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Ridesharing is the term used to refer to both
carpooling and vanpooling. It may also be used to indicate
other transportation modes other than a single occupant vehicle (SOV) such as
buses or trains. This section is focused on carpooling and vanpooling.
Benefits to Your Employer:
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Reduced need for parking
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Employee productivity is enhanced as a result of reduced commuting stress
Benefits to employees:
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Saving in commuting time when using High Occupancy Vehicle lanes
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Reduced commute cost
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Reduced commuting stress
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Preferred parking spaces are reserved for people who rideshare at some area
employers
Benefits to the community:
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improve air quality
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Reduced fuel consumption and highway congestion
A carpool refers to two to six people sharing
the ride to work in a private vehicle. Carpools are the most flexible
alternative to driving alone.
The average carpool is 2.2 riders per
vehicle. (Its an average OK? So wipe that silly grin off your face). For every
ten carpools formed of previous solo drivers, 12 vehicle trips are reduced.
Carpools are as varied as the people who form
them. One person may do all the driving with the riders contributing to the cost
of the commute. Or the commuters may share driving and not exchange money.
Sharing a ride to work with a spouse or friend counts as a carpool. Taking
children to daycare or school doesn't count as a carpool, because the children
would not be driving alone otherwise.
And for those of you married married folk,
don't overlook the possibility of sharing a ride to work with your spouse. A
carpool is a carpool, even if the riders are related!
Before making any final carpool arrangements,
the prospective carpoolers need to be prepared to screen the other party for
many issues such as preference for smoking, type of music, flexibility of
schedule, etc.
A vanpool is defined as a prearranged group
of seven to fifteen people who share their commute. The vanpool group travels
from home (or a prearranged meeting place) to work, school, or other institution
and back in a single round trip, in which the driver is also commuting. Vanpool
members may share driving if they wish.
Recently, Yakima Transit began a vanpool
program. The first vanpool vehicle, which travels from the
Yakima area to the Hanford
worksite, began service in July, 1999. If you are interested in finding out
more about vanpool possibilities, or creating your own vanpool, call Yakima
Transit at (509) 575-6175; or contact our office
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