Commute PA can help commuters form a vanpool by locating and bringing together a group of people to split commuting costs to and from work.
We’ll help connect five to 15 people, map your locations, identify a meeting place for morning and afternoon pick-ups and designate drivers. Once your vanpool is on the road, we employ marketing and outreach efforts at nearby worksites to help you find more potential riders for even more savings. Participating in a vanpool reduces wear and tear on your personal vehicle and provides a reliable, relaxing option to travel!
Fun Fact!
Did you know you can search for existing vanpools on the Commute PA Rideshare and Rewards app?
What Is Vanpooling?
Vanpooling is a form of ridesharing where a group of five to 15 people with similar work schedules share a ride to work to save money, increase convenience and be eco-friendly. Commute PA works with a vanpool vendor to provide the group with safe and reliable commuter vehicles. Vanpooling offers more fluidity than a standard bus route while providing more structure to your daily commute. You decide how to share the costs and driving duties and take back time to relax or do other tasks when riding shotgun. Check out our resources to learn if vanpooling is the right fit for you.
Benefits of Vanpooling
Has traffic, long commutes or costs on your vehicle got you down? Join our vanpool program in Pennsylvania and enjoy these perks:
- Budget-friendly: By using your car less, you will reduce your maintenance, fuel, parking and insurance costs.
- Convenience: The average one-way commute is 26.4 minutes. As a passenger, you can get time back in your day to read, listen to music or catch up on emails.
- Eco-friendly: Removing just one car from the road can save up to 17,000 pounds of carbon emissions annually.
- Tax gains: The Internal Revenue Code allows employers to offer their employees tax-free commuter benefits up to specified limits. The IRS provides a pre-tax transit benefit of up to $315 per month to each employee in the vanpool.
- Emergency ride home: If you record at least two vanpooling trips a week, you qualify for our emergency ride home program for a reimbursement in case of an unexpected event or unscheduled overtime.
PA Vanpool Options
There are various vanpool options in PA. Commute PA is a free program that helps connect people with other commuters in their area. To get started:
- Create an account online or through the Commute PA App.
- Complete your profile with the required information to match with commuters on similar routes and schedules.
- Once you find a match, contact us to schedule a formation meeting with the group to discuss vehicle type, route, schedule and costs.
- Find out if your employer offers the $315 Federal pre-tax benefit. Commute PA can also speak to your employer about this.
- Vanpool members lease the van usually at a monthly fee that covers gas, maintenance, roadside assistance and insurance.
- We help delegate a primary driver and at least one alternate driver to step in when needed.
Vanpool Tips for a Safe and Smooth Ride
Vanpooling involves dividing expenses and responsibilities among the members, which requires cooperation and flexibility. To ensure a successful vanpool, have everyone commit to the agreed-upon schedule and be considerate of passengers when eating, drinking or playing music.
A few tips to keep everyone safe include:
- Meet prospective members in public and ask for personal references if possible.
- Discuss rules and expectations regarding schedules, cost-sharing, responsibilities and driving habits.
- Obey all traffic laws and ensure all passengers wear their seatbelts at all times.
How To Get Started
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Start Taking Greener Trips Today!
If you have a consistent work schedule that requires you to travel 15 or more miles, we can connect you to interested individuals and assist with vanpool options in PA. Take green trips and record them to receive points that you can redeem for discounts and vouchers.
Sign up for our ridematching program and start earning rewards.
trips and earn
rewards here.
meet your vanpool
partners here.
commute cost?
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