CARPOOLING AND VANPOOLING
Don’t have a rideshare partner? Now is your opportunity to find someone with whom you could share the ride! Register with South Florida Commuter Services to receive a free list of potential carpool/vanpool partners.
CARPOOLING
What is Carpooling?
The basic definition: when two or more people ride together in the same vehicle. What carpooling means for you: a less expensive commute & the ability to use the HOV lane!
How Do You Save?
Once you receive your ridematch list, team up with at least one other person for your drive to work and cut your commuting costs. The more people in your carpool, the lower your expense. Either divide the commuting expenses by the number of people in the group, or rotate driving responsibilities every week or so. Remember, you don’t necessarily have to carpool every day. Consider starting off by trying it a few days a week.
VANPOOLING
What is Vanpooling?
A Vanpool is made up of five to fifteen people who commute together in a passenger van. One or more members of the group volunteers to drive and the cost of operating the van is split evenly amongst the group.
The monthly fee includes: a brand new vehicle, bumper to bumper maintenance, a million dollar insurance policy, 24-hour roadside assistance, a loaner/back-up van, program administration, and 24-hour customer service. The lease agreement is month-to-month, with no long-term commitment.
How Do You Save?
Vanpooling is ideal for people with longer commutes, with usual distances from work of at least 15 miles one way. The longer your commute, the more economical a Vanpool tends to be. Likewise, the more riders in the van, the less each rider pays, since costs are shared evenly.
For additional information about vanpooling, please contact Matt Lincoln, the local South Florida Vanpool Coordinator, at (305) 558-1355.
How do you start carpooling or vanpooling?
Get started now by completing a simple REGISTRATION FORM. After you complete it, you will receive a free list of possible rideshare partners from South Florida Commuter Services. At that point, you can choose to contact a few or all of the participants on the list about possibly sharing the ride.
Carpool Benefits
Carpooling offers many benefits:
· Save money on gas
· Less traffic congestion
· Cleaner air, and
· Make friends along the way
Good Carpool Etiquette
Like any cooperative group effort, carpooling requires courtesy and cooperation to maximize the benefits. By following some good carpool etiquette rules, whether you're the driver or the passenger, you share the responsibility to make the ride a pleasant experience for all.
Instructions
Step 1
Be on time. When one person is late, this sets off a chain reaction for everyone to be late.
Step 2
Be respectful. Compromise on items that will maximize the benefits of the partnership, i.e., radio program(s), air temperature.
Step 3
Be considerate. Avoid wearing strongly scented products, such as strong perfumes, hair products or deodorants that can be irritating to your ride-share partner(s).
Step 4
Be reliable. Follow through with your carpool commitments. This means doing your share of the driving, or making your financial contributions as agreed upon.
Step 5
Be consistent. Make few changes to the ride-sharing schedule and avoid veering from the schedule, or route, to fulfill personal errands.
Step 6
Be informative. Notify your carpool partner or group of any carpool schedule changes well in advance, i.e., vacation days, car trouble, etc.
Read the Florida Statute on Employer Liability Limits on Ridesharing. CLICK HERE
Visit South Florida Commuter Services at www.1800234RIDE.com
or call 1-800-234-RIDE for more information.
South Florida Commuter Services is a program ofthe Florida Department of Transportation.