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Commuting can be
a real hassle. Racing out the door in the
morning. Fighting with traffic. Relying on the
radio for companionship. Paying sky-high prices
for gas. Dealing with the weather. And when you finally get to work, you
feel the effects of a stressful, unproductive
and costly commute.
Vanpooling is a great, cost effective
alternative for your daily commute. You can
enjoy the convenience of sharing a ride to work
with others together in a friendly environment.
In addition, because VPSI has been awarded
funding through a NYSERDA/NYSDOT competitive
solicitation, Capital Region vanpoolers will
receive special
discounted fares.
You'll arrive at work safe, on time and
relaxed. But the benefits don't stop there. By
vanpooling you can begin to use your commute
time productively to catch up on your work, your
sleep or the latest best seller.
What is a vanpool?
A vanpool is
a group of 5 - 15 people who commute together on
a regular basis in a van. Longer commutes are
more conducive to vanpooling, but vanpools can
be successful with commutes lengths as little as
15 miles one way. Vanpools are also a
great option for people whose work sites have
limited or expensive parking.
How does it work?
VPSI leases a
van to the vanpool group. The lease is a
short-term lease of one month in duration,
renewable monthly.
Each vanpool has a primary driver/coordinator
and one or more alternate drivers.
The vanpool participants share cost of the van
and all other operating expenses. The
driver usually rides for free or at a reduced
rate. The driver also gets use of the vehicle
for personal trips.
Riders
usually meet at a designated pick-up location
like a park and ride location. Some vans have
more than one pick-up point, some don't.
.What's the cost?
Because you share the
cost with up to 14 other people, vanpooling is
typically much less expensive than driving
yourself to work. To see what your drive alone
commute costs are click here
and compare those costs to the
cost of a typical
vanpool.
In
addition, because VPSI has been awarded
funding through a NYSERDA/NYSDOT competitive
solicitation, Capital Region vanpoolers will
receive special discounted fares. There are also Federal tax incentives
for vanpooling. Bottom line - vanpoolers
generally pay around 5-10 cents per mile to commute
in a vanpool.
Is vanpooling right for
me?
If you travel about 15
miles or more one-way to work and have a
schedule that's relatively consistent, you're a
good prospect! And iPool2 offers a
Guaranteed Ride Home
program which provides flexibility in case you
need to leave work unexpectedly.
How Can
I find a Vanpool?
If you think vanpooling is right for you,
register on-line at
iPool2.org and
indicate your interest in vanpooling.. If you already have an
iPool2 account, click on the carpool preferences
screen under "my page" to indicate your interest
in forming a vanpool.
What now?
If you're interested in starting a vanpool of
your own, our program makes it a snap! It
includes insurance, all scheduled and
unscheduled maintenance, loaner vehicles and
best of all, there's no long term commitment.
If you are interested in forming a vanpool,
iPool2 and VPSI can help. We will:
1. Assist you in finding vanpool riders (through
iPool2).
2. Assist you in qualifying as a primary driver.
3. Set a start date and create a time line to
get your vanpool on the road.
4. Determine the basic vanpool route, pick up
and drop off times.
5. Estimate monthly expenses.
6. Establish general vanpool guidelines.
7. Set policies and a schedule for payment.
8. Meet with potential riders.
Ready to start ?
Create your
iPool2 Account or
email us
today. |