vanpool frequently asked questions

What makes a vanpool so appealing? Shared expenses and no stress.

In a typical vanpool, seven to fifteen commuters ride together, each contributing a low monthly fee that gets them a seat in the van and covers all maintenance, repairs and insurance. Not only is the cost of gas spread out among all the riders, each saves on the wear and tear on their car. Your car won’t depreciate as fast, nor need maintenance as often. Vanpools are comfortable and usually have dedicated driver, meaning you can relax and enjoy a stress free commute.

how does a vanpool work?

One person volunteers to be the primary driver/coordinator of the van. In exchange for taking on that responsibility, the driver sometimes does not pay towards the cost of the vanpool or pays a reduced cost.

Riders usually meet a designated pick-up location such as a Park & Ride lot. Some vans have more than one pick-up point, some don’t. The same applies to drop-off points at the destination. It all depends on the nature and needs of the vanpool group.

how much does a vanpool cost?

The riders share a fee that covers the cost of the vanpool lease and gas. The leasing price depends on the number of miles the vanpool travels each month and the vanpool operator. All maintenance, license and insurance costs are included in the lease.

The typical vanpool monthly fee is $1,600 to operate 4 to 5 days a week, $1,700 for 6 days a week and $1,800 for 7 days a week. With fifteen people sharing the ride, this equates to about $100 per person per month, which can include gas.

what if there’s an emergency and I need to leave early?

Rideshare’s Emergency Ride Home will get you where you need to go in an emergency. If your child is sick, you become ill at work or you have to work late without notice, you can use a taxi, Enterprise Rental Car or a Ride-On Van and Rideshare will reimburse you up to $45 for the ride. This service is only available to users registered at iRideShare.org. Each user is allowed four Emergency Ride Homes each year.

what if I have errands I need to run?

Discuss schedule changes with other vanpoolers in your group. You may be able to set your pick-up point close to a shopping center or bank to accommodate errands after work. You may choose not to vanpool on the days you have to run errands or use Rideshare’s Workplace Bike Sharing Program or FunRide to run errands during the day.

who owns the van?

San Luis Obispo County has three vanpool operators, Ride-on Transportation, Enterprise Vanpool and VPSI.

• Ride-on Transportation: www.ride-on.org, 805-543-7862 (Bob Armstrong)
• Enterprise Vanpool: www.vanpool.com, 1.800.VAN 4 WORK
• VPSI: www.vpsi.org

what is my commitment to the van?

All commuters in a vanpool make a month-to-month commitment. You may leave the vanpool by giving 30 days notice. This allows the vanpool time to recruit another rider to take your place. The monthly fee paid by each rider is for the purchase of a seat on the vanpool. Whether that seat is occupied or not, due to illness, vacation etc. the purchaser is responsible for the payment. Refunds are not offered for missed days. Once payment ceases, the seat is forfeited. If the passenger wishes to resume the vanpool, they will be put on the waiting list for a vacancy.

what if the driver or a rider gets sick or goes on vacation?

Each van has a back-up driver in case the primary driver cannot drive the van for whatever reason.

what if I only want to ride the vanpool a couple days a week?

A seat may be purchased by two people. An example of this is where one person rides the vanpool two days a week and the other rides the van three days a week. This arrangement must be processed through the vanpool providers.

how do I get started?

Check the list of available vanpool seats and hop on an existing vanpool. If there isn’t an open seat on your route, contact a vanpool vendor. We recommend “shopping around” to find the vendor that’s best for you.