Public Transportation Agencies Partner with VPSI

The benefits of vanpooling have evolved. Offered originally by employers as an answer to the energy crises of the 1970s, vanpools were soon being offered by private companies like us to individuals and employers. In the 1980s, public transportation agencies began to contract with us to offer vanpooling to their constituents because of a vanpools unique ability to address a niche commuting market usually not well-served by conventional public transportation – people with commutes of 30 or more miles living in low density residential areas.

With this evolution has come increased recognition of vanpooling as a smart, easy and efficient way to get to work. The federal government concurs by recognizing vanpooling as a public transportation mode, fully eligible for all financial assistance available to any other mode: rail, motor bus, or paratransit. Knowing how that funding is distributed will better help public agencies get a piece of the funding pie, and allow them a means of introducing new vanpool services with VPSI.

Today there are thousands of people commuting in vanpools throughout the country thanks to successful public/private partnerships like:

Vanpool Hawaii is a transportation demand management program sponsored by the Hawaii Department of Transportation. VPSI operates Vanpool Hawaii as part of a statewide contract with the DOT. Vanpool Hawaii serves the commuting needs of hundreds of residents, military personnel, businesses and government organizations by offering a complete Ridesharing Commuter Program. Our service provides an alternative to commuting by personal auto, bus, ferry, or company fleet vehicles. Participation in a vanpool offers the opportunity for tremendous savings for the riders.

The Valley Metro vanpool program serves commuters in Maricopa County, Arizona and is operated by VPSI on behalf of the Regional Public Transportation Authority. The RPTA provides the vehicles used in the program through the Federal Transit Authority’s Capital Lease program.

In Houston, Texas the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County and the Houston-Galveston Area Council have teamed up to provide incentives to qualified participants in VPSI’s vanpool program. This innovative voucherless system subsidizes the monthly cost of vanpooling by $35/month for each rider.

VPSI’s Brevard County, Florida Customer Service Center provides vanpooling services on behalf of Space Coast Area Transit (SCAT). SCAT purchases the vanpool vehicles and leases them to VPSI. We, in turn, sublease the vehicles to commuting groups and social service agencies at a reduced rate per month.

You can find out more about theses and other innovative programs by contacting:

Jon Martz
Vice President – Government Relations
800.223.VPSI
e-mail:jwmartz@vpsiinc.com