Foothill Rideshare helps start vanpools by:

• Organizing meetings with potential riders.
• Advertising empty seats on our Web site.
• Offering free magnetic van signs to help recruit riders.
• Providing information regarding van leasing.

A minimum of 6 drivers is optimum for starting a vanpool. Vanpool rider and driver agreements and arrangements vary depending on the participants. Incentives in the form of subsidies for unexpected "empty" seats or other vanpool-related costs are available from a few local counties and transportation agencies.

There are three types of vanpools:

• Leased vans owned by a leasing company. Riders/drivers jointly make one monthly payment to the leasing company to cover the cost of the van, insurance, and maintenance.
• Privately owned vans owned by an individual who rents seats to riders.
• Company sponsored vans owned by individual companies.

Register for vanpooling to see if any current vans fit your commuter info.

Step 1:
Click here to register for vanpooling and find other vanpool riders and drivers.

Step 2:
Contact everyone on your matchlist. You'll probably notice at least one person on your list who lives around the corner or works down the street from you, so why not share the ride?

Cover the basics. In making your vanpool arrangements, be sure to get answers to some key questions:

• How often will you vanpool?
• Where will you meet? At home or a mutually-convenient location.
• When will you meet? Work schedules are often more flexible than you think.

Also discuss "rules of the road" that address topics such as:

• Food, coffee, smoking and perfume/cologne usage.
• Radio preferences.
• How long drivers will wait for delays.

Vanpools are often formed when the driver leases a van and riders pay to ride. To find out more about leasing a van for vanpooling click here to visit Enterprise or click here to visit VPSI.