Does your commute take more than hour? Are you tired of the traffic? For Brian the weather, seat availability, and schedule consistency all played a role in his decision to change his commute to vanpooling.
The average commuter traveling into Arlington saves $10,000 when they to vanpool to work. Now that Brian vanpools to work, he pays only $10 per month.
Most of the costs of his commute including gas, parking, tolls, van leasing, and insurance are covered by the transit benefit provided by his company. He also takes advantage of the Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) Vanpool Connect subsidy and the Vanpool Alliance subsidy, significantly bringing down his monthly out-of-pocket cost. Brian is excited about his vanpool and has seen improvement in his quality of life and productivity at work.
Why Brian Vanpools to Work
Q: What was the main reason you started vanpooling?
A: I wanted to avoid waiting outside for the bus in the cold and heat. Eliminating the wait for my commuter bus to and from work has also saved me over 30 minutes each day.
Q: Was receiving a financial incentive a contributing factor to vanpooling?
A: Yes, fortunately my company contributes the full $260 per month subsidized commuter benefit.
Share a Ride with Your Coworkers
Since early April, Brian has been sharing a ride to work with three of his colleagues. One of his coworkers who has been vanpooling for years recommended that Brian try vanpooling as an alternative commute. He and his fellow riders reached out to ATP for assistance.
Vanpool pro-tip: Vanpools include as few as four and up to 15 riders. Vanpools help commuters to avoid traffic with a direct route consisting of minimal stops.
Q: What is the atmosphere like in your vanpool?
A: It is a respectful atmosphere—we work at the same company so we know each other. We each take turns driving and if someone would rather watch a movie, other riders don’t bother them with conversation.
3 Vanpool Tips for New Riders
Brian shared his top three suggestions to get acclimated to the vanpool process:
- Make inquires with coworkers to see if they are interested.
- Have clear communication channels to clarify schedule changes.
- Share responsibilities for managing the vanpool.
Form a Vanpool
Individuals and companies can work with ATP to start a vanpool. To start a corporate vanpool, individuals will meet with an ATP representative to discuss vanpool options. Individuals can form or join an existing vanpool by visiting JoinAVanpool.com.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/Kittner.com for Arlington Transportation Partners
