what the vanpool does in cases of early 

dismissal and winter storms. 

Rideshare Organizations 

In addition to rideshare matching for carpool and 

vanpool programs, rideshare organizations can 

assist employers with other aspects of establishing vanpool programs, from helping employers 

decide which type of program is right for them to 

identifying third-party vanpool providers. Most 

types of assistance are provided free of charge. A 

list of regional rideshare organizations in included in the Appendix. 

Local Governments and Transit Agencies 

Services to help employers implement vanpool 

programs are provided by many regional and 

local government entities. Transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), city 

and county transportation agencies, transportation 

management associations (TMAs ), and transportation management organizations (TMOs) 

throughout the U.S. provide assistance to 

employers in starting and maintaining transportation demand management programs such as vanpools. They often are a great source of information for employers about options to help implement a vanpool and local programs that support 

employer initiatives. An employer can decide to 

hire an organization to help establish a program, 

or simply obtain preliminary information'. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Guaranteed Ride Home Programs 

One of the barriers that prevents some employees 

from taking transit or a vanpool to work is the 

fear that they will not be able to get home quickly 

in the event of an personal emergency, such as 

picking up a sick child from school, or working 

unscheduled overtime. Guaranteed Ride Home 

(GRH) programs provide commuters who regularly carpool, vanpool, bike, walk or take transit 

to work with a reliable ride home when emergencies arise. GRH programs are generally considered a support program for broader programs 

such as vanpool. See the briefing paper on 

Guaranteed Ride Home Programs for further 

information. 

Park-and-Ride Lots 

For potential vanpoolers who do not live in 

immediate proximity, a park-and-ride lot may be 

a good meeting place. The availability of parkand-ride lots may encourage vanpool drivers who 

would otherwise be inconvenienced by picking 

up and dropping off passengers at their homes. 

Vanpools can also work out parking arrangements 

with owners of other parking lots, such as shopping centers or churches. 

This section includes contacts for employers looking 

for additional information about setting up a vanpool 

program. For additional information on setting up a 

tax-free or pre-tax deduction program for vanpool 

benefits, see the briefing paper on Tax Benefits. 

Information Clearinghouses 

Association for Commuter Transportation 

P.O. Box 15542 

Washington, DC 20003 

Tel: 202-393-3497 

Fax: 202-546-2196 

Act@act-hq.com 

www.ACTweb.org 

15 

The Association for Commuter Transportation 

(ACT) is a membership organization that promotes commuter choice and transportation 

demand management. They sponsor annual conferences on commuting, and publish educational 

materials for employers. 

National Transportation Demand Management 

(TDM) and Telework Clearinghouse 

Center for Urban Transportation Research 

University of South Florida 

4202 E. Fowler Avenue 

CUTlOO 

Tampa, FL 33620-5375 

Tel: 813-974-3120 

http://www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse 

The National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse 

is a compendium of research and information on 

TDM and telecommuting. TDM refers to a set of 

programs and policies that are designed to make 

the best use of existing transportation resources 

without additional infrastructure investment. 

Much of the Clearinghouse information is available electronically. The site contains information 

for employers interested in establishing trip 

reduction programs and commuter benefits. 

Rideshare Organizations 

As discussed above, there are rideshare organizations in many regions. If an area is not listed in 

the Appendix, the MPO for the region may offer 

more assistance on locating rideshare programs. 

The appropriate MPO can be located through the 

Association for Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations (202-457-0710 x19); a list of 

MPOs with web pages is available at 

www.ampo.org/mposnet_ old.html. 

Vanpool Companies 

Many different vanpool companies operate in different parts of the U.S. Employers should contact 

their regional rideshare agency for information on 

specific operators available in a particular location. 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Commuter Clzoice Leaders/zip Initiative 

For more information on the Commuter Choice 

Leadership Initiative, contact the Commuter 

Choice Hotline at 888-856-3131, or see 

www.commuterchoice.gov 

Reducing the frequency that commuters drive 

alone generates numerous benefits. Vanpool programs can be an effective way to reduce vehicle 

travel and associated problems: emissions of air 

pollutants and greenhouse gases, traffic congestion, and high parking demand. 

.. 

"'i 

Each vanpool removes on average 13 cars from 

rush hour traffic. A study completed in Puget 

Sound, Washington, found that the city's 1,450 

vanpools eliminate more than 11,000 vehicles and 

22,000 driving trips every workday (WSDOT, 

2000). This reduces the annual mileage traveled 

by single occupant vehicles by 2. 7 million miles 

annually. One established vanpool has been found 

to remove up to 160,000 pounds of polluting 

emissions per year. Puget Sound's fleet of vanpools yields annual reductions in greenhouse 

gases of an estimated 63,475 tons. The more passengers in a vehicle, the lower the energy use and 

C02 emissions per passenger mile. For this reason, the C02 emissions resulting from a daily 

commute by vanpool are significantly lower than 

if commuting by car. 

t~~i~~~~,~ A~~~;!~?~~~~;-~:,~~ American Automobile Association. 2000. "Your 

Driving Costs." 

Association for Commuter Transportation. 1997. 

TDM Case Studies and Commuter Testimonials. 

October. 

16 

Baxter, Penny. 2001. Personal communication. 

Telephone conversation between Penny Baxter, 

Vanpool Coordinator, University of California at 

San Diego, and Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, on 

March 19, 2001. 

Chuang, Angie. 1997. "Street Smart City Smart: 

MTA Steers Drivers Toward Vanpooling." Los 

Angeles Times, Home Edition, colB, p2. January 

17, 1997. 

Johnson, Beverly R. 2001. Personal communication. Telephone conversation between Beverly R. 

Johnson, Human Resources Generalist, Boeing, 

and Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, on March 19, 

2001. 

Kent, Peter. "ARC seeks direction on vanpools." 

Atlanta Journal & Constitution. p. C2, May 29, 

1997 

Leibson, Russell and William Penner. 1994. 

"Successful Risk Management for Rideshare and 

Carpool-Matching Programs." Legal Research 

Digest, No. 2. September. 

Longo, Tom. 2001. Personal communication. 

Telephone conversation between Tom Longo, 

Fleet Safety Program Specialist, USAA, and 

Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, on March 21, 2001. 

Murdock, Helene. 2001. Personal communication. Telephone conversation between Helene 

Murdock, Vanpool Coordinator, and Liisa Ecola, 

ICF Consulting, on June 14, 2001. 

O'Brien, Susan. 2001. Personal communication. 

Telephone conversation between Susan O'Brien, 

Operations Manager, CARAVAN for Commuters, 

and Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, on June 13, 

2001. 

RIDES for Bay Area Commuters. 1999. 1999 

Vanpool Driver Survey, available at 

www.rides.org/lv2corner/vanpoolrpt/ 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Robertson, Margie. 2001. Personal communication. Telephone conversation between Margie 

Robertson, TRIP Coordinator for GEICO Direct, 

and Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, on March 19, 

2001. 

US Department of Transportation. 1993. 

Vanpooling - A Handbook to Help You Set Up a 

Program At Your Company. Report: DOT-T-93-

20, available at ntl.bts.gov/DOCS/NPO.html 

Washington State Department of Transportation. 

2000. Puget Sound Regional Vanpool Market 

Study. October. 

Winter, Philip L. and Francis Cleland. Undated. 

Vanpool Pricing and Financing Guide. Florida 

Department of Transportation Research Center, 

HPR Study No. 0873. 

17 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

,m ~~-··'---~-----------+-------------------------·---·--·-· 

~APPENDIX: COMMUTER RmESHARE PROGRAMS ________ ._ .. ••••~·•-•-••·--"---·---- ·•---.. -----••••· '"'' :..n ........ -'··•M ........ .,. •' 

The table below lists some of the third-party commuter rideshare programs in the country. Employers 

located in areas not listed below should contact the MPO for their region to determine if others exist. 

Location Sponsoring Agency Type of Agency Contact Info Website? 

Atlanta, GA Commuter Connections Rideshare sponsored by 87-RIDEFIND www.commuteconnections.com 

Atlanta Regional 

Commission 

Albany, NY Capital District Commuter Rideshare 518-458-2164 www.commuter-register.org 

Register 

Augusta, ME Go Augusta Rideshare 800-280-RIDE · www.goaugusta.org 

Binningham, AL CommuteSmart Rideshare Rideshare 800-826-RIDE www.commutesmartrideshare.c 

om 

Boston and Massachusetts CARAVAN for Rideshare 888-4-COMMUTE www.commute.com 

Commuters 

Contra Costa County, CA Contra Costa County Public consortium 510-215-3035 www.traks.org/incentive/guaran 

Commute Alternative tee/incentive.html 

Network 

Denver, CO Ride Arrangers Rideshare sponsored by 303-455-1000 www.drcog.org/ridearrangers 

Denver Regional Council 

of Governments 

Detroit, Ml Southeast Michigan Council of Governments 313-961-4266 www.semcog.org/index.html 

Council of Governments 

Houston, TX METROVan Rideshare 713-224-RIDE www.hou-metro.harris.tx.us/ 

METVAN.HTM 

Kansas City, MO Mid-America Regional Rideshare 816/842-RIDE rideshare.marc.org 

Council 

Las Vegas, NV Regional Transportation MPO 702-228-RIDE www.catride.com/catmatch/ 

Commission 

Long Island, NY Long Island RideSharing Rideshare 631-737-CARS www.737cars.com 

Miami, FL South Florida Commuter Rideshare 800-234-RIDE www.commuterserVices.com/sf/ 

Services 

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN Metro Council MPO/ Transit Agency 651-602-1602 www.metrocommuterservices.or 

g/index.asp 

Morris County, NJ TransOptions Rideshare 973-267-7600 www.transoptions.org 

Nashville, TN Regional Transportation MPO/ Transit Agency 615-862-8833 www.rta-ride.org/ridehome/ 

Authority ridepolicy.htm 

New Hampshire NewHampshire DOT State Department of 800-462-8707 www.state.nh.us/dot/rideshare 

Transportation 

New Haven, CT Rideworks Rideshare 800-ALL-RIDE www.rideworks.com 

New York, NY Commuter Link Rideshare 718-886-1343 www.commuterlink.com 

Phoenix, AZ Valley Metro Transit Agency 602-262-7242 www.valleymetro.maricopa.gov 

18 
CCLI: Vanpool Programs 

Location Sponsoring Agency Type of Agency Contact Info Website? 

Portland, ME RideShare Rideshare 800-280-RIDE www.ridesharemaine.org 

Rhode [s)and Rhode Island Public Transit Agency 888-88-RIPTA www.ripta.com 

Transit Authority 

San Diego, CA San Diego Commute Rideshare sponsored by 800-COMMUTE www.sdcommute.com/van _pool 

San Diego Association of .html 

Governments 

San Francisco Bay Area, RIDES for Bay Area Rideshare 800-755-POOL www.rides.org 

CA Commuters 

San Mateo County, CA Peninsula Traffic Public/non-profit Joint 650-994-7924 www.commute.org/ 

Congestion Relief Alliance Powers Association 

Seattle, WA Metro Rideshare County 206-625-4500 transit.metrokc.gov/van-car/vanOperations car.html 

Stamford, CT Metropool Ride share 800-346-3743 www.metropool.com 

Tallahassee, FL Commuter Services of Rideshare 888-454-RIDE tmi.cob.fsu.edu/commute/# 

North Florida 

Tampa, FL Bay Area Commuter Rideshare 813.282.8200 www.tampabayrideshare.org 

Services 

Vermont Vermont Public Transit Transit Agency 800-685-RIDE www.vpta.net 

Authority 

Vermont and New Upper Valley Rideshare Rideshare 802-295-1824 www.uppervalleyrideshare.com/ 

Hampshire /uvrs.grh.html 

Washington, DC Commuter Connections MPO 800-745-RIDE www.mwcog.org/commuter 

Windsor, CT The RideShare Company Rideshare 800-972-3279 www.rideshare.com 

19 


ORDERING 

This publication may be ordered from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at: 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

NSCEP 

P.O. Box 42419 

Cincinnati, OH 45242-2419 

Phone: (800) 490-9198, Fax: (513) 489-8695 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

This guidance document and other information about the Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative are available 

at www.commuterchoice.gov or by calling the Commuter Choice voicemail request line at (888) 856-3131. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

This document was prepared for EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality under contract 68-W6-0029, by 

Michael Grant and Liisa Ecola of ICF Consulting, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031, (703) 934-3000. 

We would like to thank the various reviewers who provided comments and feedback on the document. 

Recycled/Recyclable. Printed wilh Vegetable Oii Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Postconsume~ Process Chlorine Free