Get There by Vanpool

Statewide Services & Subsidy

Get There by Vanpool helps employers offer a more affordable and reliable commute option for employees. Get There by Vanpool is a program of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) that includes a new subsidy and vanpooling management services. ODOT oversees the program and has contracted with Commute with Enterprise to administer the subsidy and provide vanpool management services.

What is a Vanpool?

Vanpools are a cost-effective option for employees who commute about 20 miles or more each way. A group of 5–14 people share the ride in a rented vehicle, helping everyone save money, reduce wear and tear on personal vehicles, lower emissions, and enjoy a less stressful commute.

Program Benefits

The Get There by Vanpool program includes:

A statewide subsidy to reduce monthly vanpool costs
Help matching riders into vanpools
Vehicle rental, maintenance, insurance, and 24/7 roadside assistance
Rider billing management
Flexible month-to-month participation
Guaranteed Ride Home options for emergencies
Less wear and tear on personal vehicles

Commute with Enterprise works directly with employers and commuters to start, operate, and manage vanpools from beginning to end. Get more details below and access employer resources to help your employees start vanpooling.

If you have questions or want to explore setting up employee vanpools, contact:

Commute with Enterprise: David Meigs, [email protected]
Get There Oregon: Employer Support, [email protected]

Getting Started

Commute with Enterprise makes starting and running employee vanpools easy at no cost to employers. Here’s how it works:

1.
Join an informational session with Commute with Enterprise.
- Talk about your business and workforce commute needs.
2.
Make a game plan.
- Commute with Enterprise creates your custom employee vanpool program.
3.
Roll out your new staff benefit.
- Spread the word using ready-made and customizable employee materials.
4.
Set up vanpools.
- Commute with Enterprise matches employees in vanpools, delivers rental vehicles, onboards drivers, and helps plan routes.
5.
Manage vanpools.
- Commute with Enterprise handles subsidy administration, rider billing, gas cards, 24/7 roadside assistance, vehicle maintenance, vanpool reporting requirements, and emergency ride home needs.
6.
Track success.
- Get real-time vanpool impact reports.

Vanpool Service Details

As part of Get There by Vanpool, Commute with Enterprise provides vanpool setup, management, and support services at no cost to employers.

Program Setup

Commute with Enterprise works with employers to understand employee commuting patterns and create a vanpool program that fits their workforce and commute needs.

Rider Matching

Commute with Enterprise helps identify employees with similar commute patterns and matches them into vanpools. Individual commuters can also use Get There Connect to find available vanpool openings.

Vehicle Rental

Commute with Enterprise provides newer rental vehicles, including SUVs and vans, that are maintained throughout the life of the vanpool. Vehicle options vary based on the size and needs of each group.

Vanpool Management

Commute Enterprise manages the day-to-day administration of the vanpool, including vehicle delivery, subsidy administration, rider billing, driver onboarding, and route planning. Commute with Enterprise can also help find new vanpool riders if needed.

Maintenance

Commute with Enterprise schedules and coordinates vehicle maintenance and will provide another vehicle if extensive repairs are needed.

Roadside Assistance

Every vanpool includes 24/7 roadside assistance through Commute with Enterprise.

Insurance

Each vanpool is covered by vehicle liability and physical damage protection insurance.

Guaranteed Ride Home

Vanpool riders can access an Emergency Ride Home benefit if they need to leave work unexpectedly due to an emergency.

For additional information about vanpool services, visit Commute with Enterprise’s employer website or contact David Meigs at [email protected]

Employee Vanpool Subsidy

Get There by Vanpool offers a statewide subsidy that can cover up to 50% of a vanpool’s monthly cost.

Up to $550 per month for vanpools with up to 8 seats
Up to $750 per month for vanpools with 9–14 seats

The remaining cost can be shared among riders, paid by an employer, or covered through a combination of both.

Eligibility

To qualify for the subsidy:

Vanpools must be used for commuting to work.
Vanpool vehicles must have at least 7 seats including the driver’s seat. (This subsidy limits vanpools to 14 total passengers including the driver.)
Vanpools must have an average seat occupancy of 50% or more. For example, a 12-passenger vehicle must have an average of 6 or more passengers per trip including the driver.
Riders must be at least 18 years old.
Vanpool trips must start or end in Oregon.
Vanpools must be open to new eligible riders if there are open seats, regardless of where they work.
Vanpools cannot receive another subsidy with public funds (federal, state or local).
Vehicle mileage and passenger counts will be tracked monthly and reported by Commute with Enterprise to meet federal reporting requirements.

The Get There by Vanpool subsidy is available statewide and administered by Commute with Enterprise.

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the program work?

Commute with Enterprise helps form vanpools, matches riders, provides rental vehicles, administers the subsidy, manages billing, maintains vehicles, and offers Guaranteed Ride Home benefits. Employers do not need to manage the day-to-day operation of the vanpool.

How is a vanpool different from a carpool or shuttle?

While both involve sharing a ride, vanpools are different from carpools and shuttles. Carpools are typically organized and paid for by the people sharing the ride, using someone’s personal vehicle, while vanpools are considered a form of public transit and may be eligible for federal, state, and local subsidies.

Vanpools are also different from shuttles, which usually operate on fixed routes and schedules and are run by an organization or transit agency. Learn more about the differences between vanpools and shuttles here.

What is a vanpool subsidy?

Vanpool subsidies are funds that directly offset the individual cost for commuters to participate in a vanpool program. For Get There by Vanpool, Commute with Enterprise passes the subsidy on to the commuter through reduced costs.

How are vanpool costs covered?

Commute with Enterprise bundles vehicle rental, insurance, maintenance, and fuel into one monthly payment. After the subsidy is applied, the remaining balance can be paid by riders, employers, or both.

Are employers required to pay for the vanpool?

No. Employers can choose whether to contribute toward vanpool costs, but they are not required to participate financially. However, vanpool programs are often more successful when an employer covers at least some of the cost. Commute with Enterprise does not charge employers for employee vanpool set up and ongoing management services.

Why should employers help cover employee vanpool costs?

With longer distances traveled for work and rising costs, the commute has become a greater pain point for employees. Bringing your workforce a more affordable and reliable way to commute through vanpooling can improve employee job satisfaction, retention, and productivity, while serving other business needs. Employee vanpool programs are often more successful when employers cover at least some of the monthly cost to encourage their employees to share the ride to work.

Are services and subsidies available statewide?

Yes. Get There by Vanpool services and subsidies are available across Oregon for eligible vanpools that start or end in Oregon.

How much does the subsidy cover?

The subsidy can cover up to 50% of the monthly vanpool cost, up to $550 per month for vanpools with up to 8 seats and up to $750 per month for vanpools with 9–14 seats.

What are the requirements for a vanpool to be eligible for the subsidy?

To qualify for the subsidy:

Vanpools must be used for commuting to work.
Vanpool vehicles must have at least 7 seats including the driver’s seat. (This subsidy limits vanpools to 14 total passengers including the driver.)
Vanpools must have an average seat occupancy of 50% or more. For example, a 12-passenger vehicle must have an average of 6 or more passengers per trip including the driver.
Riders must be at least 18 years old.
Vanpool trips must start or end in Oregon.
Vanpools must be open to new eligible riders if there are open seats, regardless of where they work.
Vanpools cannot receive another subsidy with public funds (federal, state or local).
Vehicle mileage and passenger counts will be tracked monthly and reported by Commute with Enterprise to meet federal reporting requirements.

What does a vanpool typically cost?

Monthly costs vary depending on vehicle size, mileage, and selected amenities. For example, if an eight-person vanpool costs $1,500 per month, the program could provide a $550 subsidy, leaving $950 to be shared among riders, an employer, or both. That’s an average monthly cost of less than $120 per passenger, which either the passenger or their employer would pay.

Can a vanpool receive multiple public subsidies?

No. The Get There by Vanpool subsidy cannot be combined with another public subsidy.

Who drives the vanpools?

Vanpool participants are the drivers but not every participant needs to be a driver. Each vanpool group must have at least one driver who has had a valid U.S. driver’s license for at least 5 years. The driver will take the vehicle home with them every night. Each vanpool is allotted a small number of miles each month for non-commute purposes, so that the driver can, for example, stop by a grocery store on their way home from work even if it is slightly out of the way.

How is the program funded?

Get There by Vanpool is 100% federally funded and uses no state funding.

How long will the program be available?

Get There by Vanpool is currently funded as a limited-duration program and can support approximately 150 vanpools at one time for about three years. If funding remains available, the program may continue for a longer period.

How do employers or commuters get started?

Employers and commuters interested in starting a vanpool or learning more about the subsidy can contact David Meigs at Commute with Enterprise at [email protected] or Get There Oregon Employer Support at [email protected].

Employer Resources

Get There by Vanpool Program Guide

Learn how the program works, who is eligible, and how to get started, using this employer guide.

Commute Solutions Toolkit

Download ready-to-use flyers, emails, graphics, and other materials to promote vanpooling to employees here.

Vanpool Coordination Handbook

Explore best practices and practical tips for starting and supporting successful employee vanpools using this online handbook.

Employer Success Stories

See how Oregon employers are using vanpools to improve recruitment, retention, and employee commutes.