Long Trip? No Problem.

Join a vanpool and make your commute better by sharing the cost. If you have a longer commute (typically 20+ miles), vanpooling is a great option. Vanpools let you share the load of your commute with a large group (typically 5-14 people). Join or start a vanpool and enjoy some of these benefits: 

• Save money and reduce your emissions: When you vanpool, it makes saving money and reducing carbon emissions easy. By splitting the costs between 5 to 14 members, you’ll be driving less and saving more! 
• Enjoy some “me time”: With a large group sharing the responsibility of driving, it gives you more time to do the things that you enjoy while on your way to work. Scroll social media, play a game, talk with your fellow vanpoolers, or just sit back and relax. 

Tips and Best Practices for Vanpooling

What is a vanpool? 

Vanpooling is similar to a carpool, where people share the ride to work together. However, a vanpool vehicle is usually a van or SUV provided by a public program instead of someone’s personal vehicle. Vanpools allow a larger group to travel together. Learn more here. 

Is vanpool free?

In a vanpool, the costs are shared between the members, and participants may take on driving or coordination duties for a discount on their share of the costs. The most common vanpool arrangements are coordinated through public programs, or third party vendors that provide services to employers or individual commuters. 

How do I find a vanpool in Oregon? 

Use Get There Connect, our free trip planning and tracking app and web tool, to find an existing vanpool in Oregon. 

How do I start a vanpool in Oregon? 

Vanpool formation can vary! Take a look at this Vanpool Coordination Handbook for tips on how to start one. In Oregon, subsidy programs for vanpooling are available in many regions and statewide. Information about vanpool subsidy programs is on our Employer Benefits Program Solutions page.

Get There by Vanpool is the statewide program offered by Get There Oregon in partnership with Commute with Enterprise for people whose commutes start or end in Oregon. The program offers a statewide subsidy for qualifying vanpools, which 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

Learn more about Get There by Vanpool program here! 

How do I find a vanpool to Oregon from Washington? 

C-TRAN provides vanpool services for trips beginning or ending in Washington state, including trips across the state line. They serve commuters traveling at least 10 miles in each direction and at least one end of the commute must begin or end in Clark County.