Vanpool

What is a vanpool?

When seven to fifteen people commute to work or school in a passenger van, it is called a vanpool. Vanpools are usually used for longer commutes of 20 or more miles each way.

Does Kern Commuter Connection set up vanpools?

No. We serve as a resource for vanpool companies and for people, schools, or businesses to manage their vanpools. Our website can assist vanpool administrators by providing database management for riders, route mapping, tracking van maintenance, calculating air quality emission reductions, and generating reports. Vanpool operators may list their routes on our website, which will help them find riders.

Who owns the vans?

Vans may be owned or leased by individuals, schools, or businesses. There are a few vanpool companies operating in Kern County. They are listed in the "Resources" section.

How much will it cost?

Vanpools usually divide the costs to run a vanpool equally. These may include fuel, maintenance, and insurance.

What else should I know about vanpools?

Your vanpool expenses may reduce your income taxes. Under the Internal Revenue Service's Commuter Choice program, your employer could deduct your vanpool expenses from your gross wages and pay the vanpool operator directly. This will reduce income taxes for you and for your employer. If your commute lies primarily within the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's region, you may apply for a grant. The REMOVE II program provides up to $300 per month for twelve months to brand new vanpools. Visit their website, www.valleyair.org, for more information.

What can I do to make sure my vanpool is a success?

Kern Commuter Connection has created some helpful tools. Listing your vanpool on our website helps you replace riders when they leave. Click here for Vanpool Policies. You may also download a convenient form to list your vanpool members' contact information such as home, work, or cell phones.

Testimonial:

West Kern Machinery has offered a vanpool and carpool program to their Buttonwillow location for 25 years to help employees cope with the long commute distance. Employees commute to work in a safe manner, and save money too. West Kern Machinery pays someone to drive the van, which makes two or three pickup stops. Very few employees get to work late! The employer must be mindful that work schedule changes affect the vanpool. The company offers a guaranteed ride home, either a ride or a vehicle for the employee to take home for the day. This is possible, because during the hiring process, employees must demonstrate that they have clean driving records and are insurable. Since West Kern Machinery's technicians work in the heat, some seats are left vacant to make the ride home more comfortable. The California Highway Patrol routinely inspects the company-owned van. Employees who choose to carpool also receive incentives. Management sees the vanpool as a good way to recruit and retain employees.

Vanpool Tips

Here are some tips to ensure that your vanpool program becomes successful.

• Determine your meeting place(s), route and schedule.
• Successful vanpools typically use no more than four pickup points.
• Put it in writing. Here is a sample Vanpool Policy statement.
• Be on time.
• Decide how long the driver must wait.
• Don't disturb neighbors by honking your horn if a rider is running late.
• Vanpool drivers must behave responsibly and be dependable.
• Organizational and communication skills come in handy for working with a group of individuals. Make certain you have a substitute driver, maps, schedules, vehicle maintenance schedule, insurance, employers, and financial arrangements.
• Communicate: Have a Vanpool Participant Contact List , give advance notice of days you won't vanpool, speak up if something is not working out.
• Vehicles for vanpooling must be maintained for road safety, reliability, and cleanliness.
• Drive carefully: Speeding, unsafe lane changes, and drinking alcohol should not be tolerated.
• Vanpool for commute purposes only.
• Respect each other's time and run errands after your commute.
• Enlist help from your employer. They can add to the success of your program by offering Commuter Choice tax benefits, an Emergency Ride Home program, and by committing to considering vanpool participation when making schedule changes.
• Have a backup driver and/or ride to and from work to cover absences for vacations, illness, family emergencies, overtime, car repairs and so on.
• Be realistic; be honest. If you have demands on your time (flexibility, overtime, personal life, entertainment), then perhaps your commute needs would be better met with a rideshare alternative like telecommuting, flexible schedule, public transit, cycling, or carpooling anywhere from once to a few times each week.